Nārada’s Journey to Goloka

Nārada was a great ṛshi and a yogī. He wished to see Bhagavān Kṛshṇa, the Supreme Brahman. From Śveta-dvīpa a liberated ātmā (soul) guided him up through the worlds and the sheaths of the universe to Goloka, the highest home of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. There he saw Bhagavān Kṛshṇa on his throne with Rādhā and Lakshmī, offered a stotra (hymn of praise), and heard from Bhagavān Kṛshṇa himself why he had been allowed to see him. This account is from the Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Vāsudeva Māhātmya, Chapters 16–18.

From Meru to Śveta-dvīpa

Nārada went up to the peak of Meru. With his divine sight he saw the wide land of Śveta-dvīpa and thousands of liberated souls living there. He fixed his sight on Bhagavān Vāsudeva, and in that very moment the great yogī rose into the air and came to Śveta-dvīpa. He saw the holy devotees who live there. They were white in colour and shone like the moon. He bowed his head to them, and in their minds they honoured him. He longed to see the Supreme Brahman, and he stood there full of that longing.

The Śveta-muktas (the liberated souls of Śveta-dvīpa) knew that he was a devotee of Bhagavān Vishṇu alone. They were glad. Reciting the twelve-syllable mantra, they said: “O great ṛshi! You are a devotee of Kṛshṇa. That is why you can see us, whom even the devas can hardly see. What desire troubles you?”

Nārada answered: “I long to see Bhagavān Kṛshṇa, the Supreme Brahman himself, the ruler of the universe. O great devotees, who are dear to him, show him to me.”

One white liberated soul, moved from within by Bhagavān Kṛshṇa, said, “Come, I shall show you Kṛshṇa.” Nārada followed him upward through the sky, and saw the homes of the devas on the way. (Chapter 16)

The seven regions and the eight sheaths

Nārada saw the seven ṛshis (the stars of Ursa Major) and the Pole Star, but he was not drawn to them. He crossed, one after another, Maharloka, Janaloka and Tapoloka. Then he saw the world of Brahmā.

The Śveta-mukta guided him. By the wish of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa he found his way even through the eight sheaths of the universe. These are earth, water, fire, wind and ether, then Ahaṃkāra (ego), then Mahat, and last Prakṛti. Each sheath is ten times larger than the one before. Then he arrived at the wonderful Goloka. (Chapter 16)

The river Vīrajā

Goloka is a glorious home. Only those who are devoted to Bhagavān Hari alone can reach it. On the way Nārada saw the Vīrajā, a very wide river with no bottom to be found. It carried the scent of sandal-paste from the bathing of crowds of cowherds and cowherd-women. White, red and blue lotuses covered it. Its bank was wide and paved with crystal. It was beautiful with jewels of white, green, red and yellow. Rows of wish-yielding trees and coral shoots grew along it. Mines of jewels, Syamantaka, sapphire and others, shone there. Jewelled steps led down the ghāṭs to the water, where wish-yielding cows, fine elephants and horses were drinking. Swans and Kāraṇḍava ducks sang sweetly on the clear water.

The Vīrajā forms a moat around the home of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. By his will, Nārada crossed this divine river and came to Mount Śataśṛṅga, “the mountain with a hundred peaks”. (Chapter 16)

Mount Śataśṛṅga and Vṛndāvana

Śataśṛṅga was golden and beautiful. It rose ten million yojanas high, and it was one hundred million yojanas wide. It drew the mind. Thousands of wish-yielding trees and Pārijāta trees grew on it, with creepers of Mallikā and Yūthikā, cloves and cardamoms. Golden plantain trees, divine deer, elephants and sweet-singing birds made it lovely.

On its beautiful peaks Nārada saw Rāsa-maṇḍapas, the halls for the Rāsa dance, spread around the castle-like home of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. They had jewelled panelled doors on four sides, wonderful arched gateways and thousands of jewelled pillars. Pearl garlands hung on the windows. There were Dūrvā grass, fried grain, whole rice grains and fruits, and square courts sprinkled with sandal, agallochum, musk and saffron. Sweet music filled the halls. In them crores of cowherd-women, dressed in priceless clothes and jewels, were singing pleasing songs about Kṛshṇa.

