25 - Narada’s audience with lord Shiva

Sauti said—Narad a the best of the Brahmanas felt delighted and in an instant he reached the pleasant abode of lord Shiva located at a distance of a lakh of yojanas above the pole-star (dhruva) and was built with precious stones. 

Shiva with the influence of his yogic powers had created in the sky having no base a beautiful loka. It is inhabited by the glorious sages having spotless minds besides the best of ascetic.

The rays of the sun and the moon do not reach there; that loka is surrounded by high flames of fire which serve as the boundary wall. 

That beautiful city is spread over an area of a lakh of yojanas which has three crores of houses studded with gems. The gems have also been used in the inner apartments which are of different shades and looked quite charming. 

О Brahmana named Shaunaka, the city has mirrors made of the pearls and gems which are invisible to Visvakarma even in dreams. In such palaces only the devotees of lord Shiva are allowed to reside. The Shivaloka has a hundred crores lakhs of the devotees of Shiva. Three lakhs of deformed Bhairavas also reside there, hundreds of lakhs of regions surround it. 

There is the beautiful Mandara mountain with the divine trees laden with beautiful flowers. There are beautiful Kamadhenu (wish fulfilling) cows which add, grandeur of the place. A hundreds of Apsaras add to the beauty of the heaven. 

The sage Narada was surprised by looking at them. He thought, “The place is inhabited by Shiva who happens to be the teacher all of all the yogis and intellectual. It is really surprising to find such astonishing things here. This loka is of astonishing nature as compared to the other lokas and is indeed the best. The fear, ailments, old age are removed from this place. 

Narada found that Shiva was lodged in the Sabhamandapa. In the centre of the Sabhamandapa he was seated having five faces, which were quite peaceful. He looked as the bestower of welfare, quite charming and was having three eyes resembling the lotus flowers. The river Ganga was emerging from his head and the crescent was adorning his forehead. 

Не was wearing matted locks of hair over the heads, which were issuing lustre of the molten gold. He was wearing no clothes and looked eternal. He was wearing a garland of lotus flowers emerging from heavenly Ganga. Filled with ecstasy he was reciting the name of lord Krishna. 

A beautiful blue sign was adoring his neck. He was adorned with the ornaments of snakes and the great sages, yogis and siddhas bowed in reverence at his feet. He is the lord of the siddhas and has overcome the death because of the attainment of the siddhas. He is the one, who can put an end to Yama and the time. He wears a serene smile over his face. He provides complete welfare to all who take refuge in him and grant the desired wishes. He gets pleased in no time, he is free from all the worldly ailments, is loved by his devotees and is the only relative of his devotees. 

Reaching before such a type of Shiva the sage Narada became emotional and he bowed in reverence to him. Thereafter creating sound from the lute of three cords, he started reciting the glory of lord Krishna before Shiva. 

Finding Narada before him, who is the best of those well-versed in the Vedas and is the son of Brahma, Shiva looked at him smilingly and got up from his seat with the siddhas and great ascetics to welcome Narada. 

O Shaunaka, Shiva then embraced Narada without any hesitation and blessing him he offered him a seat asking him at the same time the reason for his arrival. 

О Brahmana, lord Shiva then again took his seat over the gem studded lion-throne with the courtiers but the sage Narada instead of seating himself continued to stand with devotion. Thereafter with folded hands, he started offering prayer to Shiva. 

Thereafter he recited the stotra which was bestower of the welfare and composed by the king of Gandharvas according to the Vedic texts. Thereafter Narada again offered his salutation to him and taking permission from him, he took a seat to the left of Shiva. 

Thereafter he expressed the cause of his arrival before Shiva. On listening to the words of the sage, the compassionate Shiva said: “Alright.”