458
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 3, Ch. 12]
out devotional service to the Lord one cannot make progress in any department of activity, although the path of devotional service is always independent of anything material. It is only the transcendental loving service of the Lord which can deliver the real goal of life, and thus the service rendered by Śrīman Nārada Muni is the highest among all the sons of Brahmā.
TEXT 23
उत्सङ्गाभारदो जङ्गे दक्षोऽङ्गुष्ठात्स्वयम्भुवः । प्राणादसिष्ठः सञ्जातो भृगुस्त्वचि करात्क्रतुः ॥२३॥
utsaṅgān nārado jajñe dakṣo 'ṅguṣṭhāt svayam-bhuvaḥ prāṇād vasiṣṭhaḥ sañjāto bhṛgus tvaci karāt kratuḥ
utsaṅgāt—by transcendental deliberation; nāradaḥ—Mahāmuni Nārada; jajñe—generated; dakṣaḥ—Dakṣa; aṅguṣṭhāt—from the thumb; svayam-bhuvaḥ—of Brahmā; prāṇāt—from the life air or breathing; vasiṣṭhaḥ—Vasiṣṭha; sañjātaḥ—was born; bhṛguḥ—the sage Bhṛgu; tvaci—from the touch; karāt—from the hand; kratuḥ—the sage Kratu.
TRANSLATION
Nārada was born from the deliberation of Brahmā, which is the best part of his body. Vasiṣṭha was born from his breathing, Dakṣa from a thumb, Bhṛgu from his touch, and Kratu from his hand.
PURPORT
Nārada was born from the best deliberation of Brahmā because Nārada was able to deliver the Supreme Lord to anyone he liked. The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be realized by any amount of Vedic knowledge nor by any number of penances. But a pure devotee of the Lord like Nārada can deliver the Supreme Lord by his good will. The very name Nārada suggests that he can deliver the Supreme Lord.  Nāra  means the Supreme Lord, and  da  means one who can deliver. That he can deliver the Supreme Lord does not mean that the Lord is like a commodity that can be delivered to any person. But Nārada can deliver to anyone the transcendental loving service of the Lord as a servitor, friend, parent or lover,