Siva and Narada

Beyond this material nature

Narada went to Shivaloka and saw that Shiva was absorbed in a trance, after worshipping Lord Sankarsana, and his associates were chanting and dancing around him. Narada Muni became ecstatic and playing in his vina he offered obeisances to Shiva and told him repeatedly, "You are the most fortunate recipient of Krsna's mercy." Then as Narada was about to take the dust of Mahadev's feet, Mahadev prevented him by force, embraced him, and said, "O son of Brahma! What are you saying?"

As Narada started to glorify Mahadev reciting selected prayers, Mahadev said, "Our Lord is an ocean of mercy, therefore in spite of my offenses He does not neglect me, I am the source of false ego, at the time of pralaya I destroy the creation. Therefore how can I be considered to be a devotee of the Lord. In fact the inhabitants of Vaikuntha are the greatest devotees of Sri Krsna."

Then Parvati said, "Among the inhabitants of Vaikuntha Sri Laksmidevi is the dearest of Sri Hari."

Mahadev then added, "Even greater than the inhabitants of Vaikuntha and Sri Laksmidevi is Prahlada who resides in the Sutalaloka."

Devotee Narada then went to Sutala and started to offer prayers to Prahlada. Hearing that Prahlada sid, "As one develops his love for Krsna one gets to know about mercy, and that love develops out of devotional service." Prahlada Maharaj admitted that he simply remembers the Lord with his mind, but Hanuman renders devotional service to Sri Ramacandra very expertly. Therefore Hanuman is the real devotee of the Lord. Narada Muni then went to Kinpurusaªvarsa and started to glorify Hanuman for his devotion. That sparked the remembrance of the Lord in the heart of Hanuman, and he started to cry due to his separation from the Lord. Then he told Narada Muni that the Pandava's love for the Lord is much greater than his, therefore the Lord's mercy upon them is also much greater. The Lord Himself said that the Pandavas are as dear to Him as His own life.

Dear Dancing in ecstasy Narada went to Hastinapur. When the Pandavas brought different paraphernalia for his worship Narada Muni started to worship them with those items and said, "Although some people received pure devotional service during Sri Ramacandra's incarnation, spontaneous devotional service was unknown to this world. That spontaneous love of spiritual sentiment is manifest in the Pandavas therefore the Pandavas are the real recipient of the Lord's special mercy. Hearing that the Pandavas told him that Sri Krsna has an even deeper relationship with the Yadavas, therefore they are the object of the Lord's real mercy. Narada Muni then arrived in Dvaraka in the morning. The Yadavas were waiting for Sri Krsna in the Sudharma assembly. When they saw that Narada Muni was approaching from a distance offering obeisances they got up from their seats and lifting him up from the ground offered him a seat, but Narada Muni sat on the ground and started to glorify them saying that they are the most dear devotees of Sri Krsna. They then told Narada that Uddhava is the dearemost devotee of Sri Krsna, and requested him to go to the inner part of the palace to meet Uddhava and then come back to the Sudharma assembly with Sri Krsna.

Dearmost Experiencing various spiritual emotions Narada Muni entered into the inner part of the palace and found that Uddhava, Balaram and some other intimate associates of Krsna were rather absent minded due to some unknown reasons. He prayed to them if they could let him get tot see Uddhava, the dearmost devotee of Sri Krsna, or at least get the dust from his lotus feet. Uddhava then embraced the feet of Narada Muni. Even though he was moved by transcendental emotion, he controlled himself and said, "Previously I used to think that I was most dear to Krsna, but when I went to Vraja I experienced the sweetness of Krsna, the sweetness of His mercy, the sweetness of His love, and the sweetness of the loving residents of Vraja. Therefore the residents of Vraja are indeed the recipients of Krsna's mercy. Krsna dreamt of Vraja last night and since then He is crying He is still lying in bed covering His body from head to toe with a cadar He did not perform His regular daily duties. Mother Rohini, at the mention of KRsna's love for the residents of Vraja, told, "Sri Krsna left Vraja and made all the Vrajavasis cry due to their separation from Him. Is this how He displays His mercy upon them?"

Hearing that Rukmini and Satyabhama said, "Krsna, in HIs dream and wakeful state, in all His activities and behavior, always remains absorbed in the mood of Vraja." In reply Balaram then said, "That is only His deceptive acting."

