ShivaFan
12 September 2012, 01:32 AM
Narada Pancharatra First Ratra Chapters 8 and 9
Namaste
Did you know that at one time Narada Muni did not have a Guru? At that time He was already travelling the Three Worlds. It is understood that when He attended an Assembly of Devas, where many Devas and Devis were there including many divines and angels numbering 33 crores and including the Nine Planets. There was a sacred fire, Vedic rites being conducted. Narada was given a place to sit, below almost everyone else.
He questioned Brahma, stating as Brahma’s own child then why was He given such a lowly place to sit? Brahma told Him, it was because He has never taken a Guru.
Narada considered this, and realized He did not have a “Guru mantra”. In other words, though He always sings the Names of God, and repeats God’s Name as a mantra, He has never taken a mantra as initiated by a Guru.
And He told the Gods, “Whoever I see at dawn, I will take as my Guru…” and left the Assembly with the promise to return. Where did He go?
It was at dawn He arose and it is written in this Text, He saw an old fisherman with a net on shoulder, both walking and weaving his net. Narada ran to the fisherman and declared to this old man that the Fisherman was Guru and begged for initiation from the old man.
The old man said he was not worthy. The old man said, he had never himself taken initiation from a Guru and that he did have any mantra to give. Nevertheless, Narada requested from the old man to speak whatever was in his mind at that very moment. The fisherman said “Hari Bol”, upon which Narada returned to the Assembly of Devas and was given a seat in front of the Assembly having declared He now has both a Guru and a Mantra.
The Assembly demanded to meet His Guru, upon which Narada returned to the Fisherman and requested the old man to come. But the old man said he was partially lame, so Narada carried the old man on His back.
Narada presented the old man to the Assembly and then gave His full pranam, lying completely down before His Guru. The 33 crores of Gods were surprised. At that moment the old man became Shiva before them all. For Shiva was not at that Assembly. And so, what kind of Assembly was it?
And so we understand, the Guru of Narada is Shiva Himself. So cannot it not be said that Narada is both a Saiva and a Vaishnava? I do not claim to know the answer, perhaps I will ask Narada.
In the Narada Purana 63.121 is says, “Through diksa Siva the giver of All Benedictions is manifested in the Form of the Guru” and 65.58 says “I offer my obesances to Lord Shiva who has Assumed the Form of Guru”.
Shiva is the Most Kind. Om Namah Sivaya
Namaste
Did you know that at one time Narada Muni did not have a Guru? At that time He was already travelling the Three Worlds. It is understood that when He attended an Assembly of Devas, where many Devas and Devis were there including many divines and angels numbering 33 crores and including the Nine Planets. There was a sacred fire, Vedic rites being conducted. Narada was given a place to sit, below almost everyone else.
He questioned Brahma, stating as Brahma’s own child then why was He given such a lowly place to sit? Brahma told Him, it was because He has never taken a Guru.
Narada considered this, and realized He did not have a “Guru mantra”. In other words, though He always sings the Names of God, and repeats God’s Name as a mantra, He has never taken a mantra as initiated by a Guru.
And He told the Gods, “Whoever I see at dawn, I will take as my Guru…” and left the Assembly with the promise to return. Where did He go?
It was at dawn He arose and it is written in this Text, He saw an old fisherman with a net on shoulder, both walking and weaving his net. Narada ran to the fisherman and declared to this old man that the Fisherman was Guru and begged for initiation from the old man.
The old man said he was not worthy. The old man said, he had never himself taken initiation from a Guru and that he did have any mantra to give. Nevertheless, Narada requested from the old man to speak whatever was in his mind at that very moment. The fisherman said “Hari Bol”, upon which Narada returned to the Assembly of Devas and was given a seat in front of the Assembly having declared He now has both a Guru and a Mantra.
The Assembly demanded to meet His Guru, upon which Narada returned to the Fisherman and requested the old man to come. But the old man said he was partially lame, so Narada carried the old man on His back.
Narada presented the old man to the Assembly and then gave His full pranam, lying completely down before His Guru. The 33 crores of Gods were surprised. At that moment the old man became Shiva before them all. For Shiva was not at that Assembly. And so, what kind of Assembly was it?
And so we understand, the Guru of Narada is Shiva Himself. So cannot it not be said that Narada is both a Saiva and a Vaishnava? I do not claim to know the answer, perhaps I will ask Narada.
In the Narada Purana 63.121 is says, “Through diksa Siva the giver of All Benedictions is manifested in the Form of the Guru” and 65.58 says “I offer my obesances to Lord Shiva who has Assumed the Form of Guru”.
Shiva is the Most Kind. Om Namah Sivaya