Śrīmad Bhāgavatam

1. Place photo here ŚrīmadBhāgavatam 1.6.1–19 Vyāsadeva inquires into Narada’s Life, & Nārada speaks of the Lord’s appearance before him

2. SB 1.2.4 nārāyaṇaḿ namaskṛtya naraḿ caiva narottamam devīḿ sarasvatīḿ vyāsaḿ tato jayam udīrayet Before reciting this SrimadBhagavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, Narayana, unto Nara-NarayanaRsi, the supermost human being, unto mother Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, and unto SrilaVyasadeva, the author.

3. SB 1.2.18 naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaḿ bhāgavata-sevayā bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī By regular attendance in classes on the Bhagavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.

4. Outline 1.6.1 – 4 Vyāsadeva’s further inquiries 5 -10 Departure of Nārada muni’s mother 11-14 Traveling mendicant/parivrājakācārya 15-19 Lord’s appearance before Nārada muni

5. SB 1.6.1 sūta uvāca evaḿ niśamya bhagavān devarṣer janma karma ca bhūyaḥ papraccha taḿ brahman vyāsaḥ satyavatī-sutaḥ Sūta said: O brāhmaṇas, thus hearing all about Śrī Nārada's birth and activities, Vyāsadeva, the incarnation of God and son of Satyavatī, inquired as follows.

6. Vyāsadeva’s further inquiries(1.6.2– 4) 1.6.2 - Çré Vyäsadeva said: What did you [Närada] do after the departure of the great sages who had instructed you in scientific transcendental knowledge before the beginning of your present birth? 1.6.3 - O son of Brahmä, how did you pass your life after initiation, and how did you attain this body, having quit your old one in due course? 1.6.4 - O great sage, time annihilates everything in due course, so how is it that this subject matter, which happened prior to this day of Brahmä, is still fresh in your memory, undisturbed by time? Purport - • Following Nārada's footsteps • Desire to inquire / sad-dharma-pṛcchā(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu) • Son of an ordinary maid servant to Spiritual body • Spiritual Consciousness

7. Departure of Nārada muni’s mother (1.6.5-10)

8. SB 1.6.5 nārada uvāca bhikṣubhir vipravasite vijñānādeṣṭṛbhir mama vartamāno vayasy ādye tata etad akāraṣam Śrī Nārada said: The great sages, who had imparted scientific knowledge of transcendence to me, departed for other places, and I had to pass my life in this way. Purport - Association of devotees Tangible change

9. SB 1.6.6-8 1.6.6 - I was the only son of my mother, who was not only a simple woman but a maidservant as well. Since I was her only offspring, she had no other alternative for protection: she bound me with the tie of affection. 1.6.7 - She wanted to look after my maintenance properly, but because she was not independent, she was not able to do anything for me. The world is under the full control of the Supreme Lord; therefore everyone is like a wooden doll in the hands of a puppet master. 1.6.8 - When I was a mere child of five years, I lived in a brāhmaṇa school. I was dependent on my mother's affection and had no experience of different lands. Example – Birds caught in net – we are not the maintainer

10. SB 1.6.9-10 1.6.9 - Once upon a time, my poor mother, when going out one night to milk a cow, was bitten on the leg by a serpent, influenced by supreme time. 1.6.10 - I took this as the special mercy of the Lord, who always desires benediction for His devotees, and so thinking, I started for the north. Purport - • Reversals in Life “Confidential devotees of the Lord see in every step a benedictory direction of the Lord. What is considered to be an odd or difficult moment in the mundane sense is accepted as special mercy of the Lord. Mundane prosperity is a kind of material fever, and by the grace of the Lord the temperature of this material fever is gradually diminished, and spiritual health is obtained step by step. Mundane people misunderstand it.”

