Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 138
Dharmānukathana
Narration of Dharma
यो विष्णोर्भक्तिभावेन तथैव गोद्विजस्य च । प्रदक्षिणां चरेत्तस्य ह्यश्वमेधः पदे पदे ॥ १३८ ॥
yo viṣṇorbhaktibhāvena tathaiva godvijasya ca | pradakṣiṇāṃ carettasya hyaśvamedhaḥ pade pade || 138 ||
Wer in bhakti zu Viṣṇu ebenso eine Pradakṣiṇā um eine Kuh und um einen Brāhmaṇa vollzieht, erlangt bei jedem Schritt das Verdienst eines Aśvamedha-Opfers.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that sincere Viṣṇu-bhakti expressed through honoring sacred supports of dharma—cow and brāhmaṇa—yields extraordinary merit, symbolically equated with the Aśvamedha at every step.
Bhakti here is not only inner faith but a lived reverence: the devotee’s devotion to Viṣṇu is demonstrated through pradakṣiṇā and respectful conduct toward the cow and the dvija, making simple acts spiritually potent.
Ritual praxis is emphasized: the rule of pradakṣiṇā (clockwise circumambulation) and the idea of phala-śruti (stated spiritual result) reflect practical dharma-ritual instruction rather than technical Vedāṅga theory.