Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 127
Dharmānukathana
Narration of Dharma
जलेनापि स सालोक्यं विष्णोर्याति नरोत्तम । देवतायतने यस्तु कुर्यात्सम्मार्जनं सुधीः ॥ १२७ ॥
jalenāpi sa sālokyaṃ viṣṇoryāti narottama | devatāyatane yastu kuryātsammārjanaṃ sudhīḥ || 127 ||
ഹേ നരോത്തമാ! ദേവാലയത്തിൽ ബുദ്ധിമാൻ തൂത്തുവാരി ശുചീകരിക്കുകയും ജലത്താൽ പോലും ശുദ്ധി വരുത്തുകയും ചെയ്താൽ, അവൻ ശ്രീവിഷ്ണുവിന്റെ സാലോക്യം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It elevates simple temple-sevā—sweeping and washing a shrine—as a direct, devotion-filled act that yields a high fruit: sālokya with Viṣṇu, emphasizing purity, humility, and service.
Bhakti is shown as practical service (kriyā-bhakti): honoring the Lord by caring for His abode. Even an ordinary act like cleaning with water becomes worship when done for the deity.
Ritual discipline and purity rules (śauca within kalpa-style practice) are implied: maintaining a clean sanctum and temple space as part of proper worship procedure.