Devarshi Narada was consoling the young mother Bhakti who was anxious about her two old sons Jnana and Vairagya. While liberation or Mukti was her help mate, she was troubled in the age of Kali Yuga and was affected by the disease of atheism and became weak. Bhakti granted her permission to go early to Vaikunta. However, whenever she called her, she would visit her devotee and would get liberation of mind.
Naradaji told Bhakti to drop all her worries and said that there was no other Yuga as good as Kali Yuga or the iron age of the mind. “It is in this yuga, I will establish you in every house and in every person. If I do set aside other activities and establish you in every person’s heart in this age, I shall not be known as a devotee of Hari!” Naradaji promised. Those who live their life with devotion, even if they be sinners, will fearlessly attain the temple of Krishna, he said. Those pure souls who have Bhakti in their hearts will not see Lord Yama, the God of Death, even in their dreams.
For those endowed with great devotion, no spirit of departed souls, obsessive minds, restless beings, sleepy and indolent creatures can ever touch. It is not by austerities, by studying the Vedas or by actions as the Gopikas testify.
It is after thousands of lifetimes that Bhakti is born in the hearts of beings. In Kali Yuga, it is by Bhakti alone, the devotee can have a glimpse of the divine truth, Naradaji asserted.
Those who are hostile towards Bhakti suffer in all the three states of consciousness—waking, dream and deep sleep.
Enough of spiritual vows, enough of pilgrimages, enough of yogic practices and enough of sacrificial performances, enough of all talk on Jnana. It is only through pure devotion that one attained salvation.
Bhakti was completely rejuvenated when she heard the words of Naradaji. She, however, pointed out to her two sons who have not woken up and Naradaji filled with compassion, tried to wake them up by gently stroking them with his fingers. Taking his mouth to their ears, he called out aloud, “O Jnana, wake up! O Vairagya, wake up!” He chanted from the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita.
When they were woken up forcefully, they came out of their inertia, could not open their eyes and continued to yawn. Their hair was white like the downy skin of a crane and their body was dry and shrivelled with thin limbs like sticks.
They were hungry and thirsty but wanted to go back to sleep. Naradaji gave up all his efforts and remembered his Lord, Sri Hari.
(www.sharanyachaitanya.blogspot.in)