Prayers by the Personified Vedas 301
reason for this fall, as stated by the Gosvamis, is sense gratification. The
living entity wants to imitate Krsna and tries to lord it over material nature;
thus he forgets his original position, and his illuminating power, his
spiritual identity, is extinguished. However, if a living entity takes to Krsna
consciousness, he is reinstated in his original position. Sages and saints like
Narada and the Kumiras are traveling all over the universe educating
people and encouraging their disciples to preach this process of devotional
service so that all the conditioned souls may be able to revive their original
consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, and thus gain relief from the
miserable conditions of material life.

Sri Narada Muni is naistika-brahmacari. There are four types of
brahmacari, and the first is called sdvitra, which refers to a brahmacari
who, after initiation and the sacred thread ceremony, must observe at
least three days celibacy. The next is called prajapatya, which refers to a
brahmacari who strictly observes celibacy for at least one year after
initiation. The next is called brahma-brahmacari, which refers to a
brahmacari who observes celibacy from the time of initiation up to the
time of the completion of his study of Vedic literature. The next stage is
called naistika, which refers to a brahmacari who is celibate throughout his
whole life. Out of these, the first three are upakurvaéna, which means that
the brahmacari can marry later on after the brahmacari period is over. The
naistika-brahmacari is completely reluctant to have any sex life; therefore
the Kumaras and Narada are known as naistika-brahmacaris. The brahma-
cart system of life is especially advantageous in that it increases the power
of memory and determination. It is specifically mentioned in this connec-
tion that because Narada was naistika-brahmacari he could remember
whatever he heard from his spiritual master and would never forget it. One
who can remember everything perpetually is called sruta-dhara. A Sruta-
dhara brahmacari can repeat all that he has heard verbatim without notes
and without reference to books. The great sage Narada has this qualifica-
tion, and therefore, taking instruction from Narayana Rsi, he is engaged in
propagating the philosophy of devotional service all over the world.
Because such great sages can remember everything, they are very much
thoughtful, self-realized and completely fixed in the service of the Lord.
Thus the great sage Narada, after hearing from his spiritual master
Narayana Rsi, became completely realized. He became established in the
truth, and he became so happy that he offered the following prayers to
Narayana Rsi.

A naisthika-brahmacari is also called vira-vrata. Narada Muni addressed
Narayana Rsi as an incarnation of Krsna, and he specifically addressed him
