Vishnu Bhakta Narad To Ram Bhakta Hanuman
Here is an interesting sub plot from the epic tale narrated in Ramayana (Ramcharitmanas). It
is believed that Hanuman was none else but an incarnation of Narada,
who is a bhakta of Lord Vishnu, and accompanies his master to the
battlefields of Ravan Ki Lanka. This story also says that Ravan and Kumbhakurn were Jaya & Vijaya, servants of Lord Vishnu, who had been cursed, by
four Rishi Kumars, to become demons and only Lord Vishnu could rescue
them.
The story is a bit longish but then you have to read it all to appreciate it fully.
Once Narada Muni went to meditate in a grove in a forest. Lord Shiva had given a special blessing to this Tapovan, the forest for tapasya. As per the blessings of Lord Shiva, no one will be able to disturb a Muni who meditates in Tapovan. Unaware of the blessings, Narada went to Tapovan to meditate.
Indra became concerned and sent Agni, Varuna and Vayu down to
disturb Narad. Varuna made it rain but Narada
didn’t respond. Vayu made the wind blow, but Narada did not respond.
Agni lit the place on fire, Narada sat still in perfect stillness. All three of them went back and said, “Indra,
we can not disturb his meditation, he’s meditating so strongly we don’t
know how to stop him from meditating.”
Indra called Kamadeva, God of Love, and said, “Kamadeva, you
go down and break his meditation. Take Rati, take the Apsaras with
you, the celestial nymphs, the dancing girls, do whatever you have to
do, make him stop meditating.” Kamadeva tried everything within his power. The apsaras danced and they made spring blossom and
the bees were buzzing and the birds were humming, and it was the
atmosphere of Love but Narada didn not stir one bit. Kamadeva admitted
defeat. The God of Love went back to Indra and said, “I can’t break his
meditation.”
At that, Narada woke up and said, “I have defeated all the Gods, I
have even defeated the God of Love, I am beyond desires.” And he was so
happy, and he went to Shiva in Kailash and Shiva said, “Narada, your
shining radiantly why are you so happy today?” And Narada said, “Shiva, I
defeated Kamadeva, he couldn’t break my meditation, I have conquered
the God of Love.”
Shiva said, “Narada, that’s very interesting, but if you have an
experience like that don’t ever tell it to Vishnu.” Narada said, “Why not. I want to tell Vishnu, He will be so happy to hear the news.” And Shiva said, “Well, you do as
you like, but I suggest don’t tell Vishnu.”
Narada took leave from Shiva and went right to Vaikuntha
and he said, “Vishnu, I’ve just come from the greatest meditation.” And
Vishnu smiled and said, “Really, you look radiant like you’ve achieved a
tremendous victory. What kind of meditation did you have?” And Narada
said, “I defeated the God of Love. I am free from Love, I am free from
lust and desire.” And Vishnu said, “Oh, that’s fine, that’s very nice,
wonderful, I applaud your attainment.”
Here, both Shiva and Vishnu were unhappy that their favourite sanit Narada had lost his wisdom.
Narada then went off, and he was so full of happiness and joy and
self-conceit that it was his power that allowed him to sit there and
meditate without any disturbance. And it wasn’t because Shiva had
blessed that grove, it was because of Narada’s attainment. And as Narada
was traveling, he looked out and he saw this beautiful young princess
dancing near the garden. And he looked down and he said, “Wow, there’s a
beautiful young princess, I’m going to go see who she is.”
So he went down to the garden and he saw that it was the daughter of
the King Shilanidhi. And he went in to see the king and the king said,
“Oh, Narada Muni has come, please, my daughter is just about to choose
her husband, please look at her palm and tell us what kind of husband
she should choose. What will be her fate?”
He called the daughter, he said, “Please, sit here next to Narada
Muni.” And Narad Muni looked at the palm of this princess and her name
was Vishwamohini. And he took the hand of Vishwamohini and he looked in
that palm and he saw that whoever marries this lady is going to be the
king of the three worlds, he’s going to live as the Gods live. And
suddenly Narada thought, “Well, I should marry this girl”. And he said,
“Well, everything looks wonderful in her hand and she’s going to find
the most beautiful, the most handsome prince, and they’re going to marry
and be very happy.”
And Narada went straight to Vaikuntha and he said, “Vishnu, you got
to do something for me, I have a favor for you, I want you to turn me
into the most handsome prince and deck me out with many ornaments, and
gold, and finery and silks and satins and make me as beautiful and as
desirable as possible.” And Vishnu said, “Narada, why, I thought you had
just conquered the God of Love.” And Narada said, “Oh, yes, I did
conquer the God of Love but now I’m thinking that I should marry this
princess.” And this is going to be her swayamvar, she is going to choose
her husband, I want to have the most distinctive appearance.”
Vishnu promised, “I’m going to give you the most distinctive
appearance.” And he dressed him in the finest, and gave him a golden
crown. And gave him all the ornaments, and jewels and necklaces
and garlands and he made him the most beautiful looking prince with the
face of a monkey.
Narada went to the assembly of all the kings and princes and he
walked in knowing that he was the most beautiful of all the princes,
“Gee, the princess will certainly choose him”. And the princess took the
garland of victory and she walked around the assembly of princes, and
she looked at the face of everyone assembled there and passed by many
people, and she came to Narada Muni and she started to laugh! There was
this beautiful monkey dressed like a prince coming to win her hand, and
she walked right past him and then she came to the last of the Kings
assembled and she gave the garland to Vishnu.
Narada said, “Wait! You made a mistake, I’m the most beautiful man
here, I’m the most handsome prince and I am deserving of this garland.”
And everyone started to laugh. And Jaya and Vijaya (two servants of
Vishnu that we met in the last scripture) came to Narada and they said,
“Why are you so possessed with yourself, you are so filled with
self-conceit, you don’t know what you look like? Come and look in this
looking glass, and see what kind of distinctive appearance you have.”
And Narada went and looked in the looking glass and he saw he had the
face of a monkey. And he got mad, he took some Ganga Jal in his hand
and he said, “Vishnu, I asked you to make me beautiful so that I could
get the heart of my beloved and win my beloved, and instead you turned
me into a monkey. And now I’ve lost my beloved, I curse you Vishnu! You
will lose your beloved, and endure the pains of separation from her. And
in order to get her back you’re going to make friends with monkeys, and
monkeys are going to be your helpers, and your saviors, and your
devotees. And you think that it’s funny that I look like a monkey and I
lost my beloved, here, is my curse!”
Vishnu smiled when he received the curse. And said, “I accept
your curse Narad, and I will incarnate as a human being and my Goddess
Lakshmi will be my wife, and I will endure seperation from her.
But all
of this is to fulfill the curses against Jaya and Vijaya, who became in
the first incarnation Madhu and Kaitabha. In their second incarnation
they became Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashyapu. That was the story of
Prahalad. And then in their third incarnation they became Kumbhakarna and Ravana.
And now I have to go down and save the earth from the atrocities of
Ravana, so I accept your curse. You are my favourite and you would be helping me.
Thus, it was the monkey face of Narad Muni that took birth as Hanuman to serve Lord Rama.