At the foot of the mountain Nārada saw the great forest of Vṛndāvana, the playground most loved by Kṛshṇa and Rādhā. It was beautiful with rows of wish-yielding trees and lotus lakes. It shone with mango, hog-plum, Kadamba, jujube, pomegranate, date-palm, betel-nut, orange, coconut-palm, sandal, rose-apple, citron, bread-fruit, walnut and plantain trees, with Campaka trees and golden Ketakas. All bent under the weight of fruit and flowers. A soft wind carried the cool scent of Mallikā, Mādhavī, Kunda, cloves and jasmine. Spring water flowing from Śataśṛṅga kept the forest moist. The forest rang with the praise of Kṛshṇa sung by cowherds and cowherd-women, with the lowing of cows and calves, the song of birds, the jingle of ornaments and the sound of churning curds.

Vṛndāvana had thirty-two other forests next to it. Each was very beautiful, with many kinds of trees bent down by their full flowers and fruit. (Chapter 16)

The city of Goloka

Nārada came to the shining capital of Goloka. It was a round citadel made wholly of jewels. It had royal roads. It was splendid with crores of mansions of the devotees of Kṛshṇa, with chariots set with fine jewels and hung with small tinkling bells, and with wonderful mansions full of treasures of choice gems set in rows. It had jewelled altars lit by rows of lamps. Its courtyard was sprinkled with water mixed with flower-filaments, agallochum, musk and saffron, and heaped with vessels of curds, Dūrvā grass and plantain trees. Gold pitchers full of water and finely made arches made the air auspicious. The royal roads were paved with jewels and crowded with elephants and horses.

Many lords of Brahmāṇḍas had come to see Śrī Kṛshṇa. Great devas such as Brahmā and Śaṃkara were there, holding articles of worship. Crowds of cowherds and cowherd-women were going for Kṛshṇa’s darśana (sacred sight).

Nārada came to the mansion of Kṛshṇa, beautiful and wonderful to all. It was surrounded by the mansions of the cowherds, led by Nanda, and of Vṛshabhānu and others. It had four gates and sixteen citadels with moats around them. A crore of cowherd gatekeepers guarded each gate.

At the jewelled-pillar doors Nārada saw the sixteen doorkeepers one after another: Vīrabhānu, Candrabhānu, Sūryabhānu, Vasubhānu, Devabhānu, Śakrabhānu, Ratnabhānu, Supārśva, Viśāla, Vṛshabha, Aṃśu, Bala, Subala, Devaprastha, Varūthapa and Śrīdāman. He bowed to Śrīdāman and went in with his leave. In the great wide courtyard he saw a great mass of light. (Chapters 16–17)

The vision of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa

In the inner palace Nārada saw a brightness like crores upon crores of suns rising at once. It filled all the directions, the in-between directions, above and below. The Sātvatas call it the home of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa, Brahma-pura. Crores of worshippers stand around it. Crowds of Brahmās and Śaṃkaras come with articles of worship and bow in that brightness. The cowherds and cowherd-women, on whom the grace of Kṛshṇa rests, see him within it. Others see only the bright glory, and do not see Bhagavān Kṛshṇa.

Nārada saw a wonderful divine palace there. It was made of many kinds of jewels, with thousands of jewelled pillars and a great assembly hall. On a throne made from the very best of jewels sat Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. He is Nārāyaṇa, the Brahman without attributes, the all-knowing ruler, the best of Purushas, whom the Sātvatas call Vāsudeva.

His body was beautiful like a thousand devas of love (the Kāmadevas) together. He was always young, full of mercy, graceful in his perfectly peaceful form. He was above all that perishes and all that does not perish, and always free. His side-glance alone plays out the creation, upkeep and ending of countless Brahmāṇḍas. He wore a fine, shining yellow garment. His colour was dark like a newly formed cloud. In his ears shone fine crocodile-shaped ear-rings. His fine crown was bright with jewels. His eyes were lovely like the petals of an autumn lotus. His chest bore the Śrīvatsa mark on one side. He played sweetly on a flute held to his mouth by his beautiful lotus-like arms. His body was smeared with sweet-smelling sandal-paste.

Rādhā worshipped him with crowds of her friends, among whom Jayā, Suśīlā and Lalitā were the chief. Ramā also worshipped him with his consorts, among them Satyabhāmā, Kālindī (Yamunā) and Jāmbavatī. Dharma, the Vedas, all the Suns, Knowledge, and his weapons, including Sudarśana, served him in personal form. His chief attendants waited on him. Some were emerald-coloured, some ruby-coloured, some golden, some white. Their arms shone with the discus, mace, lotus and conch. Nanda and Sunanda were at their head. Two-handed cowherds led by Śrīdāmā bowed in devotion. Garuḍa and the eight supernatural powers worshipped him. Peace, Mercy, Magnificence, Contentment, Intelligence, Faith, Action, Prosperity, Friendliness, Forbearance, Memory and Intellect, all in personal form, served him.

