Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 1 - Bhakti Yoga Sutra of Narada Rishi, The Genesis of Srimad Bhagavatam

Srimad Bhagavatam cleanses kalimala or the pollutant of Kali, destroys sins, shows the indweller, the Lord, in oneself by bringing Vairagya towards the materialistic world, and gives pure devotion, crystal clear, and clean knowledge. 

|| Hari Om ||

|| Sri Veda Vyasaya Namaha ||

व्यासाय विष्णुरूपाय व्यासरूपाय विष्णवे ।

नमो वै ब्रह्मनिधये वासिष्ठाय नमो नमः ॥

Vyasa the form of Lord Vishnu, Vishnu the form of Lord Vyasa, my salutations to you the treasure of creation. My repeated salutations to you, the grandson of Vasishta Rishi.

व्यासाय भव नाशाय श्रीशाय गुण राशऐ ।

हृद्याय शुद्ध विद्याय मध्वायछ नमो नमः ॥

Charming & the beloved Vyasa, the destroyer of emotional & behavioral disorders, the Lord of Goddess of abundance having heaps of attributes, bestower of clean knowledge, my repeated salutations to you and Acharya Madhwa.

यः स्वानुभावमखिलश्रुतिसारमेकमध्यात्मदीपमतितितीर्षतां तमोऽन्धम् ।

संसारिणां करुणयाह पुराणगुह्यं तं व्याससूनुमुपयामि गुरुं मुनीनाम् ॥

This Srimad Bhagavatam gives the experience of the Lord and has the essence of all Vedas and Vedanta. It sheds spiritual light on the transcendental philosophy required to surpass the intense cycle of death and birth which is wrapped in ignorance. However, it is very secretive in nature. Hence, I pray to you Sri Shukacharya for your continued blessings.

जयति जगति मायां यस्य कायाधवस्ते वचनरचनमेकं केवलं चाकलय्य​।

ध्रुवपदमपि यातो यत्क्रुपातो ध्रुवोऽयं सकलकुशलपात्रं ब्रह्मपुत्रं नतास्मि॥

Narada Rishi, Prahlada the son of Kayadhu, had full faith in your teachings that The Lord is present everywhere and would never let his devotee down. He held this even during his most adverse situation and won the blessings of Lord Sri Narasimha. So too, did Prince Dhruva had your advice & blessings and became immovable Star or Polar Star. You are generous and object of all auspiciousness. Your blessings will yield the siddhi of thoughts of The Lord at all times. My Salutations to you the Son of God Brahma.

मूकोऽपि यत्प्रसादेन मुकुन्दशयनायते ।

राजराजायते रिक्तो राघवेन्द्रं तमाश्रये ॥

Your mercy would confer the blessings of Lord Mukunda laying on God Sesha. Even a dumb become an eloquent speaker, a pauper becomes wealthy as God Kubera.
I seek refuge in you, Guru Raghavendra.

Narada Rishi being Sharanagata or having submitted to Lord has complete faith in him. Admiring The glory of Creation, seeing Lord in every living species including human beings, large trees, mango groves, bamboo grooves, shrubs, bushes, and plants that grow in water, birds travel in the sky, wild animals, bees, flies and so on. And also seeing Lord in all non-living objects including rocks, clouds, and water bodies and so on.           

Narada Rishi narrating his experience of previous birth to Lord Veda Vyasa says,

दिदृक्षुस्तदहं भूयः प्रणिधाय मनो हृदि ।

वीक्षमाणोऽपि नापश्यमवितृप्त इवातुरः ॥ २०॥

After having glimpses of auspicious Lord, I wanted to see him again. I tried my best to take my mind to the Lotus of Heart to meditate. I tried repeatedly becoming desperate but in vain. This made me dissatisfied, struggling and sickened.

एवं यतन्तं विजने मामाहागोचरो गिराम् ।

गम्भीरश्लक्ष्णया वाचा शुचः प्रशमयन्निव ॥ २१॥

हन्तास्मिञ्जन्मनि भवान् न मां द्रष्टुमिहार्हति ।

अविपक्वकषायाणां दुर्दर्शोऽहं कुयोगिनाम् ॥ २२॥

सकृद्यद्दर्शितं रूपमेतत्कामाय तेऽनघ ।

मत्कामः शनकैः साधु सर्वान् मुञ्चति हृच्छयान् ॥ २३॥

सत्सेवयादीर्घया ते जाता मयि दृढा मतिः ।

हित्वावद्यमिमं लोकं गन्ता मज्जनतामसि ॥ २४॥

मतिर्मयि निबद्धेयं न विपद्येत कर्हिचित् ।

प्रजासर्गनिरोधेऽपि स्मृतिश्च मदनुग्रहात् ॥ २५॥

As I was desperately trying to meditate in that forest uninhabited by human beings, the independent Lord having no obligation whatsoever addressed me through a voice without appearance. His voice was gentle and full of grace. He told me, “In this life of yours, you would not have the sight of me anymore. Since various impressions of worldly matters remaining on your mind are active. The sight of me to yogis having not fully completed their practice is extremely rare. 

However, to keep the desire of my sight active in you, I have shown my form only once. When a practitioner of Bhakti Yoga has a desperate desire of me, the remnant impressions on worldly matters start disappearing little by little with the advancement of practice. Consequent to this there will be no delay in obtaining me, said the most kind-hearted one.

Continuing, the voice without appearance said, for having served the sages for a long time, your consciousness has become stable and established in me. After foregoing the body made of Prakriti, with my blessings you will get associated with me. Also, your desire in me will remain firm, established and never get disturbed. Even after the destruction of present creation or pralaya, you will be blessed with remembrance of this experience of sight of me.”             

Narada Rishi not just in his previous birth was born to a housemaid the Lord says he has been serving the pious for a very long time and has been serving in previous births too.

एतावदुक्त्वोपरराम तन्महद्भूतं नभोलिङ्गमलिङ्गमीश्वरम् ।

अहं च तस्मै महतां महीयसे शीर्ष्णावनामं विदधेऽनुकम्पितः ॥ २६॥

नामान्यनन्तस्य हतत्रपः पठन् गुह्यानि भद्राणि कृतानि च स्मरन् ।

गां पर्यटंस्तुष्टमना गतस्पृहः कालं प्रतीक्षन् विमदो विमत्सरः ॥ २७॥

Having told thus, the all-powerful invisible Lord became silent. My desperation and restlessness had disappeared. I prostrated to the direction of voice expressing my gratitude & submission. I admire the Lord as He is the most powerful even among the powerful, yet pouring his mercy on me. Like the cow pulls back the cud from the stomach to re-chew, I fill my heart with happiness re-calling the sight of the Lord and his voice. हतत्रपः or Keeping aside my inhibition and shyness, I sing the names of the Lord that are अनन्त or infinite, गुह्य, filled with mystery and भद्रा or auspicious. Also, I sing his sports charm & dance. Shedding aside the desire for worldly matters, pride & jealousy, I kept my mind lucid & a heart filled with joy, toured around the earth to find no place devoid of Lord. Yet, I looked forward to the day when I could shed the body made of Prakriti and the day I see the Lord as he showed up in my Lotus of heart, says Narada Rishi.

Continuing to address Lord Veda Vyasa, Narada Rishi says,

एवं कृष्णमतेर्ब्रह्मन्नसक्तस्यामलात्मनः ।

कालः प्रादुरभूत्काले तडित्सौदामनी यथा ॥ २८॥

प्रयुज्यमाने मयि तां शुद्धां भागवतीं तनुम् ।

आरब्धकर्मनिर्वाणो न्यपतत्पाञ्चभौतिकः ॥ २९॥

Brahma Rishi, Sri Veda Vyasji, This way my mind space was filled only about the Lord Sri Krishna. I had completely lost all the desires towards the worldly matter. Having no place in my body, mind or thoughts all the sins in me started fleeing. अमलात्मनः or I experienced this process of purification. My ears had no desire to hear anything about worldly happenings, nor did my eyes see anything else other than Lord and my tongue did not long for yummy stuff. Untouched by any sins and making myself pure-hearted, I was spending my time looking forward to the day when I could shed the body made of Prakriti.

