Narada Married?

[Paramananda das]

PAMHO
AGTSP
Sorry I am resending this discussion with Ekalavya Prabhu as it is an important one
and some of the text got cut in the email
ys
Payonidhi das
In Gaura Lila ,Narada Muni appears as Srivas Thakura (and is married) and in Vraja lila he is "Naradiya gopi"
in his Gita mala ,Srila Bhaktivinoda describes the death of one of the sons of Srivasa Thakura:
Song Name: Pradosa Samaye Srivasa Agane
Official Name: Soka Satana Song 1
Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Book Name: Gitamala
Language: Bengali

LYRICS:
(1)
pradoṣa-samaye śrībāsa-ańgane
sańgopane gorā-maṇi
śrī-hari-kīrtane nāce nānā-rańge
uṭhilo mańgala-dhwani

(2)
mṛdańga mādala bāje karatāla
mājhe mājhe jayatura
prabhura naṭana dekhi' sakalera
hoilo santāpa dūra

(3)
akhaṇda premete mātala takhana
sakala bhakata-gaṇa
āpana pāsari' gorācande gheri'
nāce gāya anukhaṇa

(4)
emona samaye daiba-byādhi-joge
śrībāsera antaḥ-pure
tanaya-bijoge nārī-gaṇa śoke
prokāśalo uccaiḥ-sware

(5)
krandana uṭhile habe rasa-bhańga
bhakatibinoda ḍare
śrībāsa amani bujhilo kāraṇa
paśilo āpana ghare

TRANSLATION
1) In the evening twilight, within the privacy of Srivasa Pandita's courtyard, the cream-lustered jewel, Lord Gauramani, raised a most auspicious vibration by His chanting of Hari-kirtana, which He personally accompanied by dancing in various playful moods.

2) Accompanied by the paying of the mrdanga drum and karatalas, and amidst occasional victorious shouts of "Jaya! Jaya!” the dramatic dance of the Lord dispelled the grief of all those who witnessed it.

3) Then, becoming madly intoxicated in supreme ecstatic love, all the assembled devotees completely forgot themselves and incessantly began to dance and chant wildly, surrounding Lord Gauracandra.

4) At this time, within the inner chamber of Srivasa's house, one of his sons suddenly died due to some disease, as ordained by the will of Providence. Due to separation from the boy, all the women of the household began to lament and cry out in a loud voice.

5) Now Bhaktivinoda fears that the transcendental mellows of the Lord's kirtana will be disturbed by the uprising of such loud crying sounds. However,Srivasa Pandita has now understood the cause of this sound, and has personally entered the house.

you please go to http://kksongs.org/authors/gitamala.html and read Soka Satana

“In the Gaura-ganodesa dipika (90), Srivasa Pandita is described as an incarnation of Narada Muni, and Sri Rama Pandita, his younger brother, is said to be an incarnation of Parvata Muni, a great friend of Narada’s” (C.C.Adi 10.8)

This is of course different from the reference of Ekalavya Prabhu is asking about yes in Gaura Lila, Narada Muni was married though
fully free from material desires ,so if both such pastimes act under the spell of Yogamaya it is possible, but the pastime of Ramacarita Manasa should not be quoted.

Ekalavya Das August 15 at 11:16pm
Dear Payonidhi Pr,

pamho. agtsp.

This morning in SB class one devotee narrated a story from "some purana" describing Narada Muni wanting to see Krishna's Maya and being sent by Krishna for a glass of water.

Meeting a beautiful young girl, Narada marries her and has kids.

Later Krishna asks, "Where's the water?"

You ever heard this?

I'm quite disturbed.

I chastised the devotee for speaking this kind of thing. He could not quote reference except for hearing in Mayapur SB class and it being from "some purana".

Can you help me out with this?

Can you give a reference? Or is it total nonsense?

I'm feeling angry.

