Srimad Bhagavatham1.6.28-38

Narada’s Full Perfection

1.2.4

nārāyanam namaskrtyanaram caiva narottamamdevīm sarasvatīm vyāsam

tato jayam udīrayet

Before reciting this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Nārāyana, unto Nara-nārāyana Rsi, the supermost human being, unto mother Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning, and unto Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the author.

1.2.18

nasta-prāyesv abhadresunityam bhāgavata-sevayābhagavaty uttama-ślokebhaktir bhavati naisthikī

By regular attendance in classes on the Bhāgavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.

Outline

28 : Narada Muni getting spiritual body

29 – 32 : Narada Muni’s transcendental nature

33 – 35 : Narada Muni’s instructions 36 – 38 : Conclusion

1.6.28

prayujyamāne mayi tāmśuddhām bhāgavatīm tanum

ārabdha-karma-nirvānonyapatat pāñca-bhautikah

Having been awarded a transcendental body befitting an associate of the Personality of Godhead, I quit the body made of five material elements, and thus all acquired fruitive results of work [karma] stopped.

Main points

Transcendental body – invested with eternity, freedom from material modes and reactions of fruitive activities

Devotee’s body, material transcendence

Examples – Dhruva Maharaj, Prahlad Maharaj

Lord sees the same – gold box, gold plated box

1.6.29

kalpānta idam ādāyaśayāne 'mbhasy udanvatah

śiśayisor anuprānamviviśe 'ntar aham vibhoh

At the end of the millennium, when the Personality of Godhead Lord Nārāyana lay down within the water of devastation, Brahmā began to enter into Him along with all creative elements, and I also entered through His breathing.

Main points

Lord and his devotees like Narada belong to the same category of transcendence

1.6.30

sahasra-yuga-paryanteutthāyedam sisrksatah

marīci-miśrā rsayahprānebhyo 'ham ca jajñire

After 4,300,000,000 solar years, when Brahmā awoke to create again by the will of the Lord, all the rsis like Marīci, Ańgirā, Atri and so on were created from the transcendental body of the Lord, and I also appeared along with them.

Main points

Narada just wakes up from sleep in the same transcendental body

Transcendental body has no distinction of body and soul

1.6.31

antar bahiś ca lokāms trīnparyemy askandita-vratahanugrahān mahā-visnor

avighāta-gatih kvacit

Since then, by the grace of the almighty Visnu, I travel everywhere without restriction both in the transcendental world and in the three divisions of the material world. This is because I am fixed in unbroken devotional service of the Lord.

Main points

Liberated spaceman Prime authority for transcendental

devotional service of the Lord Only devotees are eligible to enter

the Kingdom of God

From purport…

All the great authorities in the devotional service of the Lord follow in the footsteps of Nārada Muni in the order of the Nārada-bhakti-sūtra, and therefore all the devotees of the Lord are unhesitatingly qualified to enter into the kingdom of God, Vaikuntha.

1.6.32

deva-dattām imām vīnāmsvara-brahma-vibhūsitāmmūrcchayitvā hari-kathāmgāyamānaś carāmy aham

And thus I travel, constantly singing the transcendental message of the glories of the Lord, vibrating this instrument called a vīnā, which is charged with transcendental sound and which was given to me by Lord Krsna.

Main points

Vina is identical with Lord Krishna and Narada

Everything associated with the Lord is transcendental

1.6.33

pragāyatah sva-vīryānitīrtha-pādah priya-śravāh

āhūta iva me śīghramdarśanam yāti cetasi

The Supreme Lord Śrī Krsna, whose glories and activities are pleasing to hear, at once appears on the seat of my heart, as if called for, as soon as I begin to chant His holy activities.

Main points

Lord is non-different from His Name, form, pastimes

Spiritual television Natural psychology Not for personal benefit

From purport…

It is a natural psychology in every individual case that a person likes to hear and enjoy his personal glories enumerated by others. That is a natural instinct, and the Lord, being also an individual personality like others, is not an exception to this psychology because psychological characteristics visible in the individual souls are but reflections of the same psychology in the Absolute Lord.

