Narada Jayanti is the birth celebration of Devrishi Narada. Devrishi Narada is considered to be the divine messenger and informant among Gods. Narada Muni is considered to be founder and pioneer of communication. Narada Jayanti is observed on the pratipada tithi of the Krishna paksha of the Jyestha month according to the traditional Hindu calendar.
Significance and Legend:
Narad is the Manas Putra of Lord Brahma. As per Vishnu-Puran, he was the son of Sage Kashyapa. He is said to have incarnated in the Kali Yuga as poet saints Thyagaraja and Purandaradasa. Narada is featured in all the epics and Puranas leading souls to salvation. With a stringed instrument in one hand, he has appeared in all the three Yugas. Narada implies ‘Nara’ meaning mankind and ‘Da’ meaning given. On a lighter note, he is also said to be the ‘Initiator of quarrels’ between the Gods and demons though his action has deep spiritual significance with evil being punished.
It is said that Narada influenced Daksha’s sons to practice renunciation and avoid marriage. Angry Daksha cursed him to wander aimlessly as a vagabond. According to legends, Sage Vedavyasa divided the Vedas as Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana. He also wrote the Puranas and the epic Mahabharata. But he was clueless whether his works were sufficient to benefit humanity. Narada approached him and divided his predicament. Narada explained that none of the writings described the glories of the Lord and in Kaliyuga, the path of devotion was the easiest and fastest way to liberation. He inspired Vyasa to compose the Bhagavad Purana. Another legend narrates that once Valmiki asked Narada about a human who is perfect in thought, word and deed, free of sin and the embodiment of all virtues. Narada told him about Lord Ram and his glories. Valmiki was overjoyed, and he composed the Ramayana. Sage Narada was an authority in astronomy, music and other arts. He has authored ‘Naradasmriti’ and ‘Naradashiksha’ which lays down the principles of phonetics and grammar. He is the author of the Narada Purana which contains beautiful stories. His famous work ‘Narada Bhakti Sutras’ contains eighty-four aphorisms on devotion and its aspects. He was an adviser and messenger to the Gods. He taught Yudhishthira the virtues of humility and the ideal way to lead a Dharmic life. He set up the background for the birth of the Dattatreya. He was a master of the Sankhya and Yoga systems of philosophy. He is also referred to as ‘Saktyavesa Avatara’ of the Lord who is empowered to perform miracles on behalf of the Lord.
Who is Narada?
Narada literally means one, who spreads the name of the God, as in Sanskrit,naraa is equivalent to Narayana which means wisdom and daa stands for daan or giver. Narada is a sage who could easily transverse through the 3 lokas, of Akash that is Heaven, Prithwi that is Earth and Patal that is Hell. He is also a musician who carries a khartal and a veena in his hands and always sings praises in the name of Narayana that is Lord Vishnu. Narada has been described as a most wise but at the same time mischievous sage from the tales that have been told. In numerous Hindu scriptures, Narada has been described as a saktyavesa-avatara or a semi-manifestation or partial avatar of God. He is often believed to have been able to perform various miracles on behalf of Lord Vishnu. Narada is said to have appeared from the forehead of Lord Brahma, while in some other scriptures it is mentioned that he was the son of Sage Kashyapa.
Attributes that are associated with Narada
Narada was an extremely qualified musician. He was completely conversant with the Vedas, knew all about the 6 angas, which is Grammar, prosody, astrology, description of religious rites, pronunciation and astronomy. He is an expert in time cycles, nyaya or logic and possessed the knowledge of the entire universe. He was a master of judicial laws, the six sciences of treaty, war, maintenance of posts against enemies, strategies of ambush, reserves, military campaigns etc and also was a master of all branches of learning possible.
He was a precursor of the modern day journalists, and was an ever-wandering communications person. It is believed that it was Narada who invented the Veena, he carried one along with him which is known as the Mahathi; and was the chief of the Gandhara musicians.
In Mahabharata, it was the formula or the solution that Narada gave which sorted out the dilemma of Draupadi having 5 husbands.