Ys, ekd

Payonidhi Das Das August 16 at 5:43am
My dear Ekalavya Prabhu
PAMHO
AGTSP
I have never read all puranas and never seen it in any Purana I have read, which is only a few and then mostly in parts.
I do know it is mentioned in Tulsi das .Ramacarita Manasa that I once read, that after Lord Siva fell for the charm of Mohini Murti
(as also described in Srimad Bhagavatam 8 canto chapter chapter
12 ) Narada Muni boasted to Lord Visnu he would not fall to the charm of Mohini Murti, as he was beyond maya.And then according to Tulsi das Lord Visnu created an illusion, where Narada gets attracted to a beautiful lady created by Yogamaya, and there is many details I will spare you.
Wether this really happened or not I can not say,as you I was very disturbed and angry almost in tears of hearing something like that.
I am very much opposed to any ISKCON devotees preaching from
Ramacarita Manasa, because Srila Prabhupada also was.However this book in India is very very popular almost like the Bible for "Hindus", Tulsi das also recommends a grhastha(grhamedhi in my eyes) can beat his wife:

Dola gavAMra sudra pasu nArI/
sakala tAranA ke adhikAr
"A dullard, outcaste, woman, drum and dumb beast
Must be beaten, or else they'll not serve one the least."
The New Testament is even better than Ramacarita Manasa because there is no mayavadi philosophy in the New Testament.And Jesus never condoned beating women and Sudra's.Imagine having
readings from Ramacarita Manasa that is so wrong on so many levels in ISKCON.This Ramacarita Manasa was banned by Srila Prabhupada.

"Don't divert your attention in that way. The author of Rama charita manasa,
Goswami Tulasi das, has a tint of Mayavadi philosophy. He belongs to the
Ramananda Sampradaya.
They are mixed up combination of personalist and impersonalist. Therefore,
the author is not considered as pure Vaisnava."
Narayana Maharaja forexample
believes it is bonafide ,I strongly disagree as I follow Srila Prabhupada and I know he is very right on this Tulsi das, Ramacarita manasa also is full of mayavadi ideas , because after almost each chapter it says if you worship Lord Ramachandra you become one with Him or become Him.As you and I know Lord Caitanya was very very strict with any litterature with mayavadi ideas and once rejected Mukunda, for hearing a Ramayana mixed with mayavadi ideas and even making it worse from a mayavadi.
I enclosing the vers and purport:
Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 17.65

mukunda-dattere kaila danda-parasada
khandila tahara cittera saba avasada

SYNONYMS
mukunda-dattere--unto Mukunda Datta; kaila--did; danda--punishment; parasada--benediction; khandila--vanquished; tahara--his; cittera--of the mind; saba--all kinds of; avasada--depressions.

TRANSLATION
Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu blessed Mukunda Datta with punishment and in that way vanquished all his mental depression.

PURPORT
Mukunda Datta was once forbidden to enter the association of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu because of his mixing with the Mayavadi impersonalists. When Lord Caitanya manifested His maha-prakasa, He called all the devotees one after another and blessed them, while Mukunda Datta stood outside the door. The devotees informed the Lord that Mukunda Datta was waiting outside, but the Lord replied, "I shall not soon be pleased with Mukunda Datta, for he explains devotional service among devotees, but then he goes to Mayavadis to hear from them the Yoga-vasistha-ramayana, which is full of Mayavada philosophy. For this I am greatly displeased with him." Hearing the Lord speak in that way, Mukunda Datta, standing outside, was exceedingly glad that the Lord would at some time be pleased with him, although He was not pleased at that moment. But when the Lord understood that Mukunda Datta was going to give up the association of the Mayavadis for good, He was pleased, and He at once called to see Mukunda. Thus He delivered him from the association of the Mayavadis and gave him the association of pure devotees.

