नारद उवाच
भिक्षुभिर्विप्रवसिते विज्ञानादेष्टृभिर्मम ।
वर्तमानो वयस्याद्ये तत एतदकारषम् ॥ ५ ॥
sri naradah uvaca-Sri Narada said; bhiksubhih-by the great sages; vipravasite-having departed for other places; vijnana-scientific spiritual knowledge; adestrbhih-those who imparted unto me; mama-mine; vartamanah-present; vayasi adye-before this life; tatah-thereafter; etat-this much; akarasam-performed.
Sri Narada said: The great sages, who had imparted scientific knowledge of transcendence to me, departed for other places, and I had to pass my life in this way.
In his previous life, when Naradaji was impregnated with spiritual knowledge by the grace of the great sages, there was a tangible change in his life, although he was only a boy of five years. That is an important symptom visible after initiation by the bona fide spiritual master. Actual association of devotees brings about a quick change in life for spiritual realization. How it so acted upon the previous life of Sri Narada Muni is described by and by in this chapter.