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Narad Muni is a divine sage, popular in Hindu mythology as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is a mind-created (manasputras) child of Lord Brahma, the creator. Narad appears in several Hindu texts, notably the Mahabharat, telling Yudhishthir the story of Prahalad. He also appears in Ramayan and Purans. He is also referred to as Rishiraja, meaning the king of all sages and is gifted with the knowledge of the past, present, and future.
In the Indian scriptures, Narad travels to distant worlds and Lokas. He is depicted carrying a khartal (a musical instrument) and the veena and is regarded as one of the great masters of the ancient musical instrument. He is depicted as wise, mischievous and even humorous in mythological tales. He is noted for being meddlesome and provoking conflict between the gods and the demons. Texts named after Narad include the Narad Puran and the Naradsmriti.
Long ago, there lived a Gandharva known by the name Upabarhana. Gandharvas are musical beings, a category of Devatas who live in Gandharvaloka in heaven. Upabarhana was a handsome person. Once the residents of heaven organised a spiritual gathering to glorify Lord Narayan (Vishnu). All the Devatas, including Gandharvas and Apsaras, were invited to participate in this gathering. Upabarhana too, went for this spiritual event but unfortunately, instead of glorifying Lord Narayan, he started singing songs for the demigods which was inappropriate for the occasion. Thus the members of the festival got upset with this behaviour of his.
The Prajapatis, who supervised the affairs of the universe felt he needed to be punished for his misdemeanour. So they cursed him to become an ugly low-class person. As a result, Upabarhana fell on planet Earth from the heaven. He was now deprived of his exalted position as a Gandharva and took birth as the only son of a maidservant on earth. In the process, he lost the grace and beauty of which he was so proud.
The maid-servant was poor and uneducated. But she was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to serve the noble-hearted Brahmins. She did menial services for the maintenance of herself and her child. The boy was dependent on his mother and had no experience of another Loka. He believed that she would never leave him and they lived in a Gurukul.
Once, some sages came there. They were learned Vedic scholars and devotees of Lord Narayan (Vishnu). They decided to stay there during the four months of the rainy season. This allowed the maid-servant and the son to offer their services.
Whenever the scholars talked about Lord Narayan, the boy would attentively hear them. Thus, his love for Lord Narayan started unfolding. In the company of the scholars, the boy slowly became an ardent follower of the Lord. The sages were impressed by the demeanour of the boy and he gradually engaged himself in the service of the Lord. When the sages were about to depart, they taught him Srimad Bhagavatam and supported him in the path of bhakti leading to Lord Vishnu & Lord Krishna. After the departure of the great sages, the boy continued to live with his mother. He was overwhelmed by the inspiration he had received from the sages in their wonderful company.
One day when the mother of the boy went out to milk a cow in the evening. While walking along the path, she stamped a snake, retaliating, the snake too bit her foot and she died on the spot. In this tragic incident, the boy saw the hand of God. Since he was now left alone he decided to travel to places in search of knowledge and enlightenment. He passed through many cities, towns, villages, valleys, gardens, forests, hills, and mountains and he kept remembering his Narayan while travelling.
After days of travelling, the boy (Narad) reached a tranquil forest location. He was thirsty and hungry. He came across a river, where he bathed and quenched his thirst in the nearby stream. Relieved he sat under the shade of a big banyan tree and began his meditation thinking of Narayan (Vishnu) as he had been taught by the priests that he had served. After a while, Narad experienced a vision wherein Lord Vishnu appeared before him and said, ‘My dear Narad, despite my blessings because of which you can see me at this moment, you would not be able to see my divine form again till you’re dead.’ Vishnu then explained the reason why Narad had been given a chance to see his divine form. It was because Vishnu’s beauty and love would be a source of inspiration and would fuel Narad’s dormant desire to be with the Lord again. After apprising Narad in this manner, Vishnu disappeared from his sight. The boy awoke from his meditation, both thrilled and disappointed.
Thereafter, the boy started chanting the Lord’s name. He travelled across the world. In due course of time, he was accepted by Lord Narayan and he became detached from all material taints and passed away. After leaving his mortal body, he entered a spiritual body as the son of Lord Brahma who was creating the universe, and as a befitting associate of the Lord, he became the great sage Narad Muni. Narad Muni is a great teacher and the guru of several devoted kings like Dhruva, Prahlada, Mrigari, Priyavrata, and others.
