Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34
Maṅgalācaraṇa, Naimiṣāraṇya-Sabhā, Sūta-Āhvāna, and Narada Purāṇa-Māhātmya
सफलं स्याद्यथा कर्म मोक्षोपायः कथं नृणाम् । भक्त्या किं प्राप्यते पुंभिस्तथा भक्तिश्च कीदृशी ॥ ३३ ॥
saphalaṃ syādyathā karma mokṣopāyaḥ kathaṃ nṛṇām | bhaktyā kiṃ prāpyate puṃbhistathā bhaktiśca kīdṛśī || 33 ||
عمل کیسے بارآور ہو، اور انسانوں کے لیے موکش کا طریقہ کیا ہے؟ بھکتی سے مرد کیا پاتا ہے، اور کیسی بھکتی اختیار کرنی چاہیے؟
Narada (questioning the Sanatkumara tradition/teachers)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It frames the core inquiry of the Purana’s instruction: how karma should be oriented so it yields true success, what actually liberates a person, and what devotion (bhakti) accomplishes when practiced in the right way.
Rather than defining bhakti immediately, the verse sets a diagnostic standard: bhakti is evaluated by its result—what it enables one to attain—and by its quality—what kind of devotion is spiritually effective for moksha.
The verse points to the practical alignment of karma (ritual and duty) with the moksha-upāya; this implies correct application of ritual discipline and intention (a concern supported by Vedanga frameworks like Kalpa for rites), even though no Vedanga is named explicitly.