Hari Om
Once Narada was very intrigued by Lord Krishna’s ‘Om Namo Narayana’ mantra, curiously questioned Him, “What is the significance of Om Namo Narayana (Mantra)?”
He asked Lord Krishna to explain to him in detail so every one of his devotee can understand.
Krishna immediately replied that while he cannot explain the greatness of this Mantra, he can make one realize it.
Lord Krishna then asked Narada to chant “Om Namo Narayana” in the ear of a worm. Narada immediately did this and to his surprise the worm immediately died.
Narada was shocked by this occurrence, went to Sri Krishna and reported what happened.
Krishna asked without any reaction, “Is that so”?
He then told Narada to now repeat the same mantra to that butterfly which is sitting on a flower.
Narada did so exactly as told and the butterfly died immediately.
Narada was now beginning to get really worried and informed Krishna about this.
Krishna was again unperturbed, “Is that so? Now repeat this to that deer.”
Again Narada repeated the mantra in the deer’s ear and to his disbelief, it died too. Narada got very much disturbed and went to Krishna and told him, “Your Mantra is killing the animals too. I uttered the mantra and the deer died.”
Krishna replied, “Is it so? Now repeat this to that calf.”
Narada was baffled at this point and asked what was going on? He did not want to kill the poor calf too.
Krishna said, “Do as I say.”
Narada fearing of the result, repeated the mantra on the calf’s ear and it died immediately.
Narada was extremely upset and angry now and was wondering what to do? He reported the incident to Krishna and Krishna asked, “Is that so? Now go to Kasi. The king of Kasi has been blessed with a son.”
He instructed Narada to recite the mantra in the child’s ear. While Narada didn’t wanna disobey Lord Krishna’s instruction, he was scared of the outcome. The King of Kasi was very honoured by Narada’s arrival and asked him to bless his son. Narada started shuddering but somehow got the courage and chanted the prayer in the child’s ears. To his sheer amazement, the child instantly sat up and spoke, “Oh great Narada, you have saved me in all my previous births by uttering Om Namo Narayana in my ears. Have you not yet understood the power of the Lords name?”
Narada immediately returned to Vaikunta and fell at the Lords feet and told Now I have truly realized the potency of your transcendental names.
Moral
The main takeaway from this story is that we can cross over the cyclic material entrapments of birth, death, old age and disease easily if we hear and chant Krishna’s names with adoration and devotion.
In the purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.4, it is explained by Srila Prabhupada nicely that the stringent laws of material nature cannot be altered by any living entity. The Lord makes all the law and order (dharma), which are clearly declared in the Bhagavat Gita. So, we have to follow those instructions only, which will make everyone happy, both materially and spiritually.
However, because of the influence of maya, we accept this karmic life of only a few years as our permanent existence. This in turn creates an illusion towards our material possessions and instils further attachment to family, house, land, wealth etc.
Consciously cultivating and developing spiritual knowledge by reciting Lord Hari’s name and prayers will alter this situation. We can understand the potency of the Lord’s transcendental names from the story above.
Narada’s doubts here are similar to the doubts we have in this material world towards prayer and devotion. If we can overcome these doubts and chant with faith and devotion then we can progress with determination in our spiritual path.
“This clearance of the misgivings of material existence at once takes place by association with the Lord’s devotees, who are able to inject the transcendental sound into the depths of the bewildered heart and thus make one practically liberated from all lamentation and illusion.”
Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama Rama, Hare Hare.Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
GF’ Blessings.
