| NARADA AND MAYA |
| Devarshi Narada is famous throughout the Puranas. He is said to be one of the sons of the creator, Brahma.
In the early period of Bhamakalpa, the creator, Brahmaji created 10,000sons, They were asked to get married, and multiply. Narada was also asked to do the same.
He was a seeker of Truth, so he advised all his brothers not to marry but to go for penance. Brahmaji therefore created 10,000 more men called Shabalaswas. Narada advised them also to seek liberation. Brahma got very angry and cursed Narada. Narada became a Gandharava (celestial being).
One day, Narada was singing Krishna Lela (a hymn to Krishna) in the court of the Devas. He was attracted by the beauty of Rambha, (a celestial dancer). His mind was distracted. So again he was cursed, this time to become the son of a servant maid. The maidservant was working in an ashram so he was brought up in a spiritual atmosphere. He became a great devotee of Lord Vishnu at an early age. In the next birth, he has born as the son of Brahma and he became Devarshi Narada. One day, Narada felt a doubt-what is Maya? He asked him ‘Oh Lord what is Maya?’. To make him understand the meaning of Maya, the Lord took him for a walk. They started walking together.
A few minutes later, the Lord said, ‘Narada am feeling thirsty. Can you get some water for me?’
‘Of course,’ Narada replied, but he wondered why the Lord felt thirsty.
He went to get water. At a distance of about 100 meters, he saw a well. A girl was drawing water from it. He stood there, waiting for her to finish. He started admiring the beauty of the girl and he followed her home.
In front of her home, he saw an old man. He was her father. Narada expressed his desire to marry his daughter. The old man agreed but on one condition ‘you have to live here. I have only one daughter. Nobody else will look after me in my last days except her.’
Narada agreed.
The marriage took place and the couple lived there happily. Narada had five children They were all very happy.
One day, a heavy rain started falling. The water flooded the entire place. At last, it came upto their house. The water went above Narada’s house. Narada took all his things and ran to save place with his wife and children. This water was still rising. He wife and children were not able to come out of the water.
Narada was in great trouble. He thought of the Lord and cried aloud ‘save me.’ He looked behind and saw the Lord waiting for water. The Lord asked, ‘what happened, Narada?’ Narada replied ‘Oh Lord, where are my wife and children?’ He looked behind but saw no water, no wife and no children.
Then the Lord asked with a smile ‘I am thirsty and waiting for water. Where is the water for me?’ Narada felt ashamed and said. “My lord, now I understand what Maya is! Maya is that which is not real but yet, experienced by us as if it is real in this world. This is a similar to our experience in a dream. God is one but we experience him in different forms. This is the role of Maya. The trouble that Narada experienced was because he went away from the Lord. When he turned towards the Lord, he became happy because there was no Maya, only the Lord. When we are away from the Lord we become fools. But when our attention is focused on God, we are full of wisdom.
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