Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
This is the kunda named after Narada Muni who sometimes visited Nandagrama to witness Krishna’s transcendental pastimes. Narada’s position is unique, in as much that he is able to take part in Krishna’s pastimes in Vraja. This is due to the mercy of Vrinda Devi, who gave Narada, who is a life-long ‘niashtika-brahmachari’, the benediction to achieve the form of a gopi. In order that he could fulfil his desire to witness the rasa-lila, Vrinda Devi told Narada to bathe in Kusuma-sarovara, after which he was immediately transformed into a gopi. He could therefore enter the rasa-mandala with the other gopis and fulfill his desire to see the rasa-dance between Radha and Krishna.
Shrila Narada Muni is also called Devarishi-Narada, or the Rishi amongst the Devas (demigods) because he travels throughout the three worlds as well as Vaikuntha, completely unhindered, simply by singing the holy names of the Lord and playing on his vina. He travels through the air waves at will, carrying the divine message of Krishna-bhakti to both humans and demigods alike. He is the foremost son of Prajapati Brahmaji and also an empowered shaktyavesha incarnation of Vishnu appearing in the feature of a devotee of Lord Vishnu. After Prajapati Brahma himself, he is the most important acharya in the Vedic sampradaya and he has transmitted the Vedic teachings to a galaxy of famous personalities, including his own renowned disciples like Shrila Vyasadeva, Madhavacharya, Nimbarkacharya, Dhruva Maharaja, and Valmiki Muni. In the pastimes of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Narada Muni appeared as Shrivasa Pandita of the ‘Pancha-tattva’ fame. Shrivasa not only organized the very first kirtana parties in his own house, but also took part in the ecstatic kirtans that were led by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself at Sridhama Mayapura.
