One day Narada, the wandering saint, and cosmic traveler, was walking with Lord Krishna. Narada had a unique skill. He casually asked the most difficult questions to try and coax Krishna into answering them. This question had been bothering Narada for some time, and he had been waiting for an opportune moment.
“Can you tell me, Krishna, what is Maya? I have heard and read so much about it and yet have never experienced it”, Narada blurted out, the excitement evident in his voice. Krishna laughed and told Narada to ask any other question. He told him how Maya is one of the trickiest things to reveal, but Narada refused to budge. Krishna finally gave in and promised to reveal the secrets of Maya to him. “It’s going to be a long answer, so while I lie in the shade of a tree, can you please get me some water?” Narada skipped and danced his way to a small village nearby. The sun was beating down, and he felt thirsty. When he reached the well, he saw a beautiful girl drawing water from it. Her almond eyes, oval face, and slim waist sparked a desire in his heart that he had never felt before. When he asked her for water for Krishna, she shylysmiled and told him that he looked tired and that he should drink water and wash up first. Narada takes the first sip of water and suddenly forgets about the lord waiting for him. As he gazes into her eyes while she pours water, he feels himself dissolving into them. Her father, a landowner, sees this radiant monk at this doorstep and invites him inside for dinner. The woman coyly moves aside, and Narada steps into the house. As they eat dinner, the girl’s father notices theglances exchanged between Narada and his daughter. He finally breaks the awkward silence by telling Narada he has been looking for a match for his daughter for a long time. Since he does not have a son, all this land and cattle belong to his daughter, and if he agrees to marry her, he can stay with them and help manage the affairs. Narada readily agreed, and the couple was united in marriage within a few days.
Narada was ecstatic. He thoroughly enjoyed his marital life and had some beautiful children within a few years. His father-in-law passed away, and he inherited all the land. He was an able administrator, and the family enjoyed a prosperous life. He watched his children play under the setting sun, and a wave of bliss filled his chest with a warmth he had never experienced before. Suddenly, the sky darkened, and it started raining. Storm clouds engulfed the village, and the whole village was flooded within a few hours.
Narada hurried with his wife and children to the highest part of the house. They waited and watched the water rise, and suddenly a wave swept them away. Narada shrieked in distress as he saw his children swept away. He held on tightly to his wife to try and save her. However, the water was unrelenting, and she was swept away. A visceral cry escaped Narada’s throat as he felt unbearable pain in the pit of his stomach. “Krishna,” he cried,not able to bear it anymore. Suddenly, the flood disappeared, and he stood before Krishna.
“Where have you been, Narada” Krishan asked him with a smile. It’s been thirty minutes since you went to get water. Narada stood with his head bowed down. What he experienced was twelve years of married life was a mere thirty minutes of separation from Krishna.
