Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 70
Mārkaṇḍeya-varṇanam
The Description of Mārkaṇḍeya
ये यजन्ति महादेवं क्रतुभिर्बहुदक्षिणैः । हरिं वा परया भक्त्या ते वै भागवतोत्तमाः ॥ ७० ॥
ye yajanti mahādevaṃ kratubhirbahudakṣiṇaiḥ | hariṃ vā parayā bhaktyā te vai bhāgavatottamāḥ || 70 ||
以丰厚布施相随的祭仪（kratu）礼敬大天（Mahādeva）者，或以至上奉爱（bhakti）礼敬哈利（Hari）者——此等人确为薄伽跋多至胜者，主之奉主者中最上。
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Purva Bhaga dialogue context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It ranks spiritual excellence by emphasizing sincere worship—either through properly performed Vedic sacrifice with generous dakṣiṇā, or through single-minded supreme bhakti to Hari—both producing the status of a foremost Bhāgavata.
It highlights parā-bhakti (supreme devotion) to Hari as a direct marker of the highest devotee, showing that inner devotion can be as definitive as elaborate ritual performance.
Ritual correctness is implied through kratu (yajña) and dakṣiṇā—pointing to Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Dharmaśāstra norms governing sacrificial gifts and officiation.