In the Matsya Purana, he is the son of Brahma. He is referred to as Deva Rishi or divine Rishi, more than a demi-god by Parasara. The Puranas refer to no more than seven prominent births of Narada. He was first born as the son of Brahma and believed to be from the mind of Brahma, that’s why he is also called Manasputra. Brahma’s sons like Marici and Sanaka had become celibates, so Brahma suggests that Narada should assume the responsibility for procreation.......
BHAGAVATA PURANA: Then on account of Brahma’s curse to lose his knowledge and marry fifty beautiful women, Narada was born to Citraketu as the Gandharva called Upabarhana, the great musician handling the vina without rivals. The boy grew up a devotee of Brshapati who taught him worship of Hari. Upabarhana lived on the slopes of the Himalayas performing penance, when the daughters of Gandharva called Citraratha passed that way, they fell in love with Upabarhana who was in Samadhi. He too fell in love and married all the fifty damsels. He returned with them to the palace, where he became lustful towards Ramba.
The Prajapatis noticed this and told his wives. Malati, the eldest wife, got ready to curse Brahma, Yama and Narada. Vishnu comforts them. But despite a few thousand years of life left, Narada seems to have died prematurely on account of Prajapati’s curse. Apparently, knowing the end was near, Upabarhana and Malati spent their time in austerities on the banks of Ganga. When Upabarhana expired, Malati ended her life in Narada’s funeral pyre.
Following that he was born as the son of emperor Drumila and was named Narada. King Durmila and queen Kalavati performed penance on the banks of Ganga. Kalavati pleased Kasyapa by her worship and becomes pregnant. Durmila gifted his wealth away and went to the forest. Kalavati did not enter the funeral pyre but ends up as a slave in a Brahmin house. Narada was orphaned when Kalavati was bitten by a snake. Siva and three attendants went there in disguise, were pleased with Narada’s devotion to Vishnu and becomes a master of music. Narada died on the banks of Ganga after attaining divine knowledge.
Narada, expiring on Ganges banks is reborn to Brahma. The father asks “why are you so afraid of the householder’s life…many have attained salvation by following the four asramas, the celibate, the householder, the anchorite and the sannyasin. In fact, only such people will be able to serve man and God”. It was then that a girl named Malati aka Damayanti is born to Maharishi Sanjaya.
Siva grants Damayanti a boon that in this birth she will become Narada’s wife. Siva tells Narada, ‘Go to Narayanarayanas in the Himalayas, they will give Malati in marriage to you’. So, Narada marries Malati. After the marriage, Parvata curses Narada for not disclosing secrets and curses Narada to become a monkey. Narada in turn curses Parvata that he will live in Yamaloka for a hundred years.
Hundred years roll by, the curse being over, has Narada’s good treatment of him and gave redemption to Narada. Narada then lived happily with Damayanti for a long time at the palace and after Damayanti’s demise, Narada attained Bramalokha.
Afterwards he seems to be born to Daksha. After the creation of the Devas was over, Brahma called Daksha and asked him to marry Virani and procreate. Together they begot five thousand sons called Haryasvas. Narada discourages Haryasvas from procreating on the basis that there may not be enough space in the world. Narada sent them to various parts of the earth and Daksha created another five thousand. Yet again Narada drove away. Daksha got angry and cursed Narada and since Narada caused Daksha’s children to roam around in the world, he was cursed “Therefore you too in future will be roaming about without permanent abode….moreover, you will have rebirth as my son. ”
He was reborn to Daksha and also as a worm. On approach of a king’s chariot, the worm moved quickly away from its route lest its wheel should crush it to death. The king burt out in laughter and at the above sight told the king: “There is nothing to be laughed at in my action. In every birth the body is much dear to the Atman-soul. Just as you love your body, I also love and protect my body.”
All these births occur in different Manvantara. Narada did not wander in emptiness. He is regarded as the Triloka sanchaari, the ultimate nomad who roams the three lokas of Swargaloka - heaven, Mrityuloka - earth and Patalloka -nether-world. He does this to find out about the life and welfare of people.: Bhagavata Purana and Mahabaratha.
VISHNU PURANA: Narada is not in the list of Brahma’s sons although generally regarded as one. He is shown to be the progeny of Kasyapa and the daughter of Daksha. He is the messenger of Gods and imparting information to them.
BHAGAVATA PURANA: According to this Purana, he is the third incarnation of Vishnu. In his previous birth, Narada was a Gandharva who had been cursed to be born on an earthly planet due to some offense. He was born as the son of a maid-servant of brahmin priests whom they served. They were pleased and gradually Narada received further blessings from these sages and heard them discussing many spiritual topics. After his mother died, he decided to roam the forest in search of enlightenment in understanding the 'Supreme Absolute Truth'.
Brahma declared: Rise up, Rudra and form man to govern the world’. Rudra obeyed, but the men he made were fiercer than tigers, having nothing but the destructive quality in their composition. Anger was their only passion. Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra then joined their different powers, and created ten men whose names were Narada etc.
SHIVA PURANA: Narada sprang from the thigh of his father. ‘Brahma in view of peopling the world, produced four beings, who, being refractory, caused their parents to weep. To comfort him, Siva, in the character of Rudra, issued from a fold in his forehead with five heads and ten arms, and endowing Brahma with additional might, and he, Brahma, produced Bhrigu and the seven Rishis, and after that Narada from his thigh.’
VAYU PURANA Harivamsa, 170: Daksha curses Narada to be reborn as a man. On an earlier occasion, when Narada had refused to marry, Daksha had cursed him, saying: "Perish in thy present Deva form and take up thy abode in the womb to become a man”
NARADA PANCHARATNA: Brahma exhorted his son Narada to take a wife, and assist in peopling the world. Narada who is votary of Krishna, becomes angry, affirms that devotion to that god is the sole way to attain felicity and denounces his father as an erring instructor. Brahma in return curses Narada and dooms him to a life of sensuality, and subjection to women. Narada pays back the imprecation as “Wretch! Become no object of adoration; how shall anyone be devoted to the forms of thy worship? Thou shalt without doubt lust after her who is no fit object of thy desires!”
Narada, having made obeisance to his lotus-born father, forsook his Brahmanical body and became a Gandharva, a cloister in Indra’s heaven. It is said that it is this curse that Brahma, the creator of the world ceased to be an object of worship. Beholding the beauty of his daughter, he ran after her.
Hara Hara Mahadeva
(draft Narada)
Yogi Ananda Saraswathi