Some of the hymns of the Rig Veda are accredited to Narada Muni, or sage. Narada Bhakti Sutra, Narada Purana, Narada Pancharatra and Naradiya Dharmashastra are some of the holy texts associated with Sage Narada
As mentioned earlier, Narada is an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, and as such Narayana is an embodiment of truth; thus when most of Narada’s untimely information causes panic, strife and dissent amongst all the three lokas, then it is believed that it is for the betterment and benefit of the universe.
Celebration of Narada Jayanti
The temples of Sage Narada are located in Chigateri and Korva in Karnataka. Narada Jayant is celebrated in the Hindu month of Visakha as the birth anniversary of Sage Narada. The devotees observe fasts on this day. Rituals and special prayers are conducted with recitation from the holy texts. Devotees visit temples to offer prayers. A feast is organised in temples. Feeding of Brahmans is conducted. Devotees should take a bath in holy water. An Idol or picture of Lord Vishnu is worshipped on this day, as Sage Narada was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. The puja should be done with pure heart and mind. Offer Tulsi, flowers, incense stick, and lamp followed by aarti of Lord Vishnu.
Birth of Devarishi Narada
Narada himself once told the story of his birth. As per legend-
The great sage Vedavyasa divided the Vedas into four branches - Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana. Vedavyasa felt that common people could not comprehend the Vedas, and therefore wrote the Puranas which explained the meaning of the Vedas. He also wrote theMahabharata; he brought out the essence of the Upanishads in a chapter called 'Bhagavad Gita' using very simple language.
The great sage was not satisfied even with such wonderful writings meant for the good of humanity. He was somehow convinced that there was yet one more work to be carried out by him for thebenefit of humanity. A worried Vedavyasa was once sitting on the banks of the river Saraswati. Narada came there.
Narada knew what was worrying the sage Vyasa. He said: "Great sage, you have done so much for the welfare of humanity. And yet you are not satisfied. It is because none of your writings thoroughly describes the glory of Lord Narayana. You have not adequately brought out the greatness of
devotion. In the coming Kaliyuga people will not live for as long a period as in the present era. For them it will be a tough task to acquire spiritual knowledge. The best way for them will be the Path of Bhakti or Devotion. You must write a book, which will describe the glory of the Lord and the
greatness of Bhakti. Only then will you find peace. The company of good men generates Bhakti. 0 sage Vyasa, words fail to describe the all-pervasive influence of good men and their devotion towards God. I was once a very ordinary man. But today I am revered as Saint Narada. I owe
this entirely to the company of great men; to the devotion I have towards God."
Sage Vyasa was dumb-founded. Is it ever possible that this universally respected 'Devarshi'was once upon a time an ordinary man? A baffled Vyasa
stared at Narada in wonder. Narada.could read his mind. So he explained: "0 Vyasa, I was once an angel. I was called Upabarhana. I was an expert in music and I was handsome to look at, too. Once Dakshabrahma decided to perform a sacrifice. He arranged a big function. I sang devotional songs on that occasion. But I was not concentrating; my attention was diverted towards the apsaras (heavenly damsels). Dakshabrahma was upset by my behavior. He turned towards me and cursed me, 'You lecherous gandharva! Let the devil take away your entire Knowledge and spiritual splendor.
You don't deserve to live in Heaven. May you be born as a little, despicable human being on earth!'
"I came to my senses only after I had heard the dreadful curse. I begged for his forgiveness. Daksha then said: 'do not lament, 0 Upabarhana. You will be blessed by the company of good men.' 0 Vyasa, it was owing to that curse that I was born to a slave woman."
"Later, my mother started working as a servant-maid in an ashram. I was a little boy then. The rainy season came. Some sannyasins came to the ashram and stayed there. They were learned men and great devotees of God. Every day they conducted prayer meetings in which they sang the glory of Lord Narayana. Their preaching changed my very behavior. I became increasingly attracted to their preaching as days passed. Gradually I
became more and more devoted to God. The sages began to like me. They would offer me fruit and speak to me with much warmth. I carried out devotedly whatever work they assigned to me."