As you might recall Lord Caitanya was not ready to forgive Mukunda
datta in a million births for hearing mayavadi philosophy it is mentioned in great details in Caitanya Bhagavad.So this Yoga-vasistha-ramayana is very much like Ramacarita Manasa, with mayavadi ideas.How intimate to Lord Caitanya was Mukunda Datta see CC Adi lila 10.40.Only when Mukunda Datta promised Lord Caitanya he would never hear books mixed with mayavadi philosophy again did Lord Caitanya allow Mukunda Datta into His a
assocaition again.I have elaborated on all this as this book Ramacarita Manasa only causes distress in the heart of those who
are fully pure devotees or on the path of pure Bhakti. Ekalavya Prabhu I am holding your lotusfeet and asking your to kindly give up all distress and anger, caused by these offensive things being said about Narada Muni.We are better of to hear from Narada Bhakti sutra and glorification of Narada Muni from Srimad Bhagavatam.
SB 6.8.17
"May Sanat-kumāra protect me from lusty desires. As I begin some auspicious activity, may Lord Hayagrīva protect me from being an offender by neglecting to offer respectful obeisances to the Supreme Lord. May Devarṣi Nārada protect me from committing offenses in worshiping the Deity, and may Lord Kūrma, the tortoise, protect me from falling to the unlimited hellish planets"
dear Ekalavya Prabhu kindly glorifie Narada Muni with the nice bhajan of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura :(1)
nārada muni, bājāy vīṇā
'rādhikā-ramaṇa'-nāme
nāma amani, udita haya,
bhakata-gītā-sāme

(2)
amiya-dhārā, bariṣe ghana,
śravaṇa-yugale giyā
bhakata jana, saghane nāce,
bhoriyā āpana hiyā

(3)
mādhurī-pūra, āsava paśi',
mātāya jagata-jane
keho vā kānde, keho vā nāce,
keho māte mane mane

(4)
pañca-vadana, nārade dhori',
premera saghana rol
kamalāsana, nāciyā bole,
'bolo bolo hari bolo'

(5)
sahasrānana, parama-sukhe,
'hari hari' boli' gāya
nāma-prabhāve, mātilo viśva,
nāma-rasa sabe pāya

(6)
śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāma, rasane sphuri',
pūrā'lo āmār āśa
śrī-rūpa-pade, yācaye ihā,
bhakativinoda-dāsa

TRANSLATION
1) When the great soul Narada Muni plays his vina, the holy name, Radhika-raman, descends and immediately appears amidst the kirtan of the Lord’s devotees.

2) Like a monsoon cloud, the holy name showers nectar in their ears. All the devotees, due to great ecstasy, repeatedly dance to their hearts content.

3) All the people of the universe become maddened upon entering this intoxicating shower of nectar. Some people cry, some dance and others become fully intoxicated within their minds.

4) Lord Siva, embracing Narada Muni, repeatedly makes loud screams of ecstatic joy, and Lord Brahma, dancing very ecstatically, says, “All of you kindly chant, Haribol! Haribol!”

5) In great happiness the thousand-faced Ananta Sesa chants “Hari! Hari!” By the influence of the transcendental vibration of the holy name, the whole universe becomes ecstatically maddened and everyone tastes the mellows of the holy name.

6) Thakura Bhaktivinoda, the humble servant of the Lord, says, “The holy name of Krishna has fulfilled all my desires by vibrating on everyone’s tongue.” Bhaktivinoda therefore prays at the feet of Sri Rupa Goswami that the chanting of harinam may continue like this always.
And I pray to Lord Gauranga and the lotusfeet of Narada Muni
you will feel no anger.
your servant
Payonidhi das
PS Ramacarita Manasa is banned by the GBC officially in 1996,I hope this will help you not be disturbed and to save other devotees from the same disturbance I will share this conversations with some devotees in hope this will help prevent further confusion from oters refering to Ramacarita Manasa, which in itself is a prove that this book should be strictly avoided.

