Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20
Dharmānukathana
Narration of Dharma
आरामकारका राजन्देवतागृहकारिणः । तडागग्रामकर्त्तारः पूज्यन्ते हरिणा सह ॥ २० ॥
ārāmakārakā rājandevatāgṛhakāriṇaḥ | taḍāgagrāmakarttāraḥ pūjyante hariṇā saha || 20 ||
ఓ రాజా, ఉద్యానాలు సృష్టించేవారు, దేవతాలయాలు నిర్మించేవారు, తటాకాలు చేసి గ్రామాలు స్థాపించేవారు—వారు హరితో కూడి గౌరవింపబడతారు।
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; addressed to a king within the discourse)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that public-benefit works—gardens, temples, water-reservoirs, and village foundations—become acts of dharma that earn divine honor, culminating in association with Hari (Vishnu).
Bhakti is expressed here as service offered to the world in a Vishnu-centered way: supporting worship (temples) and sustaining life (water, settlements, groves) is treated as honoring Hari Himself.
It primarily reflects Dharma-śāstric application (ritual merit through dāna and public works) rather than a technical Vedanga; the practical takeaway is that temple construction and waterworks are high-merit, Vishnu-oriented acts.