Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31
The Origin of the Gaṅgā and the Gods’ Defeat Caused by Bali
बुभुजेऽव्याहतैश्चर्यप्रवृद्धश्रीर्महाबलः । इत्याज चाश्वमेघैः स विष्णुप्रीणनतत्परः ॥ ३१ ॥
bubhuje'vyāhataiścaryapravṛddhaśrīrmahābalaḥ | ityāja cāśvameghaiḥ sa viṣṇuprīṇanatatparaḥ || 31 ||
Mit großer Kraft begabt und mit Wohlstand, der durch ungetrübte Rechtschaffenheit anwuchs, genoss er sein Reich. So vollzog er auch Aśvamedha-Opfer, ganz darauf bedacht, Herrn Viṣṇu zu erfreuen.
Suta (narrator) describing a king devoted to Vishnu
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It links worldly prosperity (śrī) to unobstructed dharmic conduct and frames major Vedic sacrifice as ultimately meaningful when oriented toward pleasing Viṣṇu.
Bhakti is shown as the inner intention (tatparatā): even royal power and grand rituals like Aśvamedha become devotional when performed for Viṣṇu-prīṇana (the satisfaction of Viṣṇu).
Ritual application (Kalpa) is implied: the verse references Aśvamedha as a regulated śrauta rite, emphasizing correct performance of yajña within rāja-dharma.