Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8
Bhakti-Śraddhā-Ācāra-Māhātmya and the Commencement of the Mārkaṇḍeya Narrative
मेरुमात्रसुवर्णानां कोटिकोटिसहस्रशः । दत्ता चाप्यर्थनाशाय यतोभक्तिविवर्जिता ॥ ८ ॥
merumātrasuvarṇānāṃ koṭikoṭisahasraśaḥ | dattā cāpyarthanāśāya yatobhaktivivarjitā || 8 ||
Even if one were to give gifts of gold as vast as Mount Meru, in tens of thousands of crores, they still lead only to ruin when they are devoid of bhakti.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
FAQs
It declares that sheer magnitude of charity cannot substitute for inner devotion; offerings lacking bhakti become spiritually barren and can even turn harmful by feeding ego or misdirected intent.
Bhakti is presented as the qualifying principle that sanctifies actions like dāna; without devotion, even vast religious acts fail to yield auspicious fruit, whereas devotion gives spiritual meaning to outward practice.
No specific Vedāṅga is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ritual-principle (dharma): intention and devotion (bhāva/bhakti) determine the efficacy of acts like dāna, not quantity alone.