Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3
Bhakti-Śraddhā-Ācāra-Māhātmya and the Commencement of the Mārkaṇḍeya Narrative
यथाऽलोको हि जन्तूनां चेष्टाकारणतां गतः । तथैव सर्वसिद्धीनां भक्तिः परमकारणम् ॥ ३ ॥
yathā'loko hi jantūnāṃ ceṣṭākāraṇatāṃ gataḥ | tathaiva sarvasiddhīnāṃ bhaktiḥ paramakāraṇam || 3 ||
यथा लोकः प्राणिनां चेष्टाकारणतां गतः, तथैव सर्वसिद्धीनां भक्तिः परमकारणम्।
Narada (teaching in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)
FAQs
It establishes bhakti as the fundamental enabling power behind every spiritual accomplishment—just as light makes all activity possible, devotion makes realization and success possible.
It presents bhakti not as one option among many, but as the primary cause that activates and completes all sādhana, leading to siddhi and ultimately higher spiritual fulfillment.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is prioritizing devotional practice as the core discipline that empowers all other methods.