1.6.34

etad dhy ātura-cittānāmmātrā-sparśecchayā muhuh

bhava-sindhu-plavo drstohari-caryānuvarnanam

It is personally experienced by me that those who are always full of cares and anxieties due to desiring contact of the senses with their objects can cross the ocean of nescience on a most suitable boat — the constant chanting of the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead.

Main points

Objects in maya’s realm cannot give ultimate satisfaction

Bhagavad Gita 5.22 Prescription – turn your mind to

Krishna Change the subject matter

Selfishness changed to love

From purport…

But as these things are exercised under the influence of the external, illusory energy, such sensual activities do not actually give them any satisfaction. On the contrary, they become full with cares and anxieties. This is called māyā, or what is not. That which cannot give them satisfaction is accepted as an object for satisfaction.

1.6.35

yamādibhir yoga-pathaihkāma-lobha-hato muhuhmukunda-sevayā yadvat

tathātmāddhā na śāmyati

It is true that by practicing restraint of the senses by the yoga system one can get relief from the disturbances of desire and lust, but this is not sufficient to give satisfaction to the soul, for this [satisfaction] is derived from devotional service to the Personality of Godhead.

Main points

Effective and practical way of controlling the senses

Bhagavad Gita 2.59 Foremost process for self-realization Message of Srimad Bhagavatam

SB 4.4.28 Purport

One cannot attain complete satisfaction even if one is situated in the greatest material opulence. There was nothing Saté could not achieve either from her relationship with her father or from her relationship with the greatest of the demigods, but still, for some reason, she was dissatisfied. Therefore, Çrémad-Bhägavatam (1.2.6) explains that one has to achieve real satisfaction (yayätmä suprasédati), but ätmä—the body, mind and soul—all become completely satisfied only if one develops devotional service to the Absolute Truth. Sa vai puàsäà paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokñaje. Adhokñaja means the Absolute Truth. If one can develop his unflinching love for the transcendental Supreme Personality of Godhead, that can give complete satisfaction, otherwise there is no possibility of satisfaction in the material world or anywhere else.

1.6.36

sarvam tad idam ākhyātamyat prsto 'ham tvayānaghajanma-karma-rahasyam mebhavataś cātma-tosanam

O Vyāsadeva, you are freed from all sins. Thus I have explained my birth and activities for self-realization, as you asked. All this will be conducive for your personal satisfaction also.

Main points

Result of hearing Results of devotional life revealed

1.6.37

sūta uvācaevam sambhāsya bhagavān

nārado vāsavī-sutamāmantrya vīnām ranayanyayau yādrcchiko munih

Sūta Gosvāmī said: Thus addressing Vyāsadeva, Śrīla Nārada Muni took leave of him, and vibrating on his vīnā instrument, he left to wander at his free will.

Main Points

Devotional Service gives complete freedom

Freedom from the material energy – real freedom

Krishna gives us freedom and the instructions

Freedom is the main pivot

From Purport…

the transcendental system of devotional service is also free. It may or may not develop in a particular person even after he undergoes all the detailed formulas. Similarly, the association of the devotee is also free. One may be fortunate to have it, or one may not have it even after thousands of endeavors. Therefore, in all spheres of devotional service, freedom is the main pivot. Without freedom there is no execution of devotional service. The freedom surrendered to the Lord does not mean that the devotee becomes dependent in every respect. To surrender unto the Lord through the transparent medium of the spiritual master is to attain complete freedom of life.

Prabhupada said…They have sex life on the street. They say it is freedom. But the rascals do

not know there is no freedom at all. Where is freedom? So long you are under the grip of material nature, janma-måtyu-jarä-vyädhi [Bg. 13.9], where is freedom? By nature does not mean that you have got freedom. There is no freedom. We are all conditioned. Simply falsely we are thinking of freedom. It requires little brain. Where is freedom? Nobody wants to die, and where is the freedom not to die? Who has got the freedom? Nobody wants to become old, and where is the freedom? Everyone becomes old. But I have got the desire. Even old man, old woman tries to remain young by cosmetic help, to be good looking, and where is the freedom? By nature he is becoming bad looking. So there is no freedom. It is false idea, freedom. Nobody wants to die; death is sure. (aside:) He's sleeping. Nobody wants to become old; he's becoming old. Nobody wants to take birth... Of course, that is very higher stage. Jïäné, they want mukti; that is also not possible. Otherwise why Kåñëa says, bahünäà janmanäm ante [Bg. 7.19]? To stop death, to stop birth, is not possible unless one comes to Kåñëa consciousness. Unless one (sic) does not come to the position of loving Kåñëa, there's no question of freedom.