Payonidhi Das Das August 16 at 5:48am
When I say referring to Ramacarita Manasa, I mean in Srimad Bhagavatam class

Payonidhi Das Das August 16 at 5:49am
and by that i mean such things from Ramacarita Manasa should never be mentioned it is against pure bhakti and only disturbs the mind

Payonidhi Das Das August 16 at 5:50am
let me know if I can be of any further help in this matter

Ekalavya Das August 16 at 6:06am
Thank you. You have pacified my mind.

Ys, ekd

Ekalavya Das August 16 at 6:20am
I wrote the temple president and presented some of your points, and appealed to him to consider some action to protect our devotees.

Thanks very, very much.

Ys, ekd

Payonidhi Das Das August 16 at 6:38am
I am glad I could help, I suggest your email my response
in total as it holds many points about this matter

[Paramananda das]

Thank you Madhavananda Prabhu this is internet sadhu sanga( you all being the sadhus)

how about Padma Purana,one devotee told me there is some version there also?Could you kindly share the Narada Purana quotes about" Naradas marriage"
I just talked with Akruranath Prabhu,I might not have posted this to all devotees in this list actually Narada is Srivasa Thakura and in Gaura lila is married to
Malini( who also is very dear to Lord Caitanya and Nityananda Prabhu

In Gaura Lila ,Narada Muni appears as Srivas Thakura (and is married) and in Vraja lila he is "Naradiya gopi"
in his Gita mala ,Srila Bhaktivinoda describes the death of one of the sons of Srivasa Thakura:
Song Name: Pradosa Samaye Srivasa Agane
Official Name: Soka Satana Song 1
Author: Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Book Name: Gitamala
Language: Bengali

LYRICS:
(1)
pradoṣa-samaye śrībāsa-ańgane
sańgopane gorā-maṇi
śrī-hari-kīrtane nāce nānā-rańge
uṭhilo mańgala-dhwani

(2)
mṛdańga mādala bāje karatāla
mājhe mājhe jayatura
prabhura naṭana dekhi' sakalera
hoilo santāpa dūra

(3)
akhaṇda premete mātala takhana
sakala bhakata-gaṇa
āpana pāsari' gorācande gheri'
nāce gāya anukhaṇa

(4)
emona samaye daiba-byādhi-joge
śrībāsera antaḥ-pure
tanaya-bijoge nārī-gaṇa śoke
prokāśalo uccaiḥ-sware

(5)
krandana uṭhile habe rasa-bhańga
bhakatibinoda ḍare
śrībāsa amani bujhilo kāraṇa
paśilo āpana ghare

TRANSLATION
1) In the evening twilight, within the privacy of Srivasa Pandita's courtyard, the cream-lustered jewel, Lord Gauramani, raised a most auspicious vibration by His chanting of Hari-kirtana, which He personally accompanied by dancing in various playful moods.

2) Accompanied by the paying of the mrdanga drum and karatalas, and amidst occasional victorious shouts of "Jaya! Jaya!” the dramatic dance of the Lord dispelled the grief of all those who witnessed it.

3) Then, becoming madly intoxicated in supreme ecstatic love, all the assembled devotees completely forgot themselves and incessantly began to dance and chant wildly, surrounding Lord Gauracandra.

4) At this time, within the inner chamber of Srivasa's house, one of his sons suddenly died due to some disease, as ordained by the will of Providence. Due to separation from the boy, all the women of the household began to lament and cry out in a loud voice.

