Skandapurana 1.4.52: adhyāyaḥ 54

Nārada said:

There is also an image of mine there, O son of Pṛthā, out of desire to favor the brahmins;

there, O dear one, I never abandon [that form] adorned with an umbrella and a staff. // 1

And whatever auspicious bright eleventh day there is of Kārtika,

having performed my worship on that day, one is freed from the faults of the Kali age. // 2

Arjuna said:

Ever since childhood this doubt has existed in my heart,

and you ought not to become angry with me, O brahmin, as I ask about it. // 3

You have attained the highest proficiency always in the duties leading to liberation;

equal to all beings, self-controlled, devoid of passion and hatred, // 4

free from censure and praise, observing silence, established in liberation—thus are you extolled.

Yet you, O sage Nārada, are restless among the worlds like the wind! // 5

You are seen wandering like lightning, approved by the wise,

yet always stirring up strife in the world, merciless toward all living beings. // 6

Indeed, thousands of many gods, Gandharvas, and Rākṣasas,

of kings, lordly sages, and Daityas have been destroyed through your quarrels! // 7

Why is this behavior of yours? Remove my doubt, O twice-born one!

Because of doubt, one does not sleep comfortably, like a deer pierced by an arrow. // 8

Sūta said:

O Śaunaka, hearing these words from Phālguna, the sage Nārada,

as if smiling, looked at the face of Bābhravya. // 9

And that brahmin named Bābhravya, born in the lineage of Hārīta,

always remains in the presence of the sage Nārada. // 10

And he of great intellect, having understood the intention of Nārada,

spoke, as if smiling, to Phālguna in affectionate words: // 11

Bābhravya said:

This is true, just as you have spoken concerning Nārada, O Pāṇḍava.

Every man also feels doubt regarding this matter. // 12

Therefore, I will explain it to you just as I heard it from Kṛṣṇa,

all of it, when formerly, after a short time, the joy of the Yadus— // 13

the Lord Kṛṣṇa arrived there on the pilgrimage to Mahīsāgara.

along with Ugrasena, Vasudeva, and Babhru,

with Rāma, Pradyumna, Yuyudhāna, and others at that time.

And he, having met with his kinsmen at the confluence of the Mahī and the ocean,

having offered balls of rice and other funeral rites, having bestowed gifts abundantly,

and having worshipped with care the liṅgas beginning with Guheśvara,

having bathed at Koṭitīrtha, and having worshipped Jayāditya,

worshipping sage Nārada, the high-minded Kṛṣṇa remained.

Together with King Ugrasena, his elder, and Jaṭāyu,

and while many chief brahmins headed by Mada were listening,

the great king Ugrasena spoke to Kṛṣṇa in the assembly:

Ugrasena said:

O Kṛṣṇa, I will ask you one doubt; tell it to me.

This Nārada, indeed of great intellect, who is praised by the whole universe—

why does he, extremely restless, roam the world like the wind?

And why is he fond of strife? And why is he exceedingly affectionate towards you?

The venerable Kṛṣṇa said:

Truly, O king, you have asked this; I will tell you everything.

In the past, Nārada, the best of sages, was cursed by Dakṣa.

Seeing that those paths of creation were turned away by Nārada,

“There will be no stay in the worlds for you as you wander!”

And likewise: “You shall speak backbiting words,” because he led the second [sons] away.

Having thus received two curses for having diverted his two sets of sons,

even though able to revoke them, the sage accepted it just as it was.

For such is the praise of a good man, because he pardons on his own.

And seeing the time of destruction, because he promotes strife,

and speaks the truth, therefore he is not smeared by sin.

And because, even though wandering everywhere, his mind is not separate

from the object of meditation, therefore there is no fault of wandering for him.

And as for his supreme affection towards me, hear that:

For I constantly praise Nārada, whose vision is godly,

with the hymn spoken by Mahendra himself; hear it, O king:

I bow to that Nārada in whom there is no egoism / arisen regarding his learning or conduct,

whose learning and conduct are unconcealed.

In whom there is no discontent, anger, fickleness, or fear;

who is not dilatory, who is steadfast—to that Nārada I bow.

