Viṣṇor Māhātmya and Indriya-saṃyama (विष्णोर्माहात्म्यं तथा इन्द्रियसंयमः)
यदि मन्त्राड्हीनो5यं यज्ञों भवति वै कृत: । मां भो: प्रक्षिप होत्रे त्वं गच्छ स्वर्गमनिन्दित:,“यदि किया हुआ यज्ञ मन्त्र और अंगसे हीन हो तो वह यजमानके लिये दुष्कर्म ही है। ब्राह्मणदेव! तुम मुझे होताको सौंप दो और स्वयं निन्दारहित होकर स्वर्गलोकमें जाओ”
nārada uvāca |
yadi mantrāḍhīno 'yaṃ yajño bhavati vai kṛtaḥ |
māṃ bhoḥ prakṣipa hotre tvaṃ gaccha svargam aninditaḥ ||
Nārada berkata: “Jika korban suci ini, walaupun telah dilakukan, namun kekurangan mantra dan anggota-anggota ritual yang wajib, maka ia menjadi perbuatan salah bagi si yajamāna (tuan korban). Wahai yang mulia, serahkanlah aku kepada pendeta Hotṛ, dan engkau—tanpa cela—pergilah ke syurga.”
नारद उवाच
A ritual is not ethically neutral merely because it is performed; if it lacks the proper mantras and required components, it can turn into a fault (duṣkṛta) for the patron. Dharma here emphasizes correctness, responsibility, and the moral weight of ritual procedure.
Narada addresses a participant in a sacrificial context, warning that a mantra-deficient yajña harms the yajamāna. He instructs the person to consign Narada to the Hotṛ priest and then depart to Svarga without blame, implying a transfer of ritual handling to the proper officiant and the safeguarding of merit.