5) Now Bhaktivinoda fears that the transcendental mellows of the Lord's kirtana will be disturbed by the uprising of such loud crying sounds. However,Srivasa Pandita has now understood the cause of this sound, and has personally entered the house.

you please go to http://kksongs.org/authors/gitamala.html and read Soka Satana

“In the Gaura-ganodesa dipika (90), Srivasa Pandita is described as an incarnation of Narada Muni, and Sri Rama Pandita, his younger brother, is said to be an incarnation of Parvata Muni, a great friend of Narada’s” (C.C.Adi 10.8)

this is a copy of a conversation with Akruranath Prabhu:(I am sharing it with his permission)
Me
check tis out was Narada Married?
http://nimaipandit.ning.com/profiles/blogs/narada-married
7:16amAkruranatha
I heard also about a Purana story and getting a glass of water and there was a monkey face...I do not remember well, but the Indian devotees in my congregation knew this story
It did not sound authentic to me, and I asked where it came from
They said "Padma Purana" I think
It could be an interpolation
I do not remember the story now
Somebody's face was turned to look like a monkey
7:18amMe
yes Naradas
it is in Ramacarita manasa
7:18amAkruranatha
It had a ring of inauthentiocity to me, the way it was told
I never read it, but look in the Padma and Vishnu Purana's. I was surprised to hear it was in one of the sattvik Puranas
7:21amMe
well the way it is told by Tulsi das is Narada was bragging that he is more advanced than Siva
well the way it is told by Tulsi das is Narada was bragging that he is more advanced than Siva
no this pastime is not in Visnu Purana
and I strongly doubt Padma Purana as well
and he tells Visnu he would not fall to Mohini Murti like Siva did,so Lord Visnu creates a lady and a city out of His Yogamaya
7:23amMe
and there is a Svaymavara where that lady chooses Lord Visnu, and Narada gets offended and everyone laughs at him and he looks in the mirrow and has a monkeys face, Visnu brakes his yogamaya and Narada Muni is there al ashamed and humbled
7:24amAkruranatha
Well, Tulasidas is not bonafide, but a similar story may be in Padma Purana.
7:24amMe
This is why Gaudiya vasianvas do not accept Ramacarita Manasa as it disrespects Narada Muni
also
that is very interesting
it is worth looking into,I will keep it in mind
I recently look through Padma Purana
for some quotes about Lord Narasimhadev but did not see that, but I did not carefully read it
I do not have it in bookform but I will look it up, if you have please do look it up also

here is some other stuff I found wether is it in the Puranas has to be confirmed:

http://knramesh.blogspot.com/2010/03/story-of-she-narada.html
actually this article mentions the glas of water asked for by Lord Visnu and it is stated to be from Devi Bhagavat(that is written by Srila Vyasadeva and is certainly bonafide sastra:

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/29563
I will look for the sastric reference from there


What is Maya?” asked Narada.

The world is my Maya. He who accepts this, realizes me,” said Vishnu.

Before I explain, will you fetch me some water?” requested the Lord pointing to a river.

Narada did as he was told. But on his way back, he saw a beautiful woman. Smitten by her beauty, he begged the woman to marry him. She agreed.

Narada built a house for his wife on the banks of the river. She bore him many children. Loved by his wife, adored by his sons and daughters, Narada forgot all about his mission to fetch water for Vishnu.

In time, Narada’s children had children of their own. Surrounded by his grandchildren, Narada felt happy and secure. Nothing could go wrong.

Suddenly, dark clouds enveloped the sky. There was thunder, lightning, and rain. The river overflowed, broke its banks and washed away Narada’s house, drowning everyone he loved, everything he possessed. Narada himself was swept away by the river.

Help, help. Somebody please help me,” he cried. Vishnu immediately stretched out his hand and pulled Narada out of the water.

Back in Vaikuntha, Vishnu asked, “Where is my water?”

How can you be so remorseless? How can you ask me for water when I have lost my entire family?”

Vishnu smiled. “Calm down, Narada. Tell me, where did your family come from? From Me. I am the only reality, the only entity in the cosmos that is eternal and unchanging. Everything else is an illusion – a mirage, constantly slipping out of one’s grasp.”

You, my greatest devotee, knew that. Yet, enchanted by the pleasures of worldly life, you forgot all about me. You deluded yourself into believing that your world and your life were all that mattered and nothing else was of any consequence. As per your perspective, the material world was infallible, invulnerable, perfect. That is Maya.”

