Aphorisms of Narada: An Inquiry Into Love

IN a former Age, O Saint, I (Nârada: A celestial sage in Hindu tradition known as a traveling musician and storyteller who spreads devotion to God.) was born, in a past incarnation, as the son of a certain serving woman, in the service of maintainers of the Veda: The oldest and most sacred scriptures of Hinduism, composed in Sanskrit. (Brâhmans: Members of the priesthood or scholarly class responsible for teaching and maintaining the Vedas.), and I was engaged in boyhood in attendance upon some yogîs: Practitioners of yoga or ascetic spiritual disciplines., who desired to remain together during the rainy season. The "rainy season" refers to Chaturmasya, a four-month period when wandering monks traditionally stay in one place for retreat and study. These yogîs, even if regarding everything equally, were compassionate to me a child, who had passed beyond all fickleness, was docile, who had never held a plaything, who was willing, attentive in service, and of little speech.

There, day by day, I heard heart-ravishing episodes of Kṛṣṇa: A major deity in Hinduism, worshiped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and the supreme God in many traditions., by the favour of those (yogîs) who used to sing them. And so hearing these, word by word, through my reverence, my intense love arose for Him-Whose-Glory-is-Loving.

Then arose in me, who had gained a passionate longing for Him-the-Glory-of-Love, the unshaken conviction by which I perceived that this universe appearing as real and unreal is created by my own illusive power, who am (in reality) the Supreme Brahman: The ultimate, infinite reality or absolute soul in Hindu philosophy..

The Bhâgavata Purâṇa is a primary sacred text focused on Bhakti (devotion), particularly to Krishna.

I was in a former birth, O Sage, the son of a certain servant-woman of the Veda-teachers;
original: "Aham purâtîtabhave 'bhavam mune dâsyâś-ca kasyâścana vedavâdinâm;"
As a mere boy I was appointed to the service of the yogis who wished to stay together during the rainy season.
original: "Nirûpito bâlaka eva yoginâm śuśrûṣaṇe prâvṛṣi nirvivikshatâm."
They, although looking on all with an equal eye, showed mercy to me, a child who had left behind all restlessness, who was self-controlled, who did not care for toys, and who was obedient;
original: "Te mayy-apetâkhila-châpale 'rbhake dânte 'dhṛtakrîḍanake 'nuvartini;"
to me who served them and spoke but little, the sages showed their grace.
original: "Cakruh kṛpâm yadyapi tulyadarśanâḥ śuśrûṣamâṇe munayo 'lpabhâṣiṇi."

There, day by day, by their grace, I heard the soul-enchanting stories of Krishna as they sang them;
original: "Tatrânvaham kṛṣṇakathâḥ pragâyatâm anugraheṇa-aśṛṇavam manoharâḥ;"
Hearing those, step by step, with faith, O dear one, my attraction for Him-of-Pious-Fame arose.
original: "Tâḥ śraddhayâ me 'nupadam viśṛṇvatah priyaśravasy-anga mama abhavad ratih."
Then, O great-minded one, having gained a taste for Him-of-Pious-Fame, my mind became unshaken;
original: "Tasmin tadâ labdha-rucher mahâmate priyaśravasy-askhalitâ matir mama;"
By which I see this universe, both real and unreal, as projected by my own power of illusion upon the Supreme Brahman, which I am.
original: "Yayâ 'ham etat sad-asat sva-mâyayâ paśye mayi brahmaṇi kalpitam pare."