Maharishi Narada once said to Sri Krishna that he wanted to experience the power of maya.
“So be it,” answered the Lord, “but not now.”
Years passed. One day, Sri Krishna sat on a secluded mountain slope with his beloved devotee, Narada Muni.
As they talked, Sri Krishna became thirsty. He asked Narada to bring him some water.
Promptly, Narada Muni set out to fwetch water for his beloved Lord. He looked here, there, everywhere. Not a drop of water was to be found. Narada’s anxiety grew every minute. His beloved Sri Krishna was thirsty! It was important that he should take water to quench his Lord’s thirst – and soon!
At a distance, he saw a cottage. Walking up to it hastily, he knocked at the door. Surely, he thought, the lady of the house would spare him a bowl of water to take to Sri Krishna. The door was opened, and Narada saw before him, the most beautiful woman that his eyes and ever beheld! Verily, she was like an apsara, descended from the skies.
Lord Krishna was forgotten, the water was forgotten, as Narada’s gaze became transfixed upon the beauteous form before him.
“You have captivated me utterly,” he said to the woman. “I beg you to marry me and be my wife!”
And so it came to pass that they were married. Narada Muni reveled in the pleasures of a worldly married life. Soon they begot children, and his bonds tied him down to the world even more firmly.
Such is the power of maya – worldly illusion – that we are enticed by worldly appearances and manifestations and forget our Divine selves and God, our Creator. The great sage, Narada, was no exception!
In the course of time, the village in which they lived was struck by an epidemic. Narada left the village with his family in search of safe place to live. On the way, they had to cross a river in spate. Halfway across the river, a powerful current swept away his wife and children. Narada began to weep in anguish and sorrow.
Just then he heard a voice, “I am thirsty, Narada, won’t you bring me a cup of water?”
With a shock, Narada recognised the familiar voice! It was none other than the voice of Sri Krishna, who had asked him to fetch water.
Narada repented deeply, awakening from the maya that had held him in thrall so long. Had not he set out to fetch water to quench the Lord’s thrst? How deeply the allure of maya had trapped him, that he had even forgotten his dearly beloved Sri Krishna! Truly, he said to himself, tremendous is the power of maya.
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