Prabhupada said…

A child's freedom, for instance, is to live completely under the protection of his parents—then he has freedom. But without their protection, he'll have no freedom, only suffering. If the child is very rebellious, he may think he doesn't need his parents—he wants to be free. But he is just a rascal. He does not really know what freedom is. Similarly, if you don't surrender to God, then you are misusing your freedom. And you'll lose your freedom. The Bhagavad-gétä says, daivé hy eñä guëamayé mama mäyä duratyayä: "Material nature is so strong that she will not allow you to get free." But, mäm eva ye prapadyante: "If you surrender to Kåñëa instead of Kåñëa's mäyä, then you'll become free." If you don't agree to accept the control of Kåñëa, you'll be forced by Kåñëa's material energy. So what is this so-called freedom? You have to surrender.

1.6.38

aho devarsir dhanyo 'yamyat-kīrtim śārńgadhanvanah

gāyan mādyann idam tantryāramayaty āturam jagat

All glory and success to Śrīla Nārada Muni because he glorifies the activities of the Personality of Godhead, and so doing he himself takes pleasure and also enlivens all the distressed souls of the universe.

Main points

Narada Muni’s mission Śrīla Nārada Muni, in order to enlighten

the miserable inhabitants, wanders everywhere. His mission is to get them back home, back to Godhead. That is the mission of all genuine devotees of the Lord following the footsteps of that great sage.

Prabhupada said…

Närada, he's also çaktyäveça avatära. He was, in his previous life, he was a maidservant's son, but by the association of devotees, he rose up to this position, Närada. Närada's position is very exalted as devotee. All of the devotees of the, in this material world, more or less, they are all disciples of Närada. Vyäsadeva is also a disciple of Närada. Prahläda Mahäräja—these are big devotees—he's..., he was also a disciple of Närada. And Dhruva Mahäräja, he was also disciple of Närada. Välméki, he was also disciple of Närada. So Närada is the representation of the devotional path of opulence.

Prabhupada said…Lord Brahmä is the guru of Närada Muni, who is the guru of Vyäsadeva, and

Vyäsadeva is the guru of Madhväcärya. Thus the Gauòéya-Mädhva-sampradäya is in the disciplic succession from Närada Muni. The members of this disciplic succession—in other words, the members of the Kåñëa consciousness movement—should follow in the footsteps of Närada Muni by chanting the transcendental vibration Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare. They should go everywhere to deliver the fallen souls by vibrating the Hare Kåñëa mantra and the instructions of Bhagavad-gétä, Çrémad-Bhägavatam and Caitanya-caritämåta. That will please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can spiritually advance if one actually follows the instructions of Närada Muni. If one pleases Närada Muni, then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Håñékeça, is also pleased (yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädaù **). The immediate spiritual master is the representative of Närada Muni; there is no difference between the instructions of Närada Muni and those of the present spiritual master. Both Närada Muni and the present spiritual master speak the same teachings of Kåñëa

Prabhupada said…

Desiring to train his sons to become gåhasthas fully equipped with knowledge, Dakña had sent them to execute austerities by Näräyaëa-saras. Närada Muni, however, taking advantage of their highly elevated position in austerity, instructed them to become Vaiñëavas in the renounced order. This is the duty of Närada Muni and his followers. They must show everyone the path of renouncing this material world and returning home, back to Godhead.

Summary

Importance of Devotional service Follow the footsteps of Narada Muni

Personal cultivation Preaching

References

Unveiling His Lotus Feet www.rompadaswami.com Srila Prabhupada’s lecture

transcriptions

All glories to Srila Narada Muni and

his followers