Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 153
Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy
यः स्वधर्मं परित्यज्य भक्तिमात्रेण जीवति । न तस्य तुष्यते विष्णुराचारेणैव तुष्यते ॥ १५३ ॥
yaḥ svadharmaṃ parityajya bhaktimātreṇa jīvati | na tasya tuṣyate viṣṇurācāreṇaiva tuṣyate || 153 ||
អ្នកណាដែលបោះបង់ស្វធម្មរបស់ខ្លួន ហើយរស់ដោយភក្តិ (bhakti) តែប៉ុណ្ណោះ—ព្រះវិෂ្ណុមិនពេញព្រះហឫទ័យចំពោះគាត់ទេ; ព្រះអង្គពេញព្រះហឫទ័យតែដោយអាចារៈល្អ (ācāra) ប៉ុណ្ណោះ។
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)
Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)
FAQs
It teaches that devotion is not meant to cancel dharma; Vishnu is pleased when bhakti is grounded in ācāra—ethical discipline, prescribed duties, and a life aligned with sacred norms.
Bhakti is affirmed, but the verse corrects a common error: claiming devotion while neglecting svadharma. True Vaishnava bhakti expresses itself through conduct—humility, restraint, duty, and integrity.
The emphasis is on ācāra (proper practice), which in tradition is supported by Kalpa (ritual procedure and dharma-sutras) and Smriti-based conduct codes—showing that correct observance is part of devotional life.