Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 132
Dharmānukathana
Narration of Dharma
स कोटिकुलमुद्धृत्य याति साम्यं मधुद्विषः । शिलाचूर्णेन यो मर्त्यो देवागारं तु लेपयेत् ॥ १३२ ॥
sa koṭikulamuddhṛtya yāti sāmyaṃ madhudviṣaḥ | śilācūrṇena yo martyo devāgāraṃ tu lepayet || 132 ||
ശിലാചൂർണ്ണംകൊണ്ട് ദേവാലയം ലേപനം ചെയ്യുന്ന മർത്ത്യൻ, കോടി കുലങ്ങളെ ഉയർത്തി മധുദ്വിഷനായ വിഷ്ണുവിന്റെ സാമ്യം (സാന്നിധ്യം) പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It teaches that humble, tangible service to a Viṣṇu-temple—such as plastering and upkeep—becomes a powerful act of puṇya that benefits one’s lineage and draws the devotee into intimate proximity with Viṣṇu (Madhudviṣa).
Bhakti is shown not only as prayer but as sevā: caring for the Lord’s abode. By maintaining the devāgāra, the devotee expresses reverence in action, and that devotional labor is said to lead to sāmyam with Viṣṇu.
It highlights ritual application (kalpa-prayoga) within dharma: the prescribed, meritorious act of temple maintenance (lepa—plastering) as part of regulated devotional practice rather than abstract theory.