SB 1.6.32
deva-dattam imam vinam
svara-brahma-vibhusitam
murcchayitva hari-katham
gayamanas caramy aham
Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
And thus I travel, constantly singing the transcendental message of the glories of the Lord, vibrating this instrument called a vina, which is charged with transcendental sound and which was given to me by Lord Krsna.
Purportby His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada
The musical stringed instrument called the vina, which was handed to Narada by Lord Sri Krsna, is described in the Linga Purana, and this is confirmed by Srila Jiva Gosvami. This transcendental instrument is identical with Lord Sri Krsna and Narada because all of them are of the same transcendental category. Sound vibrated by the instrument cannot be material, and therefore the glories and pastimes which are broadcast by the instrument of Narada are also transcendental, without a tinge of material inebriety. The seven singing meters, namely sa (sadja), r (rsabha), ga (gandhara), ma (madhyama), pa (pañcama), dha (dhaivata) and ni (nisada), are also transcendental and specifically meant for transcendental songs. As a pure devotee of the Lord, Sri Naradadeva is always fulfilling his obligation to the Lord for His gift of the instrument, and thus he is always engaged in singing His transcendental glories and is therefore infallible in his exalted position. Following in the footsteps of Srila Narada Muni, a self-realized soul in the material world should also properly use the sound meters, namely sa, r, ga, ma, etc., in the service of the Lord by constantly singing the glories of the Lord, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita.