Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 69
Bhakti-Śraddhā-Ācāra-Māhātmya and the Commencement of the Mārkaṇḍeya Narrative
श्रीभगवानुवाच । जाने वो मानसं दुःखं मृकण्डुतपसोद्गम् । युष्मान्न बाधते देवाः स ऋषिः सज्जनाग्राणीः ॥ ६९ ॥
śrībhagavānuvāca | jāne vo mānasaṃ duḥkhaṃ mṛkaṇḍutapasodgam | yuṣmānna bādhate devāḥ sa ṛṣiḥ sajjanāgrāṇīḥ || 69 ||
শ্রীভগবান বললেন—মৃকণ্ডুর তপস্যা থেকে উদ্ভূত তোমাদের মনের দুঃখ আমি জানি। দেবগণ তোমাদের কষ্ট দেন না; সেই ঋষি সজ্জনদের অগ্রগণ্য।
Sri Bhagavan (the Lord)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
The verse shows the Lord’s direct awareness of devotees’ inner distress and reassures them that divine order is not meant to harass the righteous; true ascetics like Mṛkaṇḍu are honored as exemplars of sattva and dharma.
Bhakti is implied through the Lord’s protective, intimate guidance: when one is aligned with the Lord and dharma, fear of other powers diminishes, and the virtuous devotee or sage is upheld rather than opposed.
No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is ethical: tapas must be understood within dharma, and spiritual authority is measured by sajjana-status (virtue) rather than mere power.