On a monsoon day, I was meditating the auspicious and divine form of Lord, the time that I was looking forward had passed like a lightening. My Prarabdha Karma that I had to experience in that life had got completed bringing an end to my life. Hence, न्यपतत्पाञ्चभौतिकः that body made of Panchabhoota i.e. earth, water, fire, air & either had fallen apart.

We have seen the three types of Karma Viz. Sanchita, Prarbdha and Agami Karma in “The Axiom of Yoga continued” As Lord Veda Vyasa had asked a question to Narada Rishi on the process of death in his previous birth, Narada Rishi has replied that when he was doing meditation on the form of Lord, death happened. Being similar to that of Bheeshmacharya. Hence, he had to once again take birth as Narada Rishi, the son of God Brahma in the next creation.

कल्पान्त इदमादाय शयानेऽम्भस्युदन्वतः ।

शिशयिषोरनुप्राणं विविशेऽन्तरहं विभोः ॥ ३०॥

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्त उत्थायेदं सिसृक्षतः ।

मरीचिमिश्रा ऋषयः प्राणेभ्योऽहं च जज्ञिरे ॥ ३१॥

The pious Narada Rishi seeing Lord in each individual & doing service to people in his previous birth on earth exhausted his lifespan. After that, he stayed in the higher region of Satya Loka preceded by God Brahma. He says, at the end of that lengthy period of time measured as Kalpa, Lord Sriman Narayana शिशयिषा or had intended to lay sleeping on the pupil leaf floating on the Pralaya Jala or the ocean formed by the dissolution of the whole universe. Therefore, God Brahma ended his entire creation to enter the Lord. At that time, I too entered the stomach of Lord with the help of प्राणं or God Prana.

After a span of thousand yugas, Lord Brahman intended to start creation. During that creation, I too appeared along with Rishi Marichi.  

अन्तर्बहिश्च लोकांस्त्रीन् पर्येम्यस्कन्दितव्रतः ।

अनुग्रहान्महाविष्णोरविघातगतिः क्वचित् ॥ ३२॥

देवदत्तामिमां वीणां स्वरब्रह्मविभूषिताम् ।

मूर्च्छयित्वा हरिकथां गायमानश्चराम्यहम् ॥ ३३॥

प्रगायतः स्ववीर्याणि तीर्थपादः प्रियश्रवाः ।

आहूत इव मे शीघ्रं दर्शनं याति चेतसि ॥ ३४॥

Since then, अनुग्रहान् with the blessings of Lord Maha Vishnu, I am able to travel to लोकांस्त्रीन् i.e. all the three regions including this, upper and lower regions. Also, अन्तर्बहिश्च inside the body, mind & consciousness of all beings knowing their thoughts & feelings towards Lord and outside अविघात or unimpeded. This form of mine अस्कन्दितव्रतः or with the vow of worshipping the Lord by singing his names & sports charm having description of his attributes & glory is continuing uninterrupted without decline.

This Veena instrument named Mahati is blessed by Lord Bhagavan who is Omnipresent, Eternal & Complete generates the sound as wished by his form of Shabda Brahman. Playing this instrument, singing the divine names and the stories of the sport's charm of Lord Sri Hari, I travel.

When I sing the stories of his sport with divine names, the Lord who loves being praised, whose lotus feet is purifying and a supportive foundation to all holy places of Pilgrimage comes running to me hurriedly as if being called loudly and blesses me with his sight at any time without any restrictions.

एतद्ध्यातुरचित्तानां मात्रास्पर्शेच्छया मुहुः ।

भवसिन्धुप्लवो दृष्टो हरिचर्यानुवर्णनम् ॥ ३५॥

यमादिभिर्योगपथैः कामलोभहतो मुहुः ।

मुकुन्दसेवया यद्वत्तथात्माद्धा न शाम्यति ॥ ३६॥

Always being engaged with worldly happenings make the consciousness sick with emotional & behavioral disorders. To them, singing sports charm of Lord is like a ship helping them to cross the vast river of Sindu flowing in the planes far and wide. This is my experience, says Narada Rishi.

