Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 2
The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others
Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna
सर्वेषु मंत्रवर्येषु श्रेष्ठं वैष्णवमुच्यते । गाणपत्येषु सौरेषु शाक्तशैवेष्वभीष्टदम् ॥ २ ॥
sarveṣu maṃtravaryeṣu śreṣṭhaṃ vaiṣṇavamucyate | gāṇapatyeṣu saureṣu śāktaśaiveṣvabhīṣṭadam || 2 ||
Among all the most excellent mantras, the Vaiṣṇava mantra is declared the best; and among the Gāṇapatya, Saura, Śākta, and Śaiva mantras, it is the one that grants the desired results.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga/Mantra-śāstra context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It asserts the primacy of Vaiṣṇava mantra-practice as the highest among mantras, presenting devotion to Viṣṇu as the most effective and spiritually elevated means for attaining both worldly and transcendent aims.
By ranking the Vaiṣṇava mantra as “best,” the verse frames Viṣṇu-centered bhakti and japa as a superior devotional discipline, implying that surrender and remembrance of Viṣṇu yields the most complete fulfillment of aims.
It reflects mantra-śāstra as a technical discipline—classifying mantras by deity-tradition and emphasizing phala (result-oriented application), a common practical approach in Vedic-ritual and auxiliary sciences contexts.