Thus Vishnu dispelled Narada’s illusion, bringing him back to the realm of reality and making him comprehend the power of Maya over man.

There is a very amazing website wit lots of sastric quotes about Narada Muni:
http://books.google.com/books?id=1HMXN9h6WX0C&pg=PA187&lpg=...

So according to Devi Bhagavat it appears there is one part where Narada is turned into a female chapter 28-29 ,and another pastime where he gets married forgetting
about the water he is supposed to bring Lord Visnu, each Purana is trying to motivate people to surrender to Krishna and Lord Visnu , at least in the rajasic and satvik Puranas.
In the Siva Purana there is a story how Lord Visnu cuts out one of His lotuseyeas to offer to Lord Siva as he only has 999 lotusflowers and need one more, so He offers His lotuseye.
Are these things made up ? Certainly not they have happened by Lord Visnus and Krsnas will to help people surrender to them in all stages of the modes of nature

see also http://www.telugubhakti.com/TELUGUPAGES/Sages/Narada.htm

In our line we worship Narada Muni purely and have no interest in such pastimes really, what matters is this:

---- -----SB 7.9.28: My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, because of my association with material desires, one after another, I was gradually falling into a blind well full of snakes, following the general populace. But Your servant Nārada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore, my first duty is to serve him. How could I leave his service?


or we may add another prayer by Prahlada Maharaja as we are in the sampradaya coming from Brahma to Narada:
SB 7.9.18: O my Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva, by engaging in Your transcendental loving service in the association of devotees who are liberated souls [haḿsas], I shall become completely uncontaminated by the association of the three modes of material nature and be able to chant the glories of Your Lordship, who are so dear to me. I shall chant Your glories, following exactly in the footsteps of Lord Brahmā and his disciplic succession. In this way I shall undoubtedly be able to cross the ocean of nescience.

vaishnavera kriya-mudra vijne na bujhaya. Even the most intelligent person cannot understand what a Vaishnava like Narada Muni is doing ..


These activites of Narada Muni are beyond our comprehension, vaishnavera kriya-mudra vijneha na bujhaya: no one can understand the activities of a pure devotee

What we can understand is that Narada Muni though a perfect devotee beyond material desires takes his birth as Srivasa Thakura to serve Lord Gauranga, and there is in grhastha asrama serving Lord Caitanya.
daily we chant in Gaura artik:
dakine nitaichand bame gadadhara
nikate adwaita shrinivasa chhatra dhara
On Lord Caitanya's right side is Lord Nityananda and on His left is Sri Gadadhara. Nearby stands Sri Advaita, and Srivasa Thakura is holding an umbrella over Lord Caitanya's head.

Dhyanachandra Goswami has written in his Gaura Govindarcana smarana Paddhati

Gadadhara namas tubyam yasya Gauranga jivanam
namas te Srinivasa Pandita prema vigraha:
O Sri Gadadhara!Sri Gauranga is your very life!I offer my humble obaisences unto you.Sri Srivasa Pandit you are the very form of prema.I also offer my humble obaisences unto you.

He further gives us this meditation:Srim Srivasaya Namah
Gayatri mantra :Srim Srivasaya vidmahe naradakyaya dimahi tan no bhaktah pracodayat
All glories to the lotusfeet of Srivasa Thakura who is Narada Muni incarnated to serve Lord Gauranga

[Paramananda das]

