Greeting the Celestial Muni, Narada

Check out the theme here: A Retelling of Valli and Karttikeya’s Love Story

This post is a part of BlogchatterA2Z Challenge 2026.

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Narada, the famous celestial muni, was immensely wise, but more popular for his mischievous questions and acts. What seemed funny on the surface are actually acts designed to set destiny in motion. Except that he prefers to do it in his style, with good advice hidden in humor.

Narada carried his veena everywhere. As a nomad who was a Vishnu bhakt, he constantly chanted ‘Narayana, Narayana’. Being ageless and deathless, he didn’t need food to survive, though he relished it when served with genuine affection. Traveling through the three worlds at whim made Narada muni the best person to gather intel, listen to gossip, and spread the word around as he thought was necessary.

It was during one such visit to Earth that he spied on Valli in her little village and wanted to find out more. Who was that beautiful young woman worshipping Skanda? He had to know!

“May Narayana bless you with all the happiness in the world, my child,” Narada said as he approached Valli, who was guarding her family farm.

She looked up with enormous eyes like those of a deer and stood quickly to bow to him, wiping her hands on her saree.

“Svami, greetings to you. Hope you are in good health.” She murmured, her head bowed, and her eyes lowered to the ground. She had seen him once or twice as a child.

The villagers revered him, offering water and fruits and asking for advice about various things. Valli had seen them interact with him and copied it, though she wasn’t sure who he truly was, but she understood that he was respected by all.

“Yes, my child. I am. My travels brought me to your village. Since I saw you first, I came to see how you were before meeting your elders.” Narada muni replied, eyeing the little Skanda murti with interest. Valli had been decorating it with flowers and garlands. She even placed a few yellow berries in the front as an offering.

“Svami, please accept this fruit,” she said, offering him a little bowl of the remaining berries. Narada turned to look at her and smiled. She was a beauty indeed, with an expressive face, a long black braid, and slender limbs. Thinking it was time for some questioning, he grinned for an instant and sobered up before she could see it. He took one berry from the bowl and popped it into his mouth, enjoying the honey-like juice burst from it.

Happy with its taste, he focused on the young woman before him. “So, Valli, tell me. It seems you are of age already. Is your appa finding a worthy groom for you? Should I recommend your name to the prince I know? He is very handsome and can shoot three arrows at once!”

Valli almost glared at him before she controlled her temper. However, Narada muni didn’t miss how her shoulders straightened. She raised her eyes to look at him directly instead of staring at his feet, as no doubt her elders had taught her to do.

“I will marry only Skanda,” she replied. It was a mere whisper, but the conviction in her voice made it clear as the giant copper bell in the temple.

Narada suppressed his delight and tried to think about it. “Oh, child! But he is a deva. Would he come down to marry you? What if your parents don’t agree to get you married to him?”

“He will. Why won’t they agree?” Valli asked. “They know I would marry only him.”

“As you say, child. Let us suppose he comes down to meet you. Would you recognize Skanda?” He shot back with another question, a rather entertaining plan forming in his head.

Valli nodded confidently. “Yes, Svami. I can make his murti even with my eyes closed. I will recognize him right away.”

“So you think, young woman,” he said more to himself and patted her on the head with an assuring smile. “May Narayana make your prayers come true.”

Valli bent to touch her head to the earth near his feet. With another final blessing, Narada walked away from the farm.

He didn’t bother going into the village. Instead, he went up toward the sky and into the world of devas. It was time to play matchmaker… again.