Wiping His tears then Krsna got out of the bed and asked Uddhava, "Dear Uddhava, please tell me how can I pacify the Vrajavasis?" Uddhava then told Him that unless and until He went to Vraja they would not be peaceful. Hearing that from Uddhava Krsna was about to write a letter and send it to Vraja. But Balaram told Him, "They will not be able to contact them. Due to drinking the nectar of your holy name, in spite of fasting for a long long time their life air is not leaving their bodies." Sri Krsna then started to cry loudly pulling the arm around Balaram's neck, and soon both the brothers fainted and fell on the ground. All the members in the palace started to cry and hearing that Vasudev, Ugrasena and others quickly left Sudharma assembly and came into the inner part of the palace.

The object of complete mercy Brahma called Garuda and asked him to carry Krsna and Balaram to NavaVrindavan. When Balaram came back to His senses, He dressed up Krsna as a cowherd boy, and reviving Him from His unconscious state inspired Him to go to the pasturing ground to tend the cows.

Krsna then saw the statues of Nanda, Yasoda, cowherd damsels, cowherd boys, cows made by Viswakarma,a nd felt that He was in Vrindavan. He stole butter from Yasoda's hand, addressed Srimati Radharani as His life and soul. He embraced Her and kissed Her and then as He played His flute, the queens of Dvaraka became enchanted with surging emotion. Krsna mistook the blue ocean to be Yamuna river, but when He noticed the city of Dvaraka nearby He became very surprised. Balaram aroused the mellow of chivalry in Krsna, telling Him how the demons like Sisupal and Jarasandha were troubling the earth, and brought Him back to the palace.

Hearing the glory of the damsels of Vraja Satyabhama became envious. Krsna became very angry and told her that if He could make them happy by going to Vrindavan leaving everything behind then He is prepared to do that immediately."

After describing the glory of the cowherd girls of Vraja to the queens of Dvaraka Narada Muni went to Krsna. Krsna then told him, "One who reminds about the dear ones, is a real benefactor therefore you have benefitted me immensely today."

Narada Muni realized that the gopis are the dearmost devotees of Krsna and among them Srimati Radharani is the greatest. Narada Muni returned to Prayag and broadcasted that fact to the assembled sages.

PART II

Chapter 1

DETACHMENT

The story of Gopakumar He is a young cowherd boy from Vrindavan He received the ten syllabled Gopalmantra from great devotee of Krsna.

Gopakumar was a vaisya and unable to study scriptures but his spiritual master was great soul who attained perfection.Gopakumar had firm faith that the mantra he received from his spiritual master was Sri Krsna's prasad. He knew the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the Omniscient, Omnipotent, most merciful Personality, besides that he did not have any other idea about Him.When the devotee bhrahmana in Prayag told him that the Salagram Sila was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he believed him. He had firm faith in the words of his spiritual master. And he had firm conviction that all his desires will be fulfilled just by chanting the mantra.Gopakumar was naturally free from lust, greed, anger etc. He was humble, intelligent, very careful in all respects, not lazy and had a strong attachment to the Lord. He did not have any interest in anything besides God, His devotees and devotional service.

Chapter 2

KNOWLEDGE

After residing in Mathura for some time Gopakumar set out for Nilacal to see Lord Jagannath. On the way he met some saintly persons and from them he heard the glory of Upendra's service to the Lord. Due to the influence of chanting the mantra a space ship arrived and he was elevated to the heavenly planet. There he recieved the mercy of Upendra. At one time when Indra was absent from the heavenly planets Gopakumar became the king of heaven and he used his position to establish his service to the Lord very nicely.After residing in the heavenly planets for some celestial years Gopakumar met great sages like Brighu. From Brihaspati he got to know about Maharloka and due to the potency of his chanting he was elevated there. There he recieved the service of Yogesvara, elevation to Janaloka, got to see Sanat Kumar and from the Maharisis got to know the glories of the four Kumaras and elevation to Tapaloka. Due to the influence of his chanting he was elevated there. In Tapaloka he met the four Kumaras. From the sage Bipalayan he recieved instructions. In meditation, by the influence of chatusan, he saw different forms of the Supreme Lord. One day Brahma arrived in Tapaloka. From Chatusan he heard about Brahma and the glory about Satyaloka. Gopakumar was elevated to Satyaloka. He saw the Supreme Lord. Laksmidevi received him with affection. He saw how at the end of the day of Brahma the three planetary systems were destroyed. When Brahma dissappeared due to fear of a demon Gopakumar received the positiono of a Brahma. From the srutis he heard the in fact position of mukti and bhakti.Bhakti is superior to mukti. Devotional service is superior to karma, jnana and vairagya. Description of eight external layers of the universe. Hearing the glory of devotional service Gopakumars devotion increased and being directly instructed by the Supreme Lord he went to Sri Vrindavan.

