In his previous life, when Nārada muni was just a 5-year-old boy, his mother, his only guardian passed away due to a snakebite. He took it as causeless mercy of the Lord and started walking to the north. On the way, he saw many metropolises, villages, animal farms, and flower gardens. Nevertheless, he was not attracted by any of them. Feeling very tired and thirsty he finally reached a lakeshore, having refreshed himself by drinking water he sat down under a Banyan tree to meditate on the Supreme Lord as instructed by the Bhakti-Vedantas (sages).

He advances in his devotion very quickly to come to the stage of Bhava (love). The Lord out of His causeless mercy becomes visible to Him within his heart. Nārada muni experiences great happiness in beholding the beautiful form of the Lord. However, immediately that form which satisfies all the mind’s desires suddenly disappeared. Nārada muni tries hard in vain; the second time the same process of meditation with the desire to see the Lord again. The following poem (sing able) which is the essence of SB 1.6.20 – 27 describes what happens next (written for the upcoming Kids Bhagavatam session):

Lord’s instructions to Nārada muni

Seeing Nārada frustrated in that lonely place, the Lord spoke to Him out of His causeless mercy:

“O Nārada, you will not see me anymore in this life, for you are not pure.
I showed myself to you just once, just to increase your desire to attain me
Go on with your service, I promise you this, you will never forget me”

Nārada muni follows the Lord’s instructions rest of his life with great gratitude
Nārada muni follows the Lord’s instructions rest of his life with great gratitude

One may wonder – Nārada muni dint have any attachments and was so sincere in following the process, so much so that Lord Himself gave His darshan, why the Lord said he was not pure?
“..to be completely freed from all material tinges is to become free from the mode of goodness also. To search the audience of God in a lonely forest is considered to be in the mode of goodness.….In his present life, which is completely freed from all material hankerings, Śrī Nārada Muni does not go into the forest, although he can turn every place into Vaikuṇṭha by his presence only. He travels from one planet to another to convert men, gods, Kinnaras, Gandharvas, ṛṣis, munis and all others to become devotees of the Lord…Such a preaching process is transcendental to all material qualities.” – SB 1.6.21 purport

Why did not the Lord show Himself to Nārada the second time?
“The more a person is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, the more he acquires a hankering for it….By intense service of the Lord, one can experience the presence of the Lord transcendentally. Therefore seeing the Lord means being engaged in His service because His service and His person are identical. The sincere devotee should go on with sincere service of the Lord. The Lord will give proper direction as to how and where it has to be done. There was no material desire in Nārada, and yet just to increase his intense desire for the Lord, he was so advised.” – SB 1.6.22 purport

Under the direction of our founder-acharya Srila Prabhupada, let us go on serving the Lord sincerely and preaching His message while hankering to do more and more…

Srila Nārada muni ki jai. Srila Prabhupada ki jai!!!