Nārada
Purāṇic · Devarṣi · Bhakti
Devarṣi Nārada, the divine sage, wanders through all the worlds with his vīṇā, singing “Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa”. In the Purāṇas he is a mind-born son of Brahmā and the great devotee of Viṣṇu. He carries news between gods, humans and asuras, and his mischief usually ends in someone’s good.
He is the guide of many: he sets Vālmīki on the path to the Rāmāyaṇa, teaches the boy Dhruva the mantra “oṃ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya”, and instructs Prahlāda’s mother. The Nārada Bhakti Sūtra, a short classic on devotion, is attributed to him, and he is remembered as a patron of music.
Devarṣi · Nārada Bhakti Sūtra · Guide of Dhruva and Prahlāda · Vīṇā