Part 3: Account of Nārada

One day Muni Nārada came of his own will to Samudravijaya attended by Vasudeva, Kaṃsa, and others. Samudravijaya, Kaṃsa, Vasudeva and others rose and honored him like the risen sun. Delighted by their pūjā, Nārada remained a moment and flew up to go elsewhere. For he always roams as he likes. Asked by Kaṃsa, “Who is he?” the king said:

“In the past there was an ascetic, Yajṭayaśas, outside the city. His wife was Yajṭadattā and his son, Sumitra. Sumitra’s wife was Somayaśas. A god fell from the Jṛmbhakas^[1] at the expiration of his life (as god), entered the womb of Somayaśas and Nārada here was born. When the ascetics had fasted for one day, they always broke fast on the next day by gleaning, going to a forest.

One day they went to gather food and left Nārada in the shade of an aśoka. The Jṛmbhakas saw the child who had unusual light. Knowing by clairvoyance that Nārada was a friend in a former birth, they transfixed the shade of the aśoka above him. Then they went away on their own business but returned, after finishing it. Seeing him, they took him away from affection and took him to Mt. Vaitāḍhya. Because its shade had been transfixed by the gods, the aśoka became known all over the world as chāyāvṛkṣa^[2] (Shade-tree) from that time.

The child was guarded by the Jṛmbhakas in a cave in Mt. Vaitāḍhya and, when he was eight years old, he was taught the magic arts, Prajṭaplikā, et cetera. Going through the air by means of them, he is the ninth Muni Nārada in this avasarpiṇī with his last body (before mokṣa). This birth-story of Muni Nārada was related to me by Muni Supratiṣṭha who has knowledge of the three periods of time. Fond of quarreling by nature, he becomes angry if treated disrespectfully. He is honored everywhere, as he does not stay in one place.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Servants of Kubera.

[2]:

As a matter of fact, this name for the aśoka is not well-known. I can not find it cited anywhere else.