Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 42
Varṇāśrama Saṁskāras, Upanayana Windows, Brahmacārin Ācāra, and Anadhyāya Prohibitions
प्रत्येकं तु नमस्कारो हंति पुण्यं पुराकृतम् । श्राद्धं व्रतं तथा दानं देवताभ्यार्चनं तथा ॥ ४२ ॥
pratyekaṃ tu namaskāro haṃti puṇyaṃ purākṛtam | śrāddhaṃ vrataṃ tathā dānaṃ devatābhyārcanaṃ tathā || 42 ||
Mais chaque salutation faite à contre-rite détruit le mérite acquis auparavant ; elle amoindrit aussi les fruits des rites de śrāddha, des vœux sacrés (vrata), du don (dāna) et du culte rendu aux divinités.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a dharma-instruction context)
Vrata: vrata (general)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It warns that certain faulty forms of conduct—here framed around repeated/incorrect salutations—can negate previously earned spiritual merit and reduce the efficacy of major dharmic acts like śrāddha, vrata, dāna, and deity-worship.
Bhakti is not only emotion but also reverent discipline: devotion expressed through worship and salutations must be done with proper respect and correctness, otherwise the intended devotional fruit is diminished.
It points to ritual correctness (kalpa/ācāra in the wider Vedāṅga-ritual domain): the verse emphasizes that procedural or behavioral faults can obstruct the results of śrāddha, vows, charity, and devatā-arcana.