Who does not speak falsely out of desire or out of greed,

who is worthy of adoration by all living beings—to that Nārada I bow.

Knower of the reality of the self's state, patient, capable, with senses conquered,

straightforward, speaker of what is true—to that Nārada I bow.

Exalted by radiance, renown, intellect, policy, and discipline,

by birth, and by austerity—to that Nārada I bow.

Pleasant in disposition, pleasant in dress, pleasant in food, well-conducted, auspicious,

gracious of eye, gracious of speech—to that Nārada I bow.

He brings about deep welfare; in him no sin exists;

he does not take pleasure in another's misfortune—to that Nārada I bow.

Who is ever established in the dharma declared by the Vedas, Smṛtis, and Purāṇas,

freed from liking and disliking—to that Nārada I bow.

Unattached in eating and the like, learned, not idle, a twice-born,

deeply learned, of fascinating tales—to that Nārada I bow.

Never before has there been error in him regarding wealth, anger, or desire;

by whom these faults have been destroyed—to that Nārada I bow.

Free from the fault of delusion, of firm devotion to the highest good,

well-guided and modest—to that Nārada I bow.

Unattached in all attachments, who yet appears attached in soul,

free from long hesitation, eloquent—to that Nārada I bow.

Who abandons nothing of scripture, who does not make a livelihood of austerity,

whose soul never spends time in vain—to that Nārada I bow.

Who has labored, who has gained wisdom, yet is never sated with concentration of mind,

and ever vigilant in exertion—to that Nārada I bow.

Who does not rejoice at the gain of wealth, nor grieves at its loss;

Whose intellect is steady, whose self is unattached—to that Nārada I bow. (42)

Endowed with all virtues, capable, pure, undaunted,

knowing the right time and knowing policy—to Nārada I go for refuge. (43)

O king, I constantly recite this praise of Nārada;

thereby the best of sages shows me supreme affection. (44)

Whoever else, having become pure, constantly chants this hymn of praise,

to him the divine seer before long grants supreme favor. (45)

Having heard these virtues of Nārada, O king,

constantly chant this sacred hymn of praise; the sage will be pleased with you.

Bābhravya said:

Having heard the virtues of Nārada from the mouth of Kṛṣṇa, the king

became exceedingly pleased and carried out that word accordingly. (47)

Then, having given abundant gifts, he worshiped Nārada,

[giving] to the foremost brahmins devoted to Nārada, saying: 'May Nārada be pleased!' (48)

Kṛṣṇa went to Dvāravatī accompanied by his brothers, kinsmen, and relatives,

having properly performed this pilgrimage to sacred fords, the Supreme Spirit. (49)

Likewise, you too, O descendant of Kuru, having heard these virtues of Nārada,

become filled with faith, and listen to the duty that is to be done here. (50)

In the month of Kārtika, on the bright twelfth day known as Prabodhinī, that sage

always becomes awakened from his meditative absorption in Viṣṇu. (51)

On that day, having performed ritual ablution with effort in the well fashioned here by Nārada,

one should attentively perform an ancestral rite (śrāddha). (52)

Austerity, gifts, and recitation performed here at this well become inexhaustible. (53)

Then one should awaken Viṣṇu with the mantra beginning with 'idam viṣṇuḥ',

and afterwards the sage Nārada with this mantra, O son of Pāṇḍu: (54)

'Just as yogic sleep has been abandoned by Hari, O best of sages,

so also do you abandon [it] for the benefit of the world.' (55)

Having awakened Nārada with this mantra, one should worship him fully

with the hymn spoken by Kṛṣṇa and with auspicious offerings of an umbrella and dhoti. (56)

An umbrella, a dhoti, and a water-pot (kamaṇḍalu) should be given to brahmins according to one's ability,

bowing down to the brahmins with devotion, saying: 'May Nārada be pleased!' (57)

When this is done, one is freed from sin by the favor of the sage;

no strife arises for him, nor does unhappiness occur here [in this world]. (58)

Thus ends the fifty-fourth chapter, titled 'Description of the Māhātmya of Nārada', in the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa of the first [section], the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, a collection of eighty-one thousand [verses]. (54)