ahaṁ purābhavaṁ kaścid
ahaṁ purābhavaṁ kaścid
gandharva upabarhaṇaḥ
nāmnātīte mahā-kalpe
gandharvāṇāṁ susammataḥ
Long ago, in another lifetime of Brahmā, I existed as the Gandharva known as Upabarhaṇa and was respected by the other Gandharvas.
The devotees will act as the Lord instructs, after attaining bhakti through fortunate association with other devotees. This instruction is the essence of the scriptures:
dharmān santyajya yaḥ sarvān māṁ bhajeta sa tu sattamaḥ
A person who, understanding good and bad aspects of dharma as taught by me, gives up all his duties and simply worships me is the best of all. . SB 11.11.32
The Lord says:
jñāna-niṣṭho virakto vā mad-bhakto vānapekṣakaḥ
sa-liṅgān āśramāṁs tyaktvā cared avidhi-gocaraḥ
A person fixed in jñāna and detached from external objects, or my devotee who is detached even from desire for liberation—both should reject the āśrama duties based on external rituals or paraphernalia and conduct themselves beyond the range of rules. SB 11.18.28
Thus the devotees, taking instructions of the Lord as proof, do not depend on the rules of varṇāśrama conduct. Nārada explains this in terms of his previous birth in five verses.
|| 7.15.70 ||
rūpa-peśala-mādhurya-
saugandhya-priya-darśanaḥ
strīṇāṁ priyatamo nityaṁ
mattaḥ sva-pura-lampaṭaḥ
I was friendly, and had an attractive body which fragrant and well formed, attractive to women. I was proud, and enjoyed women in the Gandharva city.
Peśalam means friendly.
|| 7.15.71 ||
ekadā deva-satre tu
gandharvāpsarasāṁ gaṇāḥ
upahūtā viśva-sṛgbhir
hari-gāthopagāyane
Once, the Gandharvas and Apsarās were invited by the Prajāpatis to take part in a festival to glorify the Supreme Lord in an assembly of the devatās.
|| 7.15.72 ||
ahaṁ ca gāyaṁs tad-vidvān
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