"The rainy season came to an end. The sages prepared to leave for another place. I felt very sad. The kind sages understood my feelings and consoled me. 'Do not worry. Have trust in God and be always eager to realize Him. Do not while away your time on earth. This world is a creation of God and it finds its ultimate fulfillment in Him. Not a straw moves without the will of God. Keep repeating with whole-hearted devotion the mantra 'Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya'and you will be blessed.' Having uttered this benediction, the sages went away."
"The departure of the sages made me sad beyond words. I spent all my time thinking about God."
"Days passed. One day my mother died bitten by a snake. I placed all my trust in God and headed northwards. I had no particular destination. After
a great deal of wandering, I came to a beautiful uninhabited place. I took my bath and drank the water from a nearby pond. I felt comforted. Body and mind became light. I remembered the good words the holy men had preached in the ashram. I sat under a people tree contemplating on God."
"Many years passed by. I lived on the fruits and leaves of the forest. My mind was immersed in contemplation. As time passed, I realized that God is present everywhere and in all objects. One day I saw a brilliant flash of divine light. I saw that the Lord was standing before me. His magnificent form thrilled me. Everything else looked meaningless. I was over- whelmed. I began to wander everywhere. I longed to see that divine form again.
Then I heard a divine voice: 'you will not see me once again in this birth. I do not appear before people who have not rid themselves of desire and anger. As you have seen me once, your devotion for me will now become more steadfast, especially since you keep company with good men. In your next birth you will be one of my close attendants.'"
"I felt somewhat relieved after I heard that voice. I felt a surging spirit of renunciation. The world appeared to be pervaded by the Lord. There was no trace of ego in me. I remained loosely attached to that body for a while like a drop of water on a lotus-leaf. Once, while I was in deep meditation, I
felt as if I was touched by a divine light. Immediately I cast away my body. Then the deluge came. I along with all the living creatures became absorbed in the body of the Lord."
"Some time after the deluge, new creation began. Out of the navel of Lord Narayana came Brahma. He engaged himself in the work of creation, in accordance with the Lord's command. Then Brahma created Marichi, Atri and the other eight Prajeshwaras. I happened to be one of them. Vyasa, I became Narada thanks to the blessings of the Lord. I am wandering round the world singing the glory of the Lord accompanied by this Veena Mahati. It has since then been my aim to convert people into the Path of Devotion (Bhakti) and Piety. In the future Kaliyuga, the chanting of the Lord's name will bring greater reward than performance of sacrifices. The Path of Devotion is the easiest and best. The mind becomes steady, cleansed of passions like greed and anger. Knowledge can be attained only when the mind becomes pure. Of course you are aware of all these things. I therefore ask of you to compile a book setting out the greatness of Devotion (Bhakti) and the glory of God. I shall narrate to you the ideas of Vedanta, which Brahma has taught me briefly. Let this be the basis of your great work. That book will make people happy and will bring mental peace to you."
And then Narada communicated to Vyasa the secrets of Vedanta. Vyasa composed the Bhagavata deriving inspiration by Narada.
In The Hermitage Of Valmiki
Narada had a part to play even in the composition of the Ramayana. Once sage Narada came to the hermitage of Valmiki.
He was received with warmth and the two hermits sat chatting with each other. Something had been worrying Valmiki for a long time. He wondered whether there was any man who tenaciously stuck to the path of righteousness even in the midst of the greatest odds; whether there was any man
who could be pointed out as an ideal to the whole world.
Narada traverses in all the three worlds. Valmiki thought that Narada might find an answer to his questions. He asked Narada: "0 great sage, you are all knowing. You have studied the Vedas. Can you tell me if there is any man in this world who is virtuous, pious, ever truthful and tenacious? Is there any one who wishes well or all living creatures and who are also a hero and a scholar? Such a man should be free from jealousy and be a man of
invincible valor. He should be the most handsome among mankind. If there be such a man, please let me know."
Narada beamed with a smile and replied: "0 yes. I understand you. You want to find out if there is a flawless perfect human being. It is no doubt difficult to come across such a man. But there is a man who has combined in himself all the virtues you have enumerated. He i6 Sri Rama the king of Ayodhya." Then Narada narrated the story of Sri Rama and went away.