11. Traveling mendicant(1.6.11–14) 1.6.11 - After my departure, I passed through many flourishing metropolises, towns, villages, animal farms, mines, agricultural lands, valleys, flower gardens, nursery gardens and natural forests. 1.6.12 - I passed through hills and mountains full of reservoirs of various minerals like gold, silver and copper, and through tracts of land with reservoirs of water filled with beautiful lotus flowers, fit for the denizens of heaven, decorated with bewildered bees and singing birds. Purport - • History of the universe repeats itself • Waste of time • Impetus in spiritual life

12. SB 1.6.13-14 1.6.13 - I then passed alone through many forests of rushes, bamboo, reeds, sharp grass, weeds and caves, which were very difficult to go through alone. I visited deep, dark and dangerously fearful forests, which were the play yards of snakes, owls and jackals. 1.6.14 - Thus traveling, I felt tired, both bodily and mentally, and I was both thirsty and hungry. So I took a bath in a river lake and also drank water. By contacting water, I got relief from my exhaustion. Purport - • Gain faith in God/ Strength of Mind /Enlighten inhabitants • Facilitate detachment • Lord Caitanya “A traveling mendicant can meet the needs of body, namely thirst and hunger, by the gifts of nature without being a beggar at the doors of the householders”

13. Lord’s appearance before Nārada muni (1.6.15-19) tasmin nirmanuje 'raṇye pippalopastha āśritaḥ ātmanātmānam ātmasthaḿ yathā-śrutam acintayam After that, under the shadow of a banyan tree in an uninhabited forest I began to meditate upon the Supersoul situated within, using my intelligence, as I had learned from liberated souls. Purport - • Authoritative sources • Srila Prabhupada on chanting of Haribol! • Trained intelligence

14. SB 1.6.16 dhyāyataś caraṇāmbhojaḿ bhāva-nirjita-cetasā autkaṇṭhyāśru-kalākṣasya hṛdy āsīn me śanair hariḥ As soon as I began to meditate upon the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead with my mind transformed in transcendental love, tears rolled down my eyes, and without delay the Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa appeared on the lotus of my heart. Purport - • Stages of Bhakti-yoga • Overcoming personal deficiencies • Kinds of ecstasies • - Only through developed spiritual senses • without material tinge

15. SB 1.6.17 premātibhara-nirbhinna- pulakāńgo 'tinirvṛtaḥ ānanda-samplave līno nāpaśyam ubhayaḿ mune O Vyāsadeva, at that time, being exceedingly overpowered by feelings of happiness, every part of my body became separately enlivened. Being absorbed in an ocean of ecstasy, I could not see both myself and the Lord. Purport - “Spiritual feelings of happiness and intense ecstasies have no mundane comparison. Therefore it is very difficult to give expression to such feelings. We can just have a glimpse of such ecstasy in the words of Çré Närada Muni.” “After seeing the Lord, all the senses become fully awakened to render service unto the Lord because in the liberated state the senses are fully efficient in serving the Lord.”

16. SB 1.6.18 The transcendental form of the Lord, as it is, satisfies the mind's desire and at once erases all mental incongruities. Upon losing that form, I suddenly got up, being perturbed, as is usual when one loses that which is desirable. Purport - • Not formless • Transcendental form • Desire life after life • To increase our eagerness

17. SB 1.6.19 didṛkṣus tad ahaḿ bhūyaḥ praṇidhāya mano hṛdi vīkṣamāṇo 'pi nāpaśyam avitṛpta ivāturaḥ I desired to see again that transcendental form of the Lord, but despite my attempts to concentrate upon the heart with eagerness to view the form again, I could not see Him any more, and thus dissatisfied, I was very much aggrieved. Purport - • No mechanical process/Only causeless mercy • Discharging prescribed duty • Unalloyed devotion

18. Application points • This life itself… Narada Muni • Following Acaryas • Teach by example – best preaching • Equal opportunity – unfortunate but fortunate. • Only unalloyed devotional service

19. References • HH Romapada Swami Maharaj’s SB Lectures • Unveiling His Lotus feet – HG Bhurijana prabhu