Chapter 3

DEVOTIONAL SERVICE

While rouming in Vrindavan Gopakumar saw his spiritual master and received instructions from him. Due to the influence of chanting the mantra he developed a spiritual body and penetrating through the seven layers he attained Sivaloka beyond material nature and got to see lord Siva and Durga devi.Nandisvar described how Madangopal and Siva were nondifferent. Some associates of the Lord came to Sivaloka.Due to the instruction of Parvati, Ganesh described about the glory of Vaikuntha beyond innumerable universes. Gopakumar desired to go there and Mahadev permitted him to do that. The associates of the Lord glorified Lord Shiva and advised Gopakumar. Glory of chanting the Holy Name. Due to their instruction Gopakumar went to Vrindavan.

Chapter 4

Vaikuntha

Being absorbed in transcendental emotion due to chanting the Holy Name of the Lord, Gopakumar saw his worshipable Lord and in transcendental love he fainted. The associates of the Lord brought him to Vaikuntha to description of the glory of Vaikuntha. When Gopakumar saw Vaikunthanath he lost consciousness. The associates took care of him and brought him back to his senses. The Lord instructed him to stay there.

Gopakumar played the flute to the Lord and discussed with the associates of the Lord.As Gopakumar remembered the mercy of Sri MadanGopal his heart became peaceful. Narada Munis appearance and description of the transcendental glory of Vaikuntha Gopakumars enquiery about worshipping the Deity of the Lord and Naradas description of the glory of worship.Being aware of Gopakumar's extreme desire to see his worshipable Lord Narada Muni instructed him to go and see Lord Ramacandra.When Gopakumar arrived in Ayodhya Hanuman received him with great care and respect. Gopakumar saw Lord Ramachandra and offered prayers. Ramachandra welcomed him affectionately and instructed him to go to Dvaraka.

Chapter 5

Love

Gopakumar arrived in Dvaraka. He met the Yadavas and they brought him to Sudharma assembly. In that assembly he saw Sri Krsna. Sri Uddhava brought him to the Lord, and taking him by his hand they entered into the inner part of the palace. The Lord took Gopakumars flute. Dvarakanath showed Gopakumar Gokullila. After honoring Mahaprasad Uddhava brought Gopakumar to his house. Gopakumar stayed in Uddhava's house. He saw the Lord of Dvaraka. Seeing the Lord's Balgopallila he felt dissatisfaction. Narada Muni's arrival. Uddhava introduced Gopakumar to him. Narada Muni's advice to him.Narada Muni described the glory of Goloka as the highest. He described of the Lord's killing a demon and His loving pastimes with the gopas and gopis. He showed him the difference between Goloka and Gokula and he told him how to attain that supreme abode.Narada Muni and Uddhava told Gopakumar about the supremacy of the service attitude of the cowherd damsels of Vrindavan and how difficult it is to receive the good fortune of seeing their service and following their service.

Chapter 6

FULFILLMENT OF DESIRE

According to the instruction of Narada Gopakumar started reside in Vrindavan and chant Sri Krsna's names loudly with melodious tunes and remember Hi pastimes.He used to always cry loudly due to his separation from Krsna, and he could not discern whether he was experiencing great joy or he was submerged in an ocean of sorrow. He could not make out whether he was living inside the forest fire or extremely pleasant cool water Yamuna. Gradually he completely forgot what joy actually was.One day when he was crying piteously and lost consciousness, Krsna, the most merciful, came to him started to wipe the dust from his body, and smelling the beautiful fragrance of His body Gopakumar regained his senses.Gopakumar then got up seeing His lotus like beaming face and with great joy he tried to catch His yellow garment, but that Supreme lover playfully moved backwards playing His flute and then disappeared behind some bush. Gopakumar then fainted and fell in the Yamuna. Due to the soothing touch of the water of Yamuna he regained his senses, and then he felt that riding in some very fast moving vehicle he was travelling somewhere. Crossing Vaikuntha and Dvaraka he arrived in Vrindavan.Vrindavan was just like Vrindavan on the earth planet the culture, language, appearance of the people there were very much like that of India, and there was sunrise, sunset day and night.He saw cowherd men were roaming in the forest and some elderly cowherd ladies were picking flowers.They were more beautiful than the residents of Vaikuntha, Ayodhya and Dvaraka. And it seemed that someone has stolen their hearts.He enquired from them who was the king of that land and where did He live. But they did not answer.At last he saw a palace and some cowherd girls were churning yogurt and singing most beautifully. One old lady told him that that was the palace of Nanda Maharaj the father of Krsna. Hearing that he fainted, but that old lady brought him back to his senses.