Sage Valmiki was thrilled to listen to the story of Sri Rama. He decided that Sri Rama was truly the greatest living being. With the story of Sri Rama still fresh in his memory, Valmiki set out for the river Tamasa for his morning ablutions. Two
birds were seen playing about on the banks of the river. A hunter shot down the male bird. The female bird wailed sorrowfully for the loss of her male. Sage Valmiki was greatly moved by the misery of the stricken bird.
Unable to restrain his sorrow, Valmiki cursed the hunter for his shameful deed. But no sooner did he utter the curse than it was converted into the form of a shloka - a verse. The sage was amazed.
He returned to the hermitage after his ablutions. Meanwhile Lord Brahma himself arrived there. Valmiki was astonished. Early morning was Narada's surprise visit; later, the death of the bird, and his utterance of a shloka; lastly it was Brahma's arrival. Lord Brahma said: "0 sage, the shloka you have uttered is due to my inspiration. Your mind is now mature enough for writing poetry. Please write in poetic form the story of Sri Rama as narrated to you by Narada. Your poetry will be acclaimed all over the world as the 'Ramayana'. The first 'sarga' or canto of Ramayana written by Valmiki contains one hundred shlokas. These contain a concise account of the Ramayana narrated by Narada.
Lord Krishna and Narada
Once Lord Krishna worshipped Sage Narada in Mahi-sagara-sangam. There king Ugrasena asked Him: "O Lord of the world, Shri Krishna! Why is sage Narada exceedingly fond of you?"
Lord Krishna said: O King! I always eulogize Narada of divine vision by means of the hymn pronounced by Mahendra. Listen to it, O King:
'I bow down to that Narada who has been born from the lap of Brahma, who has no arrogance due to learning or good conduct, but whose learning and good conduct are well known. I bow down to that Narada who has none of these defects - absence of interest, anger, fickleness and fear. He is composed and free from (habitual) procrastination. I pay obeisance to that Narada who does not change his word (once uttered) either due to lust or to covetousness and who is converstant with the priciples and goal of spiritual endeavor, who is forbearing, powerful and straightforward, who has conquered his sense organs and who speaks the truth.
I bow down to that Narada who is full-grown and venerable in respect of splendor, fame, intellect, prudence, humility, birth, and penance, whose conduct and dress are pleasing and whose diet, behavior, eyes and utterances are good, who is tirelessly engaged in altruism, who has no sin, who is enthusiastically engaged in bringing good to others, who always abides by the duties enjoind in the Vedas, Smritis and Puranas and who is free from (i.e. is above) either pleasure or displeasure, who is uninterested in food stuffs and other things, who is learned, who is never idle, who is a Brahmana of vast learning and whose narratives are charming, who has never erred before in respect of wealth, anger, and love, and by whom these defects have been eliminated, who is devoid of the defect of infatuation and fascination, who has unwaverving devotion to God and Bhagawat Dharma, whose moral policies are supreme and who is of a reserved disposition, who is never contaminated by contacts, who is eloquent and who has no prolonged doubts, who never finds fault with any scriptural text, whose life is a personification of penance, who never spends his time without recollecting God and who always keeps his mind under control.
I salute that Narada who puts in great efforts, who exerts his intelligence, who is never satiated with concentration, and meditation and who never errs in his efforts, who does not become elated by the acquisition of wealth, who does not become dejected on account of non-acquisition, who is richly endowed with all good qualities, who is efficient, pure and unafraid, who knows the proper occasions and is conversant with good policies.'
"Everyday I recite this hymn of Narada, O King. Therefore, the excellent sage has great love for me. If any other person too remains pure and repeats this prayer everyday, he will attract great favour of the celestial sage."
Through this eulogy of the celestial sage Narada, the Lord presents the ideal virtues of devotees. Such is the glory of a devotee that he is eulogized by God Himself. One who remembers the virtues of the Lord's devotees, becomes dear to them and imbibes their virtues as well. Recollecting and talking about a devotee and his virtues purifies the heart and brings good to the world.
Naradji, who has the good of all living beings in his mind, helps those who are desirous of progressing on the path of God. It is impossible to assess how many and in what manner beings have been transported by him to the Lord's pious feet. He is ever engaged in guiding the devotees and inquisitive seekers and in the good of saintly souls who desire to attain liberation in life.
