Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 75
Maṅgalācaraṇa, Naimiṣāraṇya-Sabhā, Sūta-Āhvāna, and Narada Purāṇa-Māhātmya
श्रोता वक्ता चविप्रेन्द्रा एष धर्मः सनातनः । असमाहितचित्तस्तु न जानाति हि किंचना ॥ ७४ ॥
śrotā vaktā caviprendrā eṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ | asamāhitacittastu na jānāti hi kiṃcanā || 74 ||
Ô meilleur des brāhmaṇas : être un auditeur véritable et un orateur véritable, voilà le dharma éternel (sanātana). Mais celui dont l’esprit n’est pas recueilli et stable ne comprend absolument rien.
Narada (teaching in a didactic context; addressed to eminent brāhmaṇas/disciples)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It defines sanātana-dharma in practical terms: sacred knowledge bears fruit only when there is a qualified speaker and a receptive, attentive listener; without mental steadiness, even divine instruction remains ungrasped.
Bhakti is rooted in śravaṇa (hearing) and kīrtana/pravacana (speaking). The verse stresses that devotion matures when the mind is composed—otherwise one cannot truly absorb the Lord’s names, teachings, or Purāṇic counsel.
It highlights the foundational discipline needed for all śāstra study—attention and mental composure—without which even technical learning (like vyākaraṇa or śikṣā) cannot be properly understood or retained.