[Spoken by Srila Gurudeva on January 12th, 1998, in Australia, published as part of the Bhakta Bandhav Anthology, Volume 23]
Srila Gurudeva: Narada was thinking, “Here, in the lap of my mother, I cannot practice what my Gurus, Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana have told me. So I should try to give up this place.” But his mother was so careful that she was always taking him in her lap, going here and there. There was no chance for him to realize and practice all these things.
One day, a serpent came and bit her and she died. He saw that his mother was dead. He did not perform any samskara and immediately he went towards the forest. He continued going deeper and deeper into the forest. There were elephants trumpeting, lions and tigers were roaring, but he was fearless. He had no fear at all. He went to a very deep pond where the water was so fresh. He took bath in that pond and under a banyan tree, he sat in a high place and began to chant and remember that mantra. He was always and always chanting, with his heart and soul. Not like us, chanting, “Hare Krsna” and walking and chattering so many things. As his guru told him, he began to practice. He shut his eyes, sat in this way, and was constantly remembering and chanting. At once, Narayana came after some time. He forgot everything, passing stool, urine, drinking water, he forgot everything. After some time Narayana came in his heart. He saw Narayana there with four hands. Narayana blessed him, saying, “May your wish be fulfilled.” At once, his wish was fulfilled and He vanished at once. Then Narada began to weep loudly, “O Narayana, where are You?” He became mad for Him.
At once a sound from the sky came and said, “Narada, don’t worry. I cannot come for you because now you have so many anarthas. I never give My darsana to anyone in the anartha stage. But mercifully, I gave this darsana to you. You should chant and remember always, twenty-four hours a day. Don’t forget Me. You should always do sravanam, kirtanam, visnoh smaranam, pada-sevanam, arcanam, vandanam, and all these things. When you will be matured, bhakti will come and then this body will go. Your mind will go away and you will be mukta (liberated). A very beautiful form will come out from this body and that body will be able to go to heaven, to Vaikuntha. He will be able to go to Vraja or anywhere in the world at any second. Once this happens, there will be no problem for you anymore. Now, insects can bite you, many men can do insult you, you may be hungry, you may be thirsty, and anyone can beat you with any stick. Anyone can curse you. Sometimes you will see that you have no money, that you have a money problem. Sometimes you will see that so many rogas, diseases, are coming. You will be young and after some time you will become old and after that, your white teeth will go away, your eyesight will not be good, your memory will go, all will insult you, and after that, you will give up this body. But when you will mature in bhakti, at once you will be liberated and attain a transcendental body and none of these things will effect you anymore.”