Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 35
Bhakti-Śraddhā-Ācāra-Māhātmya and the Commencement of the Mārkaṇḍeya Narrative
सत्ङ्गः परमो ब्रह्मन्न लभ्येताकृतात्मनाम् । यदि लभ्येत विज्ञेयं पुण्यं जन्मान्तरार्जितम् ॥ ३५ ॥
satṅgaḥ paramo brahmanna labhyetākṛtātmanām | yadi labhyeta vijñeyaṃ puṇyaṃ janmāntarārjitam || 35 ||
O Brahmin, the highest good is sat-saṅga, holy company, yet it is not attained by those who have not disciplined the inner self. If one does obtain it, know it to be the fruit of merit earned in previous births.
Sanatkumara (teaching to Narada in dialogue form)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It declares sat-saṅga (company of the saintly) as the supreme spiritual gain, and explains that access to such company depends on inner discipline and accumulated merit (puṇya) from previous lives.
Bhakti matures in the atmosphere of sat-saṅga: one learns remembrance, humility, and devotion by proximity to devotees; the verse adds that reaching such a setting itself is a grace-like result of prior puṇya.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is sādhana-discipline (ātma-saṃskāra) as the qualification to benefit from satsanga.