What’s in a name is a quite famous quote. But everything reflects in a name is the answer given by the Almighty, especially if it is the name of the Supreme Being itself. One might not know powerful stotras or mantras to invoke the Almighty, but taking his name with a pure heart and faith in him makes him a person above all. The same is proved by Shri Krishna while clarifying a doubt of Rishi Narad.
Once, Rishi Narad comes visiting Dwaraka. After he was warmly welcomed by Shri Krishna, Rishi Narad mentions the purpose of his visit seeking a clarification for a doubt. Rishi Narad was the traveller of all the three worlds singing glories of the lord. The most favourite chant of his was Narayan Narayan. While chanting, he wonders what is the strength of this name Narayan and the same curiosity had bought him to the presence of Shri Krishna in Dwaraka.
Shri Krishna smiles and says to Rishi Narad that he cannot explain it, but can show him its greatness. Rishi Narad agrees. Then Shri Krishna shows Rishi Narad a tiny worm and asks him to chant the name of Narayan in its ears. Rishi Narad does the same and to his surprise, the worm immediately dies leaving Rishi Narad shocked. But Shri Krishna smiles and points the rishi to a butterfly on a flower and asks the rishi to do the same to it.
With a doubt, Rishi Narad obliges Shri Krishna and recites the name of Narayan to the butterfly. The next moment, the butterfly drops dead. Rishi Narad is aghast. Then Shri Krishna takes Rishi Narad to a deer and asks him to say the name in its ears. Although worried, Rishi Narad does the same, and as feared, the deer too falls dead. But Shri Krishna simply smiles and shows the sage a calf and asks him to repeat the same action. Rishi Narad refuses, but Shri Krishna mentions to do as he says.
Unable to say no, Rishi Narad chants the name in the calf’s ear and it dies listening to it. Rishi Narad is bewildered at this and does not know what to do. But Shri Krishna does not stop here and takes him to Kashi. After reaching Kashi, Shri Krishna again asks Rishi Narad to go and chant the name of Narayan in the ear of King Kashi’s son who was just born. Trembling with fear, Rishi Narad chants the name of Narayan in the new born’s ear.
The child immediately gets up and starts talking to the rishi at which he is awe struck. The child bows to the rishi and thanks him. While the rishi wonders as to why was the little one thanking him, the child says that it was because of chanting the name of Narayan that he got the privilege of taking birth as a human from all his previous births from a worm, butterfly, deer and the calf. It was because he heard the name of Narayan in every birth, that he immediately was redeemed of his sins and took birth as a human and innocently asks Rishi Nard that he would have now understood the power of chanting the Almighty’s name.
Rishi Narad’s heart is filled with full happiness when he realises this and comes back and falls at the feet of Shri Krishna and thanks him for making him realise the power of chanting the Supreme Being’s name and the faith it gives to one.