Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 47
Maṅgalācaraṇa, Naimiṣāraṇya-Sabhā, Sūta-Āhvāna, and Narada Purāṇa-Māhātmya
दुःखप्रनाशनं पुण्यं श्रोतव्यं यत्नतो द्विजाः । श्रद्धया सहितो मर्त्यः श्लोकं श्लोकार्द्धमेव वा ॥ ४६ ॥
duḥkhapranāśanaṃ puṇyaṃ śrotavyaṃ yatnato dvijāḥ | śraddhayā sahito martyaḥ ślokaṃ ślokārddhameva vā || 46 ||
Oh, nacidos dos veces, esta enseñanza meritoria que destruye el dolor debe escucharse con empeño. El mortal, acompañado de fe, debe oír aunque sea un solo śloka—o incluso medio śloka.
Sanatkumara (addressing Narada / assembled dvijas in the teaching frame)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that faithful listening (śravaṇa) to sacred instruction is itself a potent Dharma-practice: it generates puṇya and removes duḥkha, even if one hears only a small portion.
Bhakti begins with śraddhā and śravaṇa; the verse emphasizes that sincere, faith-filled hearing of holy teachings is an accessible devotional act that purifies the heart and reduces suffering.
It highlights the discipline of śravaṇa as a practical sādhanā rather than a specific Vedāṅga; the takeaway is that correct reception of teaching—heard attentively and with faith—is foundational to all scriptural learning.