Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 190
Vāmana’s Advent, Aditi’s Hymn, Bali’s Gift, and the Mahatmya of Bhū-dāna
सनक उवाच । अमन्त्रितं हविर्यत्तु हूयते जातवेदसि । अपात्रे दीयते यच्च तद्धोरं भोगसाधनम् ॥ १९० ॥
sanaka uvāca | amantritaṃ haviryattu hūyate jātavedasi | apātre dīyate yacca taddhoraṃ bhogasādhanam || 190 ||
Sanaka said: Any oblation offered into Jātavedas (Agni) without the proper mantras, and any gift given to an unworthy recipient—both become dreadful, serving only as instruments of worldly enjoyment and bondage, not as true merit.
Sanaka
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
It teaches that ritual and charity must be guided by mantra and discernment (pātra-apātra). Otherwise, actions that appear meritorious can produce fearful results and bind the doer to worldly consequences rather than purifying the mind.
By warning against mechanically performed rites, it indirectly supports bhakti-oriented purity: offerings and gifts should be made with sacred intention, right method, and reverence—so the act becomes purification and dedication rather than a mere means to gain enjoyments.
It highlights the importance of correct mantra-application and ritual procedure (linked to Śikṣā and Kalpa/ritual discipline), and the dharmic discernment of pātra vs. apātra in dāna—key practical rules for ensuring a rite yields proper spiritual merit.