444 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 9
snakes of the world were to be killed. Parvata Muni and Narada Muni are
called Gandharvas also because they can travel in the air singing the glories
of the Lord. As they can travel in the air, they observed the svayamvara
ceremony (selecting her own husband) of Draupadi from the air. Like
Narada Muni, Parvata Muni also used to visit the royal assembly in the
heaven of King Indra. As a Gandharva, sometimes he visited the royal
assembly of Kuvera, one of the important demigods. Both Narada and
Parvata were once in trouble with the daughter of Maharaja Srijaya.
Maharaja Sriijaya got the benediction of a son by Parvata Muni.

Narada Muni is inevitably associated with the narrations of the Puranas.
He is described in the Bhagavatam. In his previous life he was the son of a
maidservant, but by good association of pure devotees he became en-
lightened in devotional service, and in the next life he became a perfect
man comparable with himself only. In the Mahabharata his name is
mentioned in many places. He is the principal devarsi, or the chief sage
amongst the demigods. He is the son and disciple of Brahmaji, and from
him the disciplic succession in the line of Brahma has been spread. He
initiated Prahlada Maharaja, Dhruva Maharaja and many celebrated devo-
tees of the Lord. He initiated even Vyasadeva, the author of the Vedic
literatures, and from Vyasadeva, Madhvacarya was initiated, and thus the
Madhva-sampradaya, in which the Gaudiya-sampradaya is also included,
has spread all over the universe. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu belonged to
this Madhva-sampradaya; therefore Brahmaji, Narada, Vyasa, down to
Madhva, Caitanya and the Gosvamis all belonged to the same line of
disciplic succession. Naradaji has instructed many kings from time imme-
morial. In the Bhagavatam we can see that he instructed Prahlada Maharaja
while he was in the womb of his mother, and he instructed Vasudeva,
father of Krsna, as well as Maharaja Yudhisthira.

Dhaumya. A great sage who practiced severe penances at Utkochak
Tirtha and was appointed royal priest of the Pandava kings. He acted as
the priest in many religious functions of the Pandavas (samskara), but also
each of the Pandavas was attended by him at the betrothal of Draupadi.
He was present even during the exile of the Pandavas and used to advise
them in circumstances when they were perplexed. He instructed them how
to live incognito for one year, and his instructions were strictly followed
by the Pandavas during that time. His name is mentioned also when the
general funeral ceremony was performed after the Battle of Kuruksetra.
In the Anusasana Parva of Mahabharata (Ch. 127.15-16) he gave religious
instructions very elaborately to Maharaja Yudhisthira. He was actually the
right type of priest of a householder, for he could guide the Pandavas on
