Principal Upanishads

Minor Upanishads

Narada-Parivrajaka Upanishad

Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious; May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship ! May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas, Praising them with our body and limbs steady ! May the glorious Indra bless us ! May the all-knowing Sun bless us ! May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us ! May Brihaspati grant us well-being !

Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !

    I-1. Now once Narada, a jewel among ascetics, taking his (usual) rounds over all the (three) worlds, sanctifying (all the more) new sacred places and holy places of pilgrimage by his observation, (himself) attaining purity of mind, (remaining) free from enmity, tranquil, self-controlled, getting despondent from every quarter (seeing people’s misery), closely investigating into his own Self, seeing the holy place, the Naimisha (sacred) forest, noted for its joy of self-imposed religious observances and crowded with saintly personages, he alighted there (from his aerial journey), fascinating groups of men, animals, horse-faced demigods, gods, Kimnara demigods and nymphs with his songs on the exploits of Lord Vishnu, called Sthavara and Jangama, which specially induce devotion to the Lord, set in musical notes sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, dha and ni, which arouse dispassion (to worldly attachments) and which are averse to the ways of the world. On his approach, Saunaka and other great sages who had arrived there to participate in a sacrifice lasting twelve years, rich in Vedic lore, all wise (in sacerdotal functions), well addicted to stable penance and endowed with wisdom and dispassion, rose to greet him; and paying homage, seated him (in a place of honour), after offering him a befitting welcome.

   Then, though they were (already) well instructed (in matters spiritual, yet for the benefit of the world) they (said to Narada): ‘Revered Sir, son of the god Brahma, what is the means of liberation (from worldly bondage) ? Please tell us.’

   I-2. Thus requested, that (sage) Narada said to them: ‘A (twice-born) of good family, invested with the sacred thread and initiated into Vedic study, having undergone the forty sacred rites (beginning with consummation of marriage of his parents and ending with Aptoryama sacrifice), completing the course on all branches of learning as a disciplined celibate student for twelve years, doing personal service to the preceptor all along; the period of twenty-five years as a householder; (another) twenty-five years in the stage of a forest dweller (Vanaprastha), all (the three stages) in due order in the prescribed manner; having studied well the duties of four kinds of Brahmacharya, six kinds of householders, four kinds of Vanaprastha; having completed all the appropriate duties pertaining to them; equipped with the four disciplines (for the study of Brahmavidya); free from desire in thought, word and deed as well as in latent desires (vasanas) and solicitations (eshana), devoid of enmity and is peaceful and self-controlled; when such an ascetic, meditating on his Self without interruption in the highest stage of renunciation (as Paramahamsa), gives up the body, he becomes liberated (from rebirth), he becomes liberated. Thus (ends the first Upadesha of) the Upanishad.

II-1. Then all (sages) Saunaka and others, requested the venerable Narada: ‘Revered Sir, expound to us the mode of renunciation’. Observing them Narada said: ‘It is but proper to know all about its nature from the mouth of the grandfather (the god Brahma)’. After the completion of the sacrifice he went, accompanied by them, to the world of the god Brahma (Satyaloka) and made obeisance in the prescribed manner to him (Paramesthin) and eulogised him. Bidden by him he seated himself along with them properly and said to the grandfather (of all): ‘You are the preceptor, you are the Father, you are omniscient, knowing the secret of all lores.

Hence be pleased to expound one secret (lore) of my choice. Barring you, who is competent to speak on the secret (lore) dear to me ? It is to wit the stages in the order of mendicant monks. Please tell us’. Requested thus by Narada the god Brahma seeing them all on all sides, remained steady in deep meditation (Samadhi) for a short time. Coming to the conclusion that they were in search of a remedy against the ills of worldly life and turning to Narada the grandfather said: ‘My son, I shall now clearly expound the secret which was formerly taught by the supreme Being (Viratpurusha) assuming the matchless form of the Purusha-sukta hymn and the secret doctrine of the Upanishads. May you listen to this due order (of asceticism), very secret, with all your attention’.

II.2. ‘O Narada, one born in a good family, being uninitiated at first, getting initiated into Vedic lore (after being invested with sacred thread), obedient to his mother and father, approaches (after the preliminary instructions by his father) a good preceptor, who maintains the noble tradition, has faith (in the Vedic lore), is born of a good family, is well versed in the Vedas, has love for the Shastras, is virtuous and free from devious ways.

Bowing to him and rendering personal service appropriate for the occasion, he shall inform him of his heart’s desire (to study under him). Having undergone the course of study in all branches of learning for twelve years, doing personal service all the while, he shall marry an agreeable damsel worthy of his family with his (preceptor’s) consent. After this residence in the preceptor’s house he leads, with the approval of the teacher, the life appropriate to a householder for twenty-five years.

Free from the evils of a bad Brahmana, getting a son with desire to perpetuate his family and completing twenty-five years befitting the stage of a householder, he shall lead the life of a lone forest-dweller (Vanaprastha) till (another) twenty five years are passed; bathing thrice a day after touching with water the various parts of the body, eating one meal a day at the fourth watch (of day time, i.e., in the afternoon), giving up journey to town and village as practised in former days, performing appropriate rituals without using cultivated grains (such as wheat and rice, but using wild grains alone), free from desire for enjoyments that are seen or heard of (i.e. pleasures in this world and the next), being purified by the forty sacraments, free of attachments to all things, getting purity of mind, having burnt away envy, jealousy and egotism and being rich in the fourfold discipline – such a person deserves to embrace (the life of) renunciation’. Thus (ends the second Upadesha of) the Upanishad.

Narada-Parivrajaka Upanishad - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8