THE SIXTH BOOK

Chapter XXVII

On the marriage of Nârada and his face getting transformed into that of a monkey

p. 578

1-13. Nârada said :-- On hearing these words of her daughter from her nurse, the King addressed the queen Kaikeyî, of lovely eyes, standing close by, thus :-- “Have you heard what the nurse has said? Damayantî has mentally chosen the monkey-faced Nârada as her husband. What has she thought? Whatever it be, it is no doubt, an act of great foolishness. His face is monkey-like; how can I betroth my daughter to him? Where is an ugly beggar Nârada? And where is my daughter Damayantî? The marriage between them is quite unjust; never it should take place. O Beautiful One of good hairs! Better call her before you in private and show her reasons approved of the S’âstras and of the aged persons and make her desist from such a rash course.” On hearing her husband’s words, the mother of Damayantî called her in private and said :-- “O Child! Where is your this beautiful face? And where is the monkey-like face of Nârada? You are smart and quick; how have you been, then, deluded by such a Moha? O Child! You are the daughter of a king! Your body is gentle like a creeper. And Nârada always besmears his body with ashes; so his body is very rough. O Spotless One! How will you change your words with him? Why do you shew your attachment to an ugly person? What pleasure do you feel thereby? You would be married to a beautiful prince; never follow this rash course; your father is very sorry to hear these from your nurse. O One of soft body! Judge this yourself, what intelligent man is there that is not sorry at the soft Mâlatî creeper entwining a thorny tree? Even a stupid silly man would never

p. 579

feed a camel, that likes thorns, with soft betel-leaves. When your marriage time arrives, say yourself, who will not be sorry to see you going to Nârada and embracing him by his arms! Nobody likes to speak with an ugly faced one; how will you be able to spend your time with him till your death!”

14-29. Nârada said :-- On hearing the mother’s words, the gentle Damayantî, with her mind intently fixed on me, spoke to her mother, very much depressed in her spirits. “O Mother! What good face and beautiful form will avail, who is not in the path of love and who is quite ignorant of amorous feelings and sentiments! And what will the wealth and kingdoms of that unskilled illiterate person avail! The deer, that roam in the forest, getting enchanted by the Nâda (sound) Rasa, give up their lives even to the singers. So they are fortunate. But fie to the persons who are illiterate and void of feelings of love! O Mother! Nârada Risi is well conversant with the science of music with seven Svaras. No other man save Mahâ Deva knows this. Living with an illiterate person is courting death at every moment. One devoid of qualifications should be always avoided, by all means, though he be wealthy and of a beautiful form. Fie on the friendship with kings that are illiterate and puffed up with vain arrogance! A well-qualified man, be he even a beggar, is far better to be cultivated friendship with. Leaving other circumstances out of account, even to change words with such a well qualified man, makes one highly delighted. The man is very rare in this world, though he be weak, if he be well versed in the science of music and if he knows Svara, Grâma, Murchchanâ and be skilled in eight sentiments of love. [Note :-- Svara - Sadaja, Risabha, Gândhâra, Madhyama, Panchama, Dhaivata and Nisâda. Grâma - the gradual increase and decrease in Svaras. Murchchana - the rising of sounds, an intonation; a duly regulated rise and fall of sound conducting the air and the harmony through the keys in a pleasing manner; changing the key or passing from one key to another; modulation; melody]. The man versed in the knowledge of Svara leads one to the Heaven of Kailâs’a as the rivers Ganges and Sarasvatî by their own merits lead one to Kailâs’a. There is not the least doubt in this. He is a Deva in his human body who knows the Svara measure; and he who does not know the Svara and its seven grades is a beast though he has a human form - he who finds no delight when he hears the tune regulated by Murchchanâ and the seven Svaras. Do not consider the deer as beasts for they get enchanted when they hear the musical notes. The venomous snakes, though they have no ears, get delighted to hear the enchanting Svara Nâda by their eyes. They even are to be praised;

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but fie on those human beings who have ears but who do not find any delight when they hear the Nâda! The little children feel intense pleasure to hear the music, but fie, fie on those elders who are void of this musical sentiments! Does not my father know that Nârada is ornamented with many qualifications? Who is there in the three worlds like him in singing the Sâma songs! For this very reason, indeed! I have already selected him as my husband; afterwards, due to a curse, the Muni, the ocean of qualifications, got his face changed into that of a monkey. The Kinnaras, skilled in the science of music, have their faces horse-like; but are they not dear to all? What business have they to get good faces? They enchant the Devas even by their sweet ravishing songs. O Mother! Kindly tell my father that I have already chosen Nârada as my husband. Therefore let him deliver me to his hands, without making any further requests in this matter.”

