Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8
Bhakti-Śraddhā-Ācāra-Māhātmya and the Commencement of the Mārkaṇḍeya Narrative
मेरुमात्रसुवर्णानां कोटिकोटिसहस्रशः । दत्ता चाप्यर्थनाशाय यतोभक्तिविवर्जिता ॥ ८ ॥
merumātrasuvarṇānāṃ koṭikoṭisahasraśaḥ | dattā cāpyarthanāśāya yatobhaktivivarjitā || 8 ||
ಮೇರುಪರ್ವತದಷ್ಟು ಚಿನ್ನವನ್ನು ಕೋಟಿ ಕೋಟಿ ಸಹಸ್ರ ಬಾರಿ ದಾನ ಮಾಡಿದರೂ, ಭಕ್ತಿವರ್ಜಿತವಾಗಿದ್ದರೆ ಅದು ಕೊನೆಗೆ ಸಂಪತ್ತಿನ ನಾಶಕ್ಕೇ ಕಾರಣವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
FAQs
It declares that sheer magnitude of charity cannot substitute for inner devotion; offerings lacking bhakti become spiritually barren and can even turn harmful by feeding ego or misdirected intent.
Bhakti is presented as the qualifying principle that sanctifies actions like dāna; without devotion, even vast religious acts fail to yield auspicious fruit, whereas devotion gives spiritual meaning to outward practice.
No specific Vedāṅga is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ritual-principle (dharma): intention and devotion (bhāva/bhakti) determine the efficacy of acts like dāna, not quantity alone.