Narada: Difference between revisions

{{about||the village in Slovakia|Ňárad|other uses|Narada (disambiguation)}}

{{short description|Sage in Hindu mythology}}

{{Use Indian English|date=April 2015}}

| deity_of = Divine Sage <br> Messenger of the gods

| abode = Brahmaloka <br> Vaikuntha

| affiliation = [[Vaishnavism]] <br> (Hinduism)

| mother = [[Saraswati]]

'''Narada''' ({{lang-sa|नारद}}, {{IAST3|Nārada}}), or '''Narada Muni''', is a sage divinity, famous in [[Hinduism|Hindu]] traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of [[Manasputra|mind-created children]] of [[Brahma]], the creator god.<ref name="novetzke222">Christian Lee Novetzke (2003), [https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/375037 Divining an Author: The Idea of Authorship in an Indian Religious Tradition], History of Religions, Vol. 42, No. 3, page 222</ref><ref name="lochtefeld461">{{cite book|author=James G. Lochtefeld|title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z|url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch |url-access=registration|year=2002|publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group|isbn= 978-0-8239-3180-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch/page/461 461] }}</ref> He appears in a number of Hindu texts, notably the [[Mahabharata]], regaling [[Yudhishthira]] with the story of [[Prahlada|Prahalada]] and the [[Ramayana]] as well as tales in the [[Puranas]].<ref name=lochtefeld461/> A common theme in [[Vaishnavism]] is the accompaniment of a number of lesser deities such as Narada to offer aid to Vishnu upon his descent to earth to combat the forces of evil, or enjoy a close view of epochal events. He is also referred to as ''Rishiraja'', meaning the king of all sages. He was gifted with the boon of knowledge regarding the past, present, and the future.

In Indian texts, Narada travels to distant worlds and realms (Sanskrit: ''[[loka]]s''). He is depicted carrying a [[khartal]] (musical instrument) and the [[veena]], and is generally regarded as one of the great masters of the ancient musical instrument. This instrument is known by the name "mahathi"<ref>{{cite news|last=Guy|first=Randor|title=Bhaktha Naradar 1942|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2010/07/31/stories/2010073151750700.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820051347/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2010/07/31/stories/2010073151750700.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 August 2010|access-date=9 October 2011|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=31 July 2010}}</ref><ref>[http://vedabase.net/sb/1/5/1/en1 Bhag-P 1.5.1] Narada is addressed as 'Veena-panih', meaning "one who carries a veena in his hand"</ref> , which he uses to accompany his singing of [[hymn]]s, [[prayer]]s, and [[mantra]]s. In the [[Vaishnavism]] tradition of Hinduism, he is presented as a sage with [[bhakti|devotion]] to the preserver deity [[Vishnu]]. Narada is described as both wise and mischievous in some humorous tales. He is notorious for being meddlesome, provoking conflict between both the gods and the demons for the sake of their wisdom as well as for his own entertainment.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lal |first=Ananda |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=goELAQAAMAAJ&q=Narada+meddling&dq=Narada+meddling&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjyj_vm38_4AhWfSGwGHVvbAncQ6AF6BAgHEAM |title=Theatres of India: A Concise Companion |date=2009 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-569917-3 |language=en}}</ref> Vaishnavas depict him as a pure, elevated soul who glorifies Vishnu through his devotional songs, singing the names ''[[Hari]]'' and ''[[Narayana]]'', and therein demonstrating [[bhakti yoga]]. The [[Narada Bhakti Sutra]] is attributed to him. He would usually make his presence known by vocally chanting "''Narayana, Narayana''" before appearing in a scene.

His [[Greek mythology|Greek]] and [[Roman mythology|Roman counterparts]] are [[Mercury (mythology)|Mercury]] and [[Hermes]].

