Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 173
The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others
Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna
ऐहिकाननपेक्ष्यैव निष्कामो योऽर्चयेद्विभुम् । स सर्वान्पुण्यपापौधान्दग्ध्वा निर्मलमानसः ॥ १७३ ॥
aihikānanapekṣyaiva niṣkāmo yo'rcayedvibhum | sa sarvānpuṇyapāpaudhāndagdhvā nirmalamānasaḥ || 173 ||
Wer ohne Erwartung weltlichen Gewinns, wunschlos (niṣkāma), den allgegenwärtigen Herrn (Vibhu) verehrt, verbrennt die aufgehäuften Berge von Verdienst und Sünde, und sein Geist wird rein.
Narada (teaching in the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that desireless worship of the all-pervading Lord purifies the mind by burning both pāpa (sin) and even the binding residue of puṇya (merit), pointing to liberation beyond karmic accounting.
Bhakti here is defined by anapekṣā (no expectation) and niṣkāmatā (no personal desire). Such worship is not transactional; it transforms the inner being, making devotion itself the purifier and liberator.
The practical takeaway is ritual-intent (saṅkalpa) discipline: worship (arcana) becomes spiritually effective when performed without desire for worldly results—an applied principle relevant to kalpa (ritual procedure) and dharma practice.