Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40
Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation
तपः पूजाध्यानपरोयस्त्वसूयारतो भवेत् । तत्तपः सा च पूजा च तद्ध्यानं हि निरर्थकम् ॥ ४० ॥
tapaḥ pūjādhyānaparoyastvasūyārato bhavet | tattapaḥ sā ca pūjā ca taddhyānaṃ hi nirarthakam || 40 ||
But if one devoted to austerity, worship, and meditation becomes given to malice and fault-finding, then that austerity, that worship, and that meditation are indeed rendered meaningless.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It teaches that inner defects like asūyā (envy and fault-finding) cancel the spiritual fruit of tapas, pūjā, and dhyāna; outer practice must be supported by inner purity.
Bhakti requires humility and goodwill; if one worships while harboring malice toward others, devotion becomes performative and loses its transformative power.
It emphasizes the practical discipline behind ritual life: correct conduct (ācāra) and mental restraint are essential supports for meaningful pūjā and meditative practice, beyond mere technical performance.