Nārāyaṇa Muni

Nārāyaṇa Muni, simply known as Narayana Muni, Sanskrit: नारायण मुनि, Telugu: నారాయణ ముని, Hindi: नारायण मुनि.

Nārāyaṇa Muni is the great muni of Bādarikāśrama. He is the twin ṛshi, together with Nara, who shows tapas and devotion to Kṛshṇa at the highest level. The Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, in its Brahma Khaṇḍa, tells how he received Nārada on his journey to Bādarikāśrama. He gave Nārada the highest teaching on the glory of Kṛshṇa, on the cosmic nature of Parabrahman and on Prakṛti and Purusha. By the power of his tapas, even lions and tigers in Bādarikāśrama live in perfect peace and do not harm one another.

Bādarikāśrama

Chapter 29 describes Bādarikāśrama as a most holy place, where the power of Nārāyaṇa Muni’s tapas fills the whole forest. Because of this power, lions, tigers and all fierce creatures live together in perfect ahiṃsā (non-harm). In the middle of the āśrama stands a jewelled assembly hall (ratna-sabhā). There, on a crystal throne (spaṭika-siṃhāsana), Nārāyaṇa Muni sits all the time, engaged in Kṛshṇa-nāmajapa (repeating the names of Kṛshṇa).

Meeting with Nārada

Nārada came to Bādarikāśrama in Chapter 29. He had travelled from Kailāsa, where he had received the Āhnika teachings from Bhagavān Śiva. Nārāyaṇa Muni received him with honour. Nārada was moved by the sight of this great muni. He bowed to the ground and asked about the glory of Kṛshṇa. This led to the great discourse of Chapters 29 and 30.

Discourse on Kṛshṇa’s glory (Chapters 29–30)

Nārāyaṇa Muni’s teaching covers several deep subjects.

Kṛshṇa-pada-dhyāna

Nārāyaṇa Muni taught the practice of meditating on the lotus feet of Kṛshṇa (Kṛshṇa-pada-dhyāna) as the starting point of all sādhana (spiritual practice). The feet of Parabrahman are the easy anchor for the devotee’s thought.

The cosmic nature of Kṛshṇa

Nārāyaṇa Muni taught that each pore of Kṛshṇa’s hair holds whole universes. The Ādikūrma, the first tortoise, who holds up the worlds, is only a tiny aṃśa (part) of Kṛshṇa’s being. The size of Kṛshṇa’s cosmic form is beyond all thought.

Prakṛti and Purusha

Nārāyaṇa Muni explained the relation of Prakṛti and Purusha. Prakṛti is Kṛshṇa’s own śakti (power), as inseparable from him as heat from fire.

  • Rādhā is Kṛshṇa’s dearest Prakṛti.
  • Mahālakshmī is the dharmapatnī (wife in dharma) of Nārāyaṇa.
  • Sāvitrī is the dharmapatnī of Brahmā.
  • Durgā is the dharmapatnī of Śiva and the mother of Gaṇeśa.

Counsel on dharma

At the end of his talk, Nārāyaṇa Muni told Nārada to obey Brahmā’s command and marry Ratnamālā, who is Mālavatī born again as the daughter of Sṛñjaya. This closes the main story of the Brahma Khaṇḍa with the teaching that the householder’s dharma is also a valid and needed path.

Place in Nārada’s journey

In the Brahma Khaṇḍa, Nārāyaṇa Muni is the last teacher in Nārada’s spiritual journey. Nārada first went to Kailāsa, where Bhagavān Śiva taught him the Āhnika. He then went to Bādarikāśrama, where Nārāyaṇa Muni taught him the glory of Kṛshṇa.

Sources

  • Brahma Vaivarta Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Chapters 29–30