“The Jiva getting repeatedly beaten-up with arishadvargas like desire, stinginess & so on, should hear the stories of Lord Sri Krishna desirous of Solace & tranquillity. This is not possible by any other Yoga marga including Yama, Niyama and so on, says Narada Rishi propounding Bhakti Yoga as Axiom”

Remember, this is the same what Sri Sutachary had said in "The Pursuit to Hone Bhakti",

शृण्वतां स्वकथाः कृष्णः पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तनः ।

हृद्यन्तःस्थो ह्यभद्राणि विधुनोति सुहृत् सताम् ॥

The most attractive, Lord Krishna in his dark skin like the color of monsoon clouds, standing in हृद्यन्तःस्थ, the Lotus of Heart like a सुहृत्, friend. A dear friend for the सताम् or virtuous waiting with great patience as if he has nothing else to do except for ह्यभद्राणि विधुनोति, destroying all our Sins that cause inauspiciousness and ready to pour his mercy.

He is waiting for us to श्रवणकीर्तनः, hear and sing his Glory. So that he could pour पुण्य, mercy, and high merit.

Like he did to Kuchela, with a torn dress and made him Sudhama, having in abundance for just three fists of beaten rice. The rice filled with Love, brimming with devotion through hearing and singing the Glory of the Lord.

So too, he came as if he is at the beck and call of Prahlada! Also, in a form only dedicated to him!

सर्वं तदिदमाख्यातं यत्पृष्टोऽहं त्वयानघ ।

जन्मकर्मरहस्यं मे भवतश्चात्मतोषणम् ॥ ३७॥

The Stainless Lord Veda Vyasji, यत्पृष्टोऽहं or since you have asked and instructed, I have answered all your questions by narrating my past birth story as an illustration including the actions and the spiritual practice I undertook. By answering this as submission, I am blessed. In this is embedded your glory and fame hearing which अत्मतोषणम् or the virtuous will be satisfied filling their heart with happiness and removing distress. As I am blessed by your beloved devotees, the Great Sages and yourself I am able to put forth these answers. 

Also, you had asked that even after classifying the Vedas & initiating to several rishis to strengthen Teacher-Student tradition, composing Brahma Sutra, Mahabarata & 17 Puranas, yet your heart is not pleasant nor is your mind lucid, to which I have submitted my answer requesting composition of Srimad Bhagavatam having The glory of the Lord and his devotees. This was possible with your blessings.

Wondering on the greatness of Narada Rishi, Sri Sutacharya says,

एवं सम्भाष्य भगवान्नारदो वासवीसुतम् ।

आमन्त्र्य वीणां रणयन् ययौ यादृच्छिको मुनिः ॥ ३८॥

अहो देवर्षिर्धन्योऽयं यत्कीर्तिं शार्ङ्गधन्वनः ।

गायन् माद्यन्निदं तन्त्र्या रमयत्यातुरं जगत् ॥ ३९॥

Sri Shaunaka Rishi, this way the auspicious and divine Narada Rishi had a conversation with Supreme Lord Veda Vyasa, bid farewell by taking his permission and moved on playing Veena which is his musical instrument.

How fortunate is Narada Rishi! Always playing his Veena singing the sport's charm of Lord with bow and arrow. Not only fills his heart with happiness but also brings happiness to common people who are exhausted with the fight of Life.    

 After hearing the opinion of Narada Rishi, Lord Veda Vyasa took up the composition of Srimad Bhagavatam on the banks of river Saraswati.

इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां प्रथमस्कन्धे व्यासनारदसंवादे षष्ठोऽध्यायः ॥ ६॥

With this, we complete "The Conversation between Lord Veda Vyasa & Narada Rishi” the sixth Adhyaya, of Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 1.

We could do so only with the grace of Guru Sri Raghavendra and all his philosophical associates including Sri Saunaka & his fellow Rishis, Sri Sutacahrya, Sri Sukachary, God Vayu, and Sri Hari as their Jnana Prasada.

|| Hari Om ||

Surya Arghya

Keraya neeranu kerege chelli, Like pouring back the water from the lake,

Varava padedavarante kaaniro, Be seen as blessed.

Hariya karunadolaada bhagyava,
The accomplishments happening due to Lord Hari's grace,

Hari samarpane maadi badukiro, Credit back to Lord Hari.

Sri Purandara Vithala raayana Charana kamalava nambi badukiro.
Live to have trust in the Lotus feet of Lord Sri Purandara Vithala.

|| Sri Krishnarpanamastu ||