Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20
Bhāgīratha’s Bringing of the Gaṅgā
साधवः कीदृशाः प्रोक्तास्तथा पुण्यं च कीदृशम् । स्मर्तव्यश्च कथं विष्णुस्तस्य पूजा च कीदृशी ॥ २० ॥
sādhavaḥ kīdṛśāḥ proktāstathā puṇyaṃ ca kīdṛśam | smartavyaśca kathaṃ viṣṇustasya pūjā ca kīdṛśī || 20 ||
„Welche Menschen werden als wahre Sādhus, als Tugendhafte, bezeichnet? Und was gilt als echtes Verdienst (Puṇya)? Wie soll man des Herrn Viṣṇu gedenken, und wie ist die rechte Form seiner Verehrung?“
Nārada (questioning Sanatkumāra and the Sanaka brothers’ teaching line)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
This verse frames the core devotional inquiry: it asks for authoritative definitions of a true sādhu and true puṇya, and it seeks practical instruction on Viṣṇu-smaraṇa and Viṣṇu-pūjā—linking ethics (dharma) with devotion (bhakti).
Bhakti is presented as both remembrance and worship of Viṣṇu; the verse implies that genuine merit is not merely ritual action, but devotion guided by right understanding of saintly conduct and proper pūjā.
The verse points toward ritual procedure (kalpa-oriented practice) through its question about the proper form of pūjā, though it does not name a specific Vedāṅga explicitly in this line.