In the Mahabharat, Narad is portrayed as being conversant with the Vedas and the Upanishads and acquainted with Purans. He has a mastery over the six Angas (limbs of knowledge): 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 the ancient Kalpas (time cycles). He is eloquent, resolute, intelligent and a possessor of powerful memory. He knows the science of morals and politics. He is skilled in drawing inferences from evidence and very proficient in distinguishing inferior things from superior ones. He is a master of the Sankhya and Yoga systems of philosophy, conversant with the sciences of war and treaties 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.
Narad temples are few, the most prominent being the Sri Narad Muni Temple at Chigateri Karnataka.
The famous chant of Narad Muni is Narayan—Narayan.
Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi
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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:
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Publications of Kamlesh Tripathi
BOOK TITLE: GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE
(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in eight prestigious libraries of the US which include Harvard College Library; Harvard University Library; Library of Congress; University of Washington, Seattle; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Yale University, New Haven; University of Chicago; University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill University Libraries. It can also be accessed at MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in the libraries and archives of Canada; the Open Library; Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai; Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India; Shoolini University, Yogananda Knowledge Center, Himachal Pradesh and Azim Premzi University, Bangalore and the Library of Cancer Aid and Research Foundation, Mumbai. The title also finds a mention in a book titled ‘Enduring Cancer: Life, Death and Diagnosis in Delhi’ by Dwaipayan Banerjee published by the Duke University Press).
BOOK TITLE: ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY
(It is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi; It is also available for reading in the Indian National Bibliography, March 2016, in the literature section, in Central Reference Library, Ministry of Culture, India, Belvedere, Kolkata-700022)
BOOK TITLE: AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES
(This is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity, which is the undying characteristic of Lucknow. The book was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2014. It is catalogued and included for reading in Askews and Holts Library Services, Lancashire, U.K; Herrick District Library, Holland; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, USA; Black Gold Cooperative Library Administration, Arroyo Grande, California; Berkeley Library, University of California; The Peshastin Public Library and The George Public Library near Washington, a Northern Central Washington Libraries branch; the Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library in Arizona in the US and the Salina Public Library, Kansas, USA.
BOOK TITLE: REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD
(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched at the Lucknow International Literary Festival in 2016).
BOOK TITLE: TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN
(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his way through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen but for any reader. The book was launched on 10th February 2018 at Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
BOOK TITLE: RHYTHM … IN POEMS
(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems are about our day-to-day life. Poems from this book have been published in Shillong Times, Bandra Times, Bhavan’s Journal and Arunachal Times. The book is available on Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
BOOK TITLE: MIRAGE
(Published in February 2020. The book is a collection of eight short stories available on Amazon, Flipkart and Notion Press)
BOOK TITLE: AWADH ASSAM AND DALAI LAMA … The Kalachakra
(It is the story of the man who received His Holiness The Dalai Lama and his retinue in 1959 as a GOI representative when he fled Tibet in 1959. The book was launched on 21st November 2022 by His Holiness The Dalai Lama at Dharmshala. The title is archived in the library of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) Government of Tibet, Tibet Policy Institute (TPI) and the personal library of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. The title is also archived in The Ohio Digital Library, USA. It was recently included in the digital library of the world-renowned company APPLE). Included in the library of Friends of Tibet.