==Mahabharata==

In the Mahabharata, Narada is portrayed as being conversant with the [[Vedas]] and the [[Upanishads]] and as acquainted with history and Puranas. He has a mastery of the six Angas: pronunciation, grammar, prosody, terms, religious rites and astronomy. All celestial beings worship him for his knowledge - he is supposed to be well versed in all that occurred in ancient Kalpas (time cycles) and is termed to be conversant with Nyaya (justice) and the truth of moral science. He is a perfect master in re-conciliatory texts and differentiating in applying general principles to particular cases. He can swiftly interpret contraries by references to differences in situations. He is eloquent, resolute, intelligent and a possessor of powerful memory. He knows the science of morals, politics; he is skilled in drawing inferences from evidence and very proficient in distinguishing inferior things from superior ones. He is competent in judging the correctness and incorrectness of complex syllogistic statements consisting of 5 proponents. He is capable of arriving at definite conclusions about religion, wealth, pleasure and salvation. He possesses knowledge of this whole universe and everything surrounding it. He is capable of successfully answering [[Brihaspati]] himself while arguing. He is a master of the Sankhya and Yoga systems of philosophy, conversant with sciences of war and treaty and proficient in drawing conclusions by judging things, not within direct knowledge. He knows about the six sciences of a treaty, war, military campaigns, maintenance of posts against the enemy and strategies of ambushes and reserves. He is a thorough master of every branch of learning. He is fond of war and music and incapable of being repulsed by any science or any course of action.<ref>The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa Volume 1 Books 1, 2 and 3, Section XII</ref>

==Puranas==

[[File:Narada found Vishnu as macroform.jpg|thumb|Narada found Vishnu in his [[Vishvarupa|vishwa swarupa]] form]]

[[File:Sage Sanathkumar teaching Narada muni.jpg|left|thumb|Sage Sanathkumar teaches Brahma vidya to Narada]]

The [[Bhagavata Purana]] describes the story of Narada's spiritual enlightenment: He was the primary source of information among Gods and is believed to be the first journalist on Earth. In his previous birth, Narada was a [[Gandharva]] (angelic being) who had been cursed to be born on an earthly planet for singing glories to the demigods instead of the Supreme Lord.<ref>Srimad Bhagavatam 7.15.72</ref> He was born as the son of a maid-servant of some particularly [[saint]]ly priests. The priests, being pleased with both his and his mother's service, blessed him by allowing him to eat some of their food ([[prasad]]), previously offered to their lord, Vishnu.

Gradually he received further blessings from these sages and heard them discussing many spiritual topics. During the four months of rainy seasons when the sages did not leave their hermitage and stayed together, they used to recite various deeds of Visnu, and from there Narada used to hear these stories. After his mother died, he decided to roam the forest in search of enlightenment in understanding the 'Supreme Absolute Truth'.

Reaching a tranquil forest location, after quenching his thirst from a nearby stream, he sat under a tree in meditation ([[yoga]]), concentrating on the [[paramatma]] form of Vishnu within his heart as he had been taught by the priests he had served. After some time Narada experienced a vision wherein Narayana (Vishnu) appeared before him, smiling, and spoke: "that despite having the blessing of seeing Him at that very moment, Narada would not be able to see His (Vishnu's) divine form again until he died". Narayana further explained that the reason he had been given a chance to see his form was that his beauty and love would be a source of inspiration and would fuel his dormant desire to be with the lord again. After instructing Narada in this manner, Vishnu then disappeared from his sight. The boy awoke from his meditation both thrilled and disappointed.

Narada temples are few, most prominent being Sri Narada Muni Temple at [[Chigateri]], [[Karnataka]].<ref>[http://www.charanamrit.com/gods/narada_1147 Hindu Gods and Goddesses]</ref>

In the ''Padma Purana'' and some other texts, Narada is transformed into a woman for a time. In the Kali Yuga (1484 CE), he was reborn as [[Purandara Dasa]] as a  

Haridasa (servant of Vishnu). He emphasised his works on [[Vithoba|Vithala]], another form of Vishnu and the presiding deity of the temple in [[Pandharpur]].<ref>Cheever Mackenzie Brown, ''The Triumph of the Goddess: The Canonical Models and Theological Visions of the Devi-Bhagavata Purana'' (1990), page 212</ref><ref>Amara Das Wilhelm, ''Tritiya-Prakriti: People of the Third Sex'' (2004), page 153</ref>