Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 76
Gaṅgā-māhātmya: Bāhu’s Envy, Defeat, Forest Exile, and Aurva’s Dharmic Consolation
पत्युः कृतक्रिया सा तु गत्वाश्रमपदं मुनेः । चकार तस्य शुश्रूषां सपत्न्या सह नारद ॥ ७६ ॥
patyuḥ kṛtakriyā sā tu gatvāśramapadaṃ muneḥ | cakāra tasya śuśrūṣāṃ sapatnyā saha nārada || 76 ||
After performing the funeral rites for her husband, she went to the sage’s hermitage; and there, O Nārada, she devoted herself to serving him, together with her co-wife.
Suta (narrator)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It links two pillars of dharma—proper rites for the departed (kṛta-kriyā) and humble service to a sage (śuśrūṣā)—showing that ritual duty and disciplined ashram-life together refine character and spiritual merit.
While not naming a deity directly, it highlights śuśrūṣā (reverent service) in a muni’s āśrama, a classic bhakti-aligned discipline where humility, obedience, and service prepare the heart for devotion and higher instruction.
The verse points to kalpa/ritual practice in the form of kṛta-kriyā—performance of prescribed rites for the husband—indicating the importance of correct procedure and dharmic observance before entering sustained ashram service.