Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 41
The Characteristics of Devotion to Hari
चण्डालोऽपि मुनिश्रेष्ठ विष्णुभक्तो द्विजाधिकः । विष्णुभक्तिविहीनश्च द्विजोऽपि श्वपचाधमः ॥ ४१ ॥
caṇḍālo'pi muniśreṣṭha viṣṇubhakto dvijādhikaḥ | viṣṇubhaktivihīnaśca dvijo'pi śvapacādhamaḥ || 41 ||
O pinakadakilang pantas, kahit ang isang caṇḍāla—kung may bhakti kay Viṣṇu—ay higit kaysa sa isang dwija; ngunit ang dwija na walang bhakti kay Viṣṇu ay tunay na pinakamababa, gaya ng tagaluto ng aso.
Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: raudra
FAQs
It declares bhakti to Viṣṇu as the true measure of spiritual worth and authority (adhikāra), overruling mere birth-identity; devotion elevates, and devotionlessness degrades.
Bhakti is presented as the decisive criterion of holiness: one who takes refuge in Viṣṇu with devotion becomes spiritually foremost, regardless of social origin, while ritual status without devotion is spiritually empty.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught directly; the practical takeaway is dharma-nirṇaya—judging merit by conduct and Viṣṇu-bhakti rather than by lineage alone.