Text 23] Narada’s Instructions on Srimad-Bhagavatam 255
aham--1; pura—formerly; atitabhave—in the previous millennium;
abhavam—became; mune—of the muni; désyah—of the maidservant; tu—
but; kasyascana—certain; veda-vadinam~—of the followers of Vedanta;
niripitah—engaged; balakah—boy servant; eva—only; yoginam—of the devo-
tees; SuSriigsane—in the service of; pravrsi—during the four months of the
rainy season; nirviviksatam—living together.
TRANSLATION
O Muni, in the last millennium I was born as the son of a certain
maidservant engaged in the service of brahmanas who were following the
principles of Vedanta. When they were living together during the four
months of the rainy season, I was engaged in their personal service.
PURPORT
The wonder of an atmosphere surcharged with devotional service of
the Lord is briefly described herein by Sri Narada Muni. He was the son of
the most insignificant parentage. He was not properly educated. Still, be-
cause his complete energy was engaged in the service of the Lord, he
became an immortal sage. Such is the powerful action of devotional
service. The living entities are the marginal energy of the Lord, and
therefore they are meant for being properly utilized in the transcendental
loving service of the Lord. When this is not done, it is called maya.
Therefore the illusion of maya is at once dissipated as soon as one’s full
energy is converted in the service of the Lord instead of in sense enjoyment.
From the personal example of Sri Narada Muni in his previous birth, it is
clear that the service of the Lord begins with the service of the Lord’s
bona fide servants. The Lord says that the service of His servants is greater
than His personal service. Service of the devotee is more valuable than the
service of the Lord. One should therefore choose a bona fide servant of
the Lord constantly engaged in His service and accept such a servant as the
spiritual master and engage himself in his (the spiritual master’s) service.
Such a spiritual master is the transparent medium by which to visualize the
Lord who is beyond the conception of the material senses. By service of
the bona fide spiritual master, the Lord consents to reveal Himself in
proportion to the service rendered. Utilization of the human energy in the
service of the Lord is the progressive path of salvation. The whole cosmic
creation becomes at once identical with the Lord as soon as service in
relation with the Lord is rendered under the guidance of a bona fide
