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 ||
ഓരോ അനുചിത നമസ്കാരവും മുൻപ് സമ്പാദിച്ച പുണ്യം നശിപ്പിക്കുന്നു; കൂടാതെ ശ്രാദ്ധം, വ്രതം, ദാനം, ദേവതാരാധന—ഇവയുടെ ഫലവും ക്ഷയിപ്പിക്കുന്നു॥৪২॥
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.