Narada

Narada (Sanskrit: नारद, nārada means Naara = Wisdom + Da = Giver) or Narada Muni is a divine sage who plays a prominent role in a number of the Puranic texts, especially in the Bhagavata Purana, and in the Ramayana. Narada is the author of the Pāñcarātra, a standard text for Vaisnava's priests which contains the technical and philosophical meanings of the temple Deity worship. Narada is portrayed as a travelling monk with the ability to visit distant worlds or planets (lokas in Sanskrit). He carries a veena as his musical instrument—and not a Tampura as is commonly assumed—which he uses to accompany his singing of hymns, prayers and mantras as an act of devotion to his Lord, Vishnu. In the Vedas, Narada is described as a saintly traveler who sometimes while remembering Vishnu by singing His Glories his Brahminical holy thread breaks, because of bodily expansions through the emotions he feels of pure bhakti (love of God) in separation, which he derives from his unalloyed devotional service. In the Vaishnava tradition he is held in special reverence for his chanting and singing of the names Hari and Narayana and his promoting of the process of devotional service, known as bhakti yoga as explained within the text accredited to Narada himself, known as the Narada Bhakti Sutra.

Narada is also said to have orated the maxims of the Nāradasmṛti (100BC-400CE), which has been called the “juridical text par excellence” and represents the only Dharmaśāstra text which deals solely with juridical matters and ignoring those of righteous conduct and penance.

Sage Narada is believed to have inititated the Carnatic musician and saint Thyagaraja into the various worship methods of Lord Rama. The saint refers to this meeting in his various compositions.

He is also said to have installed the Rama yantra at the Upanishad Bramham Mutt at Kanchipuram.