One day Narada decides to visit all the teertha sthalas in Bhoomi. He knows the Kali Yuga is going on in Bhoomi. So he does not expect people to be extremely devout or spiritual. But he feels shocked when he sees Kali excelling at her task.
Narada does not find even the slightest trace of truth, purity, compassion, peace or grace in any teertha sthala. Greedy, insecure men lied and cheated to earn a living. Selfish, foolish men hoarded wealth, had lost their sense of discrimination and fallen prey to sensual pleasures. Why even the rishis were embroiled in samsara and had no interest in spirituality. There was no one to guide the human race in the proper direction.
So Narada walks along the Yamuna with the hope that he will find something fruitful in Krishna’s earthly realm at least. But a strange sight greets him. He finds a beautiful young woman sitting by the Yamuna. Two old lifeless looking men lay next to her. Their eyes were closed and their breathing was laborious.
The woman was sobbing her heart out, trying to revive them by sprinkling some water on their faces and shaking them awake. A host of other heavenly looking women were doing their best to reassure the inconsolable woman.
Narada clears his throat loudly to announce his presence. When the young woman sees Narada, she cries out with relief and says, “O holy one. Please help me. I am Bhakti and these are my sons Gyan and Vairagya. They were born several yugas back. So they have grown old and weary now. These heavenly women are Ganga and the other sacred rivers of the earth. They have come to comfort me. But I find no solace in their company. Please listen to my tale O muni. I know I will find some peace if I share my story with you.”
Narada nods in assent and the woman says, “I was born in Dravida, grew up in Karnataka and was revered in Maharashtra. But by the time I reached Gujarat, I became an old woman. Kali crippled my entire body. With great difficulty, I crawled to Vrindavan with my sons, Gyan and Vairagya. The minute I set foot in Vrindavan, I became young and beautiful again.”
“But my sons’ condition has worsened after we came here. I am their mother. But I look like their granddaughter. My sons and I have not harmed anyone all through our lives. Why then are we being punished for no fault of ours?”
Using his divine insight Narada says, “O Bhakti, you are a pure sinless soul. Do not be dejected. Hari will bring bliss in your life again. Yes, in the Kali Yuga good people suffer endlessly and evil rules the world. Your sons are unable to come out of their stupor because no one cares for concepts like Bhakti, Gyan and Vairagya. ”
“But remember – men and women can attain moksha by merely chanting the name of Narayana only in the Kali-yuga. There is no need to perform rituals, fast, go on teerth yatras, do yoga, perform yagnas, listen to discourses or recite the Vedas or the shastras in the Kali Yuga. Bhakti alone is enough to attain salvation. Yes, in the Kali Yuga vices do reign supreme. But we can’t blame anyone for it. We have to live through these times too because God’s will alone prevails over the cosmos.”
“So, O Bhakti, don’t be so anxious. Remember Krishna is with you. Always. He loves you more than you know. And he will never abandon you. And you have a very important role to play in the Kali-yuga, Bhakti – for only you can save a man’s soul.”
Narada consoles her further and says, “Remember Krishna’s words. Krishna said, “O Bhakti, Mukti will be your handmaiden and Gyan and Vairagya will be your sons.” But when you saw so much evil around the earth, you knew Mukti was getting deeply affected by it. So you asked her to go back to Vaikuntha. And now she returns to the earth only when you summon her to liberate some deserving soul.”
Narada then sits next to Gyan and Vairagya and starts rubbing their faces. He chants the Vedas and Upanishads and sings the Bhagavad Gita to them. To Bhakti’s astonishment, Gyan and Vairagya sit up and start yawning. She looks at Narada with bated breath. But even after a long time Gyan and Vairagya do not open their eyes and continue to look old and lifeless.
When Narada gets such a feeble response from Gyan and Vairagya he wonders what he should do to revive them. That is when he hears an asiriri which says, “When you find munis who constantly pursue spirituality, they will tell you how to revive Gyan and Vairagya.”
Narada wonders where he will find such pure souls. So he performs a tapasya in Badarikashrama. And after a few days, the Sanat kumars and other rishis of the ancient ages come to that very spot. Narada narrates his entire experience to them and says, “O munis, tell me how I can revive Gyan and Vairagya and spread Bhakti amidst the people of Kali Yuga.”
The munis say, “O Narada, you can revive Bhakti’s sons by reciting the Bhagavat Puran to them.” Narada immediately says, “But I recited the Vedas, the Upanishads and even sang the Bhagavad Gita to Gyan and Vairagya without getting much of a response from them.”
Rishi Sanaka said, “The Bhagavata will rouse them out of their stupor O Narada. This sacred book contains the essence of all the Vedas, Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita too.
When Krishna was about to leave the world Uddhava begged Him to leave behind His tangible form. Uddhava knew the manavas would yearn to connect to Krishna when they were weary of their challenges. So Krishna entered into the Bhagavat Puran with all His being. Reading the Bhagavata is akin to touching Krishna Himself.”
“O Narada, let us all recite the Srimad Bhagavata in Ananda, near Gangadwara. Many devas, siddhas and rishis visit this holy place frequently. Bhakti’s sons Gyan and Vairagya will surely regain their youth and splendour there.”
Narada and all the other rishis go to Ananda and sing the Srimad Bhagavata. Just as they are completing their yagna, Bhakti appears there along with her sons. Narada and the rishis feel extremely happy when they notice that Gyan and Vairagya now had young, handsome, shining faces which are full of vitality.”
Bhakti, Gyan and Vairagya say, “O munis, you have healed us from the afflictions of Kali Yuga with the Amrit of the Srimad Bhagavata. Please tell us where we should live now.” The rishis say, “Dwell in the hearts of Krishna’s devotees O Bhakti. Help the manavas cope with the challenges of samsara. Inspire them to aspire for moksha by walking on the Marg of Bhakti with Gyan and Vairagya in their minds and hearts.”
Yes, like Narada, constant chanting may revive our dormant Bhakti for Krishna, but we also need to engage in spiritual pursuits like reading our scriptures daily to nurture Gyan. We then take dips in holy rivers, go on pilgrimages, observe rituals with awareness and understand the bhaav of Bhakti. We appreciate the value of Vairagya when we slowly shed our materialistic tendencies. And only after we realize the worth of complete surrender can we hope for Mukti.
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