How Saint Narada Gained Enlightenment

A concise summary of Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 6

As a 5-year-old kid, Narada got an opportunity to serve the saints who were residing in his area during the rainy season. They were pleased with his service and initiated him with confidential spiritual knowledge.

Narada was the son of a poor maidservant. His mother worked hard but struggled to meet the needs of the child. One day his mother passed away from a snake bite. This incident took place during that season when those saints had already left his area. Narada became an orphan and he had no one to support him. Narada looked at his situation as the will of the Lord and he headed in the northern direction. He traveled for several days passing through dense forests, hills, mountains, and lakes until he was physically exhausted. He then drank some water from a lake and sat under a banyan tree. He then meditated upon the Super Soul (Paramatma) who resides in everyone’s heart. He had learned the process of meditating on the Super Soul from the saints he served.

The process of meditation Narada followed was to close his eyes, think of the lotus feet of Lord Hari and chant Narayana mantra.

In a short span of time, Narada’s heart was filled with devotion and tears rolled from his eyes. Lord Hari manifested in his heart. Narada experienced ecstasy and immersed in the flood of happiness seeing the magnanimous and beautiful form of the Lord. It confirms that the Lord has a spiritual form and he is not formless. The formlessness is only an aspect of the Supreme Lord.

The beautiful form of the Lord suddenly disappeared from his vision. He longed to see that form and interact with the Lord but the Lord was nowhere to be found. Narada was dissatisfied.

Narada heard Lord’s voice. The Lord said that he had shown his form once out of love. The Lord’s form is only visible to those whose sins and desires are completely nullified. The Lord mentioned to him that he was able to focus his mind on the Super Soul because of the service he did to the saints. He should continue with serving the saints and chant the names of the Lord for the rest of his life. Narada followed Lord’s instructions. Narada became free of all desires and sins chanting Lord’s names and ultimately attained enlightenment in his old age. He suddenly transformed into a youthful spiritual body and resided in the spiritual world

After 4,300,000,000 human years i.e. lifetime of Brahma, Narada took birth into the material world again from the next birth of Brahma. The current "Yuga" is in the current lifetime of this Brahma. However, he maintained a spiritual body even in the material world. He is able to traverse through both the material and spiritual worlds due to the Lord’s mercy. Narada is also able to remember his past birth. The Lord had also gifted him with a musical instrument so that he could sing the glories of Lord Hari.

Lord Hari manifested in Narada’s heart every time he sang Lord’s glories. Narada mastered both the art of yoga and devotion. Narada says that it is possible to overcome desire and lust through yoga but ultimate bliss is only possible through devotion to Lord Hari.

Thus, the following are the key learning from Narada’s process for enlightenment:

• Serve saints to seek their blessings and receive knowledge of Super Soul

• Focus mind on Lord Hari’s feet and chant his names

• Sing glories of Lord Hari and develop devotion to the Lord

• Yoga combined with Devotion completely satisfies the Soul

• Narada's previous birth was "Sudra" but he was able to attain sainthood through devotional service. Anyone regardless of their birth can attain sainthood

We can also summarize the outcomes of enlightenment:

• Attain an eternal spiritual body

• Traverse through material and spiritual dimensions

• Remember past life