Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 52
Maṅgalācaraṇa, Naimiṣāraṇya-Sabhā, Sūta-Āhvāna, and Narada Purāṇa-Māhātmya
सद्भक्तिवत्सलो विप्रा भक्त्या तुष्यति नान्यथा । अश्रद्धयापि यांन्नाच्चि कीर्तितेऽथ स्मूतेऽपि वा ॥ ५१ ॥
sadbhaktivatsalo viprā bhaktyā tuṣyati nānyathā | aśraddhayāpi yāṃnnācci kīrtite'tha smūte'pi vā || 51 ||
O brāhmaṇas, the Lord is affectionate to true devotees; He is pleased only by bhakti and by nothing else. Even without faith, when His Name is uttered, sung in kīrtana, or even remembered, it still bears spiritual effect.
Suta (narrating the teaching in a dialogue-context attributed to Narada’s bhakti instruction)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It declares bhakti as the sole direct means to please the Lord and highlights the extraordinary purifying potency of the Divine Name through utterance, praise, or remembrance.
It prioritizes devotion over other approaches and presents nāma-kīrtana (praise of the Name) and smaraṇa (remembrance) as accessible bhakti practices that produce spiritual benefit even when one’s faith is weak.
The verse practically emphasizes correct and consistent recitation (linked with Śikṣā—phonetics/recitation discipline) and the devotional use of speech (kīrtana/uccāraṇa) as a daily sādhanā.