Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 48
गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā
श्रेयस्कामो भवेद्यस्तु नीतिशास्त्रार्थकोविदः । साधुत्वं समभावं च खलानां नैव विश्वसेत् ॥ ४८ ॥
śreyaskāmo bhavedyastu nītiśāstrārthakovidaḥ | sādhutvaṃ samabhāvaṃ ca khalānāṃ naiva viśvaset || 48 ||
One who seeks true welfare should be skilled in grasping the meaning of ethical and political treatises; and he should never trust the “goodness” or “even-mindedness” displayed by the wicked.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It teaches viveka (discernment): spiritual progress and one’s śreyas depend not only on learning dharma/nīti, but also on refusing to be misled by the outward ‘virtue’ or ‘calmness’ of the wicked.
Bhakti requires purity of association and steadiness of mind; the verse warns that trusting deceptive people can disturb faith and conduct, indirectly obstructing disciplined devotional life.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is directly taught; the emphasis is on nīti-śāstra artha-jñāna—practical discernment and ethical reasoning as applied dharma.