in

At this hour of need the Lord came to him, and he
heard a Voice: (< Narada, you will not see Me ^gain in
this birth, but in your next you will come to Me. The
way to fix your devotion in Me is not by such ascetic
practices but by the humble service of the saints; in
their company you will draw very near to Me."

Narada arose and followed this Word. The rest of
that brief life he spent wandering from place to place
singing the Lord's glory and enjoying the sweet company
of His lovers. When death met him, he was merged
for long ages in the mystical Person of his Lord, and
then when creation woke again to a new day the Creator
once again brought him forth, along with Marichi and
many other Seers.

3. 'Narada as the Pupil of Others

The wise man learns from many teachers, and Narada
himself had many Gurus. In very ancient days we learn
that he went to Badarikashram in the Himalayas to
•worship the Twin-Avatar of Vishnu, Nara-Narayana.
He was surprised to find Them at worship, and They
told him of the Supreme Self, Paramatma, who is to be
adored by all, even the Avatars. He went flying to
the ( White Island' over the primeval Sea of Milk ,
there he found * white men* who all worshipped the
One God. He took to the use of a mantra there and
after singing a hymn saw Narayana Himself in the
universal form, as Sri Krishna later showed Him-
self to Arjuna (Gita 11) and from Him learned
His identity with Vishnu, Krishna—the Source,