Vyasa becomes freed of depression⁶

Vyasa was the great sage who wrote the Mahabharata. One day he was terribly depressed. He thought, “What am I going to do with my life? I am all depression, depression, depression. I have read the Vedas. I am an authority on the Vedas. Everyone comes to me for knowledge. I am the greatest of all the sages, but today I am so depressed. What am I going to do? In the Mahabharata I have written so many stories to console people when they are depressed. And now I myself am dying of depression.”

Narada appeared before him. Narada was a great sage who sang the glories of Vishnu everywhere. He was a great seeker, the greatest singer and the greatest devotee, but sometimes he would act very undivine. He would become jealous of people who were very happy and would then create problems for them. For this reason, people called him a problem-maker.

When Narada appeared, Vyasa said, “O Narada, save me, save me! I am in trouble!”

“You are in trouble? Everybody says that I am the problem-maker,” said Narada. “I can only make more problems for you. What kind of help do you need?”

“Narada, please tell me how I can have peace of mind. I am so depressed today.”

“You are depressed? You have given consolation to thousands of people. Who will believe that you are depressed?”

“You must believe me and you must save me!”

“But you always call me the problem-maker!”

“Yes, but at the same time you are closest to Vishnu. Vishnu can console anyone. So can you not ask Vishnu to console me?”

“I cannot ask Vishnu that. He will laugh at me if I tell him that you, of all people, need consolation. He says that you are the wisest person on earth. He won’t believe that you have become a victim of depression.”

“But I am suffering. Please tell Vishnu. He will cure me.”

“I can tell Vishnu, but it is not necessary. I myself can tell you how to be cured.”

“Then please tell me. I have faith in you.”

“You have written the Mahabharata. You know everything that is in the Vedas, but are you doing the right thing?”

“What have I done wrong?”

“Have you written one book that is only about Lord Krishna?”

“Oh no.”

“Then start writing! Write the Bhagavatam, which will be all about Krishna from beginning to end. Then there will be no depression in your life. Your soul wants you to write a new book only about Krishna.”

“All right, I am starting,” he said. As soon as he started writing, his depression was transformed into delight, delight, delight.