Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34
Yamapatha (The Road of Yama), Dāna-Phala, and the Imperishable Fruition of Karma
तस्मिन्यो याति विश्वासं तं विद्यादात्मघातकम् । सर्वेषु प्राणिनः श्रेष्टास्तेषु वै बुद्धिजीविनः ॥ ३४ ॥
tasminyo yāti viśvāsaṃ taṃ vidyādātmaghātakam | sarveṣu prāṇinaḥ śreṣṭāsteṣu vai buddhijīvinaḥ || 34 ||
അതിൽ (അയോഗ്യ ആശ്രയത്തിൽ) വിശ്വാസം വെക്കുന്നവനെ ആത്മഘാതകനെന്ന് അറിയുക. എല്ലാ പ്രാണികളിലും മനുഷ്യരാണ് ശ്രേഷ്ഠർ; മനുഷ്യരിലും സദ്ബുദ്ധിയാൽ ജീവിക്കുന്നവരാണ് ശ്രേഷ്ഠർ।
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It warns that faith placed in an unworthy support becomes ātmaghāta—self-harm—because it derails discernment (viveka) and leads one away from dharma and liberation.
Bhakti is not blind credulity; it is steady faith anchored in a worthy object—Bhagavān and sādhus. The verse implies that misdirected trust obstructs true devotion by empowering harmful influences.
The takeaway is ethical discernment rather than a specific Vedāṅga ritual: one should use buddhi (reasoned judgment) to evaluate teachers, teachings, and practices before giving trust.