Slokam 4

Sri Bhattadri conveys to  the Paramathma that the way to drop attachments is to follow the path of sri Narada and sages like him, and engage in constant meditation at the feet of the Parmathma.

The mention of Sri Narada requires some explanation.  Sri Narada is depicted in the Puranas as someone that is perpetually moving across the universe, as the wisdom loaded messenger of the Paramathma.  He is reputed to be able to pass on secrets to opposing factions to initiate them into action, so that the will of the Lord can be actioned.   One classic example – When Kamsa is planning to kill the eighth child of Devaki and Vasudeva, and so spares the life of the first born, Narada arrives on the scene.  Narada asks Kamsa, how does he know that the first born is not Sri Krishna?  Kamsa tells him that it is the eighth child that will be the problem and so he is sparing the rest.  Narada asks him, as to how does he know which is the eighth child? Did someone tell him to start counting at #1 and proceed in sequence upward?  How was Kamsa sure that the counting would not start from 8 and proceed backward? or that it can start at 2 in which case the first child would be the eighth child. 

Kamsa, stricken by doubt, decides to kill all new born children.

In other words, Narada represents the universal inculcator of doubt in our minds, when we are fearful, insecure and are self oriented.

The beauty of our scriptures is that it assigns a character to each attribute of the mind that forces it into action.  The mind should never be driven by the forces that drove the mind of Kamsa.

Sri Bhattadri mentions that sages like Narada who dropped all attachments are perpetually submerged in the conflict free ocean of CONSCIOUS BLISS and because they are devoid of all transient forces of life of ordinary mortals. 

Note Bhattadri’s emphasis on CONSCIOUS BLISS.  Bliss is experienced only when you are conscious.  However the birth of consciousness is in misery and pain and is driven by opposing and conflicting forces.  To evolve into the state of Consciousness minus the conflict that characterizes the mind is the entire purpose of this life. To those of us dealing with everyday life, it is very hard to even visualize that such a state of conscious existence is even possible.

Our scriptures repeatedly mention that Sri Narada freely moves across  the entire universe without any inhibition, and under his own will.  Another way of saying this is that Sri Narada, because of his elevated status has become a part of the universal consciousness which is endowed with perpetual awareness of all happenings and has the capability to induce thought in our minds that force us into action. 

If we continually engage our minds in the meditation, Sri Narada will not create doubts in it. His purpose is to keep us continually engaged in the correct path.

Sri Narada is the devoted messenger of the Paramathma.

May we be endowed with such a role at the feet of the Paramathma to carry out all His biddings and be continually submerged in the universe of Conscious Bliss.