When Nārada saw this form, all his senses were taken captive by the pleasing scent of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. Tears of joy blocked his sight. His hair stood on end. Overwhelmed with love, he fell flat before Bhagavān Kṛshṇa like a staff. (Chapter 17)

Nārada’s stotra

Bhagavān Hari welcomed Nārada with respect. Nārada came to himself through the taste of the nectar of those words. He praised Bhagavān Kṛshṇa with devotion.

“Be victorious, O Śrī Kṛshṇa, Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa, master of the world, Vāsudeva who dwells in all and is always dear to those who love him alone. Your very wonderful feet are worthy to be worshipped by Rādhikā and Kamalā. You are the highest happiness and the final refuge of those who seek it. You are the eternal element of eternal souls; you are the ātmā, the awareness of all that is aware; you are beyond what perishes and what does not perish. You are the Supreme Brahman, O Hari. The great purity and supernatural power that come from the highest devotion to you are not gained by men through other means, tapas included. Only the divine moonlight of your feet can at once destroy the thick darkness in the hearts of those who long for moksha. O venerable Bhagavān Kṛshṇa, cause of all causes, the Vedas proclaim you as the only one to be worshipped, pleased and known. The auspicious, blissful, bright glow in every pore of your skin is brighter than the light of a crore of moons. You, the supreme Person without attributes, always live in this imperishable home without attributes, a mass of light. By the power of pleasing you, your devotees become free from Kāla, who strikes fear into the universe, and from the great fear of Māyā. I have come to you for refuge, master of the universe, ātmā who dwells in all, all-pervading Brahman, great imperishable Purusha. O master of the devas, grant me the favour that my devotion to your lotus feet will always stay firm.”

(Chapter 17)

The reply of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa: how this vision is gained

Bhagavān Kṛshṇa spoke in words sweet as nectar:

“You have seen me, great ṛshi, because you are always devoted to me alone, because you have no hypocrisy, and because I myself willed to give you this. In you there is always non-violence, celibacy, keeping to your own duties, peace, no taste for the pleasures of the world, and knowledge of the Self. You always keep company with holy people. You practise the eight-limbed Yoga, you control your senses fully, you live on the food of a muni, you do tapas, and you are free of all faults. In you is full devotion to me alone, which comes after knowing my greatness. So you can see me here. If other men have these qualities, they too can see me in this form.”

“I live in this imperishable home with Rādhā and Lakshmī, with my own people. In the great home Vaikuṇṭha I live four-armed with Lakshmī, with attendants led by Nanda and Garuḍa. On earth, in the divine Śveta-dvīpa, I give darśana five times a day to the Śveta-muktas.”

“Know this truth. Those who wish for moksha can reach me only through the company of holy people, and by no other means. Whenever men come to me for refuge, they are freed at once from bondage to Māyā and from the state of a Jīva. Whatever the feeling in which a man seeks refuge in me, he gets the happiness he wishes, but he does not go back to saṃsāra.”

Nārada asked for lasting devotion, and Bhagavān Kṛshṇa said, “So be it.” He gave Nārada a great lute, to use in singing his praise. He told him to go to Viśālā Badarī (Badarīkāśrama) and please Nārāyaṇa, the son of Dharma, there. (Chapters 17–18)

The return

Nārada had received the favour he wanted. He bowed to Bhagavān Kṛshṇa and went back with eyes full of tears. As he sang with his lute, he saw the Śveta-mukta go before him once more as a guide, and he followed him back. At Śveta-dvīpa he bowed to the liberated souls. He returned to Meru. From Meru he went to Mount Gandhamādana, and came down from the sky at Viśālā Badarī. (Chapter 18)

Sources

• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Vāsudeva Māhātmya, Chapter 16 (the journey, the Vīrajā, Śataśṛṅga, Vṛndāvana and Goloka)
• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Vāsudeva Māhātmya, Chapter 17 (the doorkeepers, the vision and Nārada’s stotra)
• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Vāsudeva Māhātmya, Chapter 18 (the reply, the lute and the return)