(POEMS AND ARTICLES OF KAMLESH TRIPATHI PUBLISHED IN JOURNALS AND MAGAZINES)
BHAVANS JOURNAL
Short stories, Book reviews and Articles published in Bhavan’s Journal: 1. Reality and Perception, 15.10.19; 2. Sending the Wrong Message, 31.5.20; 3. Eagle versus Scholars, June, 15 & 20, 2020; 4. Indica, 15.8.20; 5. The Story of King Chitraketu, August 31 2020; 6. Breaking Through the Chakravyuh, September 30 2020. 7. The Questioning Spouse, October 31, 2020; 8. Happy Days, November 15, 2020; 9. The Karma Cycle of Paddy and Wheat, December 15, 2020; 10. Power Vs Influence, January 31, 2021; 11. Three Refugees, March 15, 2021; 12. Rise and Fall of Ajatashatru, March 31, 2021; 13. Reformed Ruler, May 15, 2021; 14. A Lasting Name, May 31, 2021; 15. Are Animals Better Teachers? June 16, 2021; 16. Book Review: The Gram Swaraj, 1.7.21; 17. Right Age for Achievements, 15.7.21; 18. Big Things Have Small Beginnings, 15.8.21; 19. Where is Gangaridai?, 15.9.21; 20. Confront the Donkey Within You 30.9.21; 21. Know Your Strengths 15.10.21; 22. Poverty 15.11.21; 23. Top View 30.11.21; 24. The Bansuriwala 15.1.22; 25. Sale of Alaska 15.2.22; 26. The Dimasa Kingdom 28.2.22;27. Buried Treasure 15.4.22; 28. The Kingdom of Pragjyotisha 30.4.22; 29. Who is more useful? 15.5.22; 30. The White Swan from Lake Mansarovar 30.6.22; 31. Bhool Bhulayya 15.9.22; 32. Good Karma 30.9.22; 33. Good Name vs Bad Name 15.10.22; 34. Uttarapath—The Grand Trunk Road 1.12.22; 35. When Gods Get Angry 1.1.23; 36. Holinshed’s Chronicles 15.1.23; 37. Theogony 15.2.23; 38. Poem: Mother 14.5.23; 39. The Nag Mandir 30.6.23; 40. The Story of Garuda 30.7.23; 41. Janmabhoomi vs Karmabhoomi 31.8.23; 42. The Ghost Town of Kuldhara 15.9.23; 43. The Tale of Genji 15.10.23; 44. The Soul Connection 1.12.23; 45.Book review: Jungle Nama … a story of the Sundarban 16.3.24; 46. Book review: A Forgotten Chapter 16.5.24; 47. Exploring Ancient Egypt, 1.8.24; 48. The Story of Dhruva, 16.8.24;
THE SHILLONG TIMES
Articles & Poems: 1. Poem: Happy New Year 8.1.23; 2.Poem: Spring 12.3.23; 3.Poem: Right and Wrong 20.3.23; 4. The Gush of Emotion—Writing, 26.3.23; 5. The Nag Mandir, 7.5.23; 6. Poem: Mother 7.5.23; 7. Poem: Rain Rain 9.7.23; 8. Poem: You Come Alone You Go Alone 6.8.23; 9. Poem: Rain Rain (Second Time) 10.8.23; 10. Poem: Guru Teacher 1.10.23; 11. Poem: Autumn … The Interim Heaven 15.10.23; 12. Poem: Happy Diwali 12.11.23; 13. Overcoming Blindness: Learn it the John Milton Way 10.12.23; 14. The Happy Prince and The Happy Man’s Shirt 31.12.23; 15. Annus Mirabilis -2024 7.1.24; 16. Gandhi to Mahatma Gandhi- Incidents that Shaped Gandhi in South Africa 28.1.24; 17. Poem: Together But Not Made For Each Other, 11.2.24; 18. The Birds Bees and The Spiders of Nicholas Guildford and Jonathan Swift 25.2.24; 19. The Overcoats of Nikolai Gogol and Ruskin Bond 10.3.24; 20. The Ethnic Colours of Holi 24.3.24; 21. A Lesson from Dalai Lama, 21.4.24; 22. Poem: Morning Walk 28.4.24; 23. Trip to Rhine Falls, Switzerland, 19.5.24; 24. Poem: Hurt 2.6.24; 25. Poem: Your Conscience Was My Sign On 16.6.24; 26.Poem: The Eerie Ways of Time 7.7.24; 27.Poem: Celebrating the T20 World Champions 14.7.24;28. Read to Rise above mediocrity, 4.8.24; 29. Poem: Desire vs Reality 11.8.24;
THE ASSAM TRIBUNE
Article: 1. The Magic of Reading 11.12.23; 2. Gandhi to Mahatma 29.1.24; 3. Geography of Solitude 8.4.24; 4. A Lesson From Dalai Lama, 22.4.24; 5. A Source of Inspiration, 29.4.24; 6. The Four-Legged Library, 12.5.24; 7. Age and Achievement, 10.6.24; 8. Read … To Rise Above Mediocrity, 1.7.24; 9. Crusade for a College, 25.8.24;
THE ARUNACHAL TIMES
Poem: 1. Hope—In The Arc of Twilight, 13.8.23; 2.Poem: Spring 3.3.24; 3.Poem: The Morning Walk 10.3.24;
BANDRA TIMES, MUMBAI
Articles & Poems: 1. Poem: SPRING, 1.4.23; 2. Poem: Mother, 1.6.23; 3. Poem: Rain Rain, 1.8.23; 4. A Lesson From Dalai Lama, 1.6.24; 5. Read to rise above Mediocrity 1.8.24
ARTICLES IN THE DIGITAL MAGAZINE ESAMSKRITI
29.12.2020: Indica by Megasthenes; 14.3.22: About The Dimasa Kingdom Assam; 10.12.22: Grand Trunk Road–Uttarapath; 5.10.23: The Ghost Town of Kuldhara Near Jaisalmer;
(ALL THE ABOVE BOOK TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE ON AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)
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