Shantavana and Gyanwati had displaced their sadness of the loss of eyesight with the joy of begetting son. They joined the festivities of the birth and generously distributed sweets and gifts to priests. They could be found fussing over their child, fondling it and making funny sounds for the baby. All the time they would hover around the cradle of the baby.
The boy was now five weeks old and the naming ceremony had become due. Preparations began in earnest. The names for the boy was being suggested. Under consideration were several names. No decision was yet made. One day the familiar tune of ‘Narayana! Narayana!’ rang in the air.
Everyone looked around for the source of sound. Shantavana and Gyanwati knew Sage Narada had arrived just at right time. Then he came into the view strumming the strings of his Veena and blissful smile on his face. Divine was his face. He had such a spiritual force in his presence that the people began to chant ‘Narayana-Narayana’ with him in chorus.
Shantavana rose up with folded hands and spoke, “Accept my greetings, holy sir! Last time I could behold you but today I am not so fortunate. I and my wife have lost eyesight.”
“May you live long Shantavana,” Narada said.
Gyanwati also made her obeisance to the divine sage. Accepting her salutations Narada looked into the cradle with a beaming face that had a broad smile. The baby peered at the visitor and gave a toothless smile. Making some blabbering sounds the boy raised its arms towards the sage.
Sage Narada put his palm on the head of the baby and gave his blessing.
Then, the sage was offered a seat and the father of the baby Shantavana sat near the holy visitor. The sage smiled.
“So Shantavana!” the sage spoke merrily, “How do you feel after begetting a child?”
“Holy sir, it is a great feeling. Joy is a long cherished dream coming true.”
“And how do you feel, Gyanwati?”
“Blessed holy sir. We shall ever be grateful to you because what we have is your gift to us,” Gyanwati spoke with a true feeling of gratitude.
“Narayana! Narayana!!” sang Narada, “It is our divine duty to help people in whatever way possible. We merely guide people in their problem. It is a way of serving Narayana.”
“Your guidance was invaluable sir,” Shantavana responded, “You advised us to make penance to propitiate Lord Brahma and told us the way to do it. Following your advice we were fortunate to behold Holy Father, the Creator of Universe. This child, you see, was booned to us by him.”
“Narayana! Narayana!! Son, it is the Almighty who works the real grace to redeem his faithful. He is the real master of the universe and we only are his puppets. Whatever He wills happens.”
“Holy sir, you speak the sublime truth of higher plain. We are the people of the mundane world and our mind thinks only at that level, for us you are the benefactor who guided us into begetting a child. Our guardian angel you are. Last time you came to our rescue when we were groping in the dark of the hopelessness. Again you have materialised today when we face a minor problem, holy sir.”
“Again there is a problem?”
“Holy sir, we mundane people get carried away by the currents of the woes of mundane life. Similarly we flounder when small joys storm our lives.” Shantavana explained, “Last time you delivered us from a woe. Today we want you to guide us through overjoyous state.”
“Aha! It will be my pleasure to be helpful to you. It is a pleasure to help people in their joy,” said Narada and smiled sweetly.
“Holy sir, we have organised the naming ceremony of our child. This celebration is for the same. About the name of the child we are confused. We have not finalised any name. Since you are here we leave it on you to name the child. You are the best person to determine it. We will accept the name suggested by you as a divine command.”
The people gathered there raised voices in support of the statement of Shantavana. Sage Narada could not disappoint all those folks and got thinking about the suitable name for the boy. For a long time he mulled over the subject and then spoke in a serene voice, “Shantavana! If you and all the people here desire that I should name the boy I will do it for your pleasure. I will suggest a meaningful name. The parents of the child won’t ever see their son but feel him through the sounds he would make. Through the ears the parents would see him. When the boy grows up and starts speaking his speech and the ears of the parents would become main channels of communication between them. In their lives the sounds will be major factor and the hearing part as well.”
All the people and the parents of the boy were attentively listening to the sermon of Sage Narada. The sage was making a point to reveal the name he had decided upon for the boy.
“Taking all these factors into account I feel the name ‘Shravana Kumar’ will be most suitable as the ‘Shravan’ literally means ‘hearing’. His parents would feel his existence by hearing the sounds he would make or say.”
The announcement by the sage was greeted with clapping of hands by the gathering of the folks. Everyone admired the idea of Sage Narada.
Shantavana and Gyanwati thanked the sage for thinking of a befitting name for their son.
Before departing the sage again blessed the boy saying, “This boy will grow up to become the greatest dedicated son of parents and in that act he will also become favoured one of Almighty.”
After his departure other guests blessed the boy in turns. Light refreshments were served and females then sang auspicious strains to round up the celebration.
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