30-40. Nârada said :-- On hearing the words of her daughter Damayantî, that unblameable pure queen knowing her attachment deep towards me, spoke to the King thus :-- “O King! Now celebrate in an auspicious day and on an auspicious moment the auspicious marriage of Damayantî; the daughter has said that she has already selected Nârada as her bridegroom and it cannot be other-wise.” Thus prompted by the queen, the King S’anjaya performed the marriage ceremony of her daughter in accordance with due rites and customs and in an exceedingly becoming manner. O Risi! Thus I entered into the married life and remained there though my heart constantly burned with the thought of my monkey-face. Whenever the princess used to come to me for my service, I used to get tormented with the remembrance of my monkey-face; but her face beamed with gladness whenever she saw me; never she became sorry nor dejected, even for a moment, to see my face monkey-like. Thus time passed on. One day the Muni Parvata suddenly came there, after making his sojourn to many places of pilgrimages. I showed him a great respect and gladly loved him and greeted him duly; he got himself seated in an excellent Âsana and became very sorry to see me. I am his uncle and have entered into a married life; my face has become monkey-like. Therefore I am very much depressed in spirits and worried with the sad thought and has become lean and thin. Seeing this he was overwhelmed with pity. He then said :-- “O Muni! The curse that I cast on you before out of my anger, I now withdraw. Hear. O Maharsi! Let your face be by my merits, again as good as it was before; I now feel pity for the daughter of the King.”

41-52. Hearing thus, my heart also became gentle and instantly with a view to free him of my curse, I said :-- “Let your journey to

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the Heavens be re-established. I now make this special favour on you as regards my curse on you before.” O Dvaipâyana! At his word, before our sight, my face became exceedingly handsome as it was before. The princess Damayantî became very glad and instantly she went to the mother and said :-- “O Mother! At the word of Parvata, the great Muni, the curse of your son-in-law has been removed and his face has become handsome as before and the lustre of his body has also increased.” The queen was very much filled with ecstasy and joy at Damayantî’s words and went hurriedly and informed the King. The King S’anjaya gladly went at once to see the Muni. The great King became very glad and gave lots of wealth, gems and jewels to me and my nephew Parvata as a dowry. O Dvaipâyana! Thus I have described to you my old story how I felt the strong influence of Mâyâ. O Fortunate One! Owing to the illusory nature of the Gunas, like a magic, no embodied being in this world could have been happy before, or he is happy now or he will be happy hereafter. Lust, anger, greed, jealousy, attachment, egoism, and vanity, each one of these is very powerful; nobody is able to conquer these. O Muni! The three Gunas Sâttva, Râjas and Tâmas are the entire causes of the coming into this bodily existence of every being. O Dvaipâyana! Once I was passing with Bhagavân Visnu, laughing and joking, making merriments through a forest, when suddenly I was transformed into a woman. Next I became the wife of a king enchanted by Mâyâ, I remained in his house and gave birth to many children.

53-56. Vyâsa said :-- O Devarsi! A great doubt has now arisen in my mind at your word. O Muni! You are very wise; how then did you get womanhood; how again did you regain your manhood? Who was the king at whose house you stayed and how did you give birth to children; describe fully and satisfy my curiosity. Describe to me, now, the nature of Mâyâ, extremely wonderful, by which this entire universe, moving and non-moving, all are enchanted. O Muni! Though I have heard your nectar-like words, capable to remove all the doubts, embodying the essence of all the S’âstras, yet I am not fully satiated.

Here ends the Twenty-seventh Chapter of the Sixth Book on the marriage of Nârada and his face getting transformed into that of a monkey in S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyâsa.