Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 10

Bhagīratha Brings Gaṅgā; Saudāsa’s Curse; Khaṭvāṅga’s Instant Renunciation

Devanagari script

भगीरथ: स राजर्षिर्निन्ये भुवनपावनीम् । यत्र स्वपितृणां देहा भस्मीभूता: स्म शेरते ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

bhagīrathaḥ sa rājarṣir ninye bhuvana-pāvanīm yatra sva-pitṝṇāṁ dehā bhasmībhūtāḥ sma śerate

Translation

The great and saintly king Bhagīratha brought the Ganges, which can deliver all the fallen souls, to that place on earth where the bodies of his forefathers lay burnt to ashes.

Synonyms

• भगीरथः: Bhagīratha
• भगीरथः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगीरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; pronoun

• राज-ऋषिः: royal sage
• राज-ऋषिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (राजा चासौ ऋषिः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निन्ये: led/brought
• निन्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नी (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भुवन-पावनीम्: the purifier of the worlds
• भुवन-पावनीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक) + पावनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भुवनं पावयतीति); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective of implied ‘गङ्गाम्’

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (relative adverb of place)

• स्व-पितॄणाम्: of his own forefathers
• स्व-पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वस्य पितरः); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• देहाः: bodies
• देहाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• भस्मीभूताः: reduced to ashes
• भस्मीभूताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्मीभूत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: भू-धातु से क्त (भूत) + उपपद ‘भस्मी’ (भस्म-भावं गत); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; predicate adjective of ‘देहाः’

• स्म: indeed/then (past marker)
• स्म: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (past-tense marker/ स्म-निपात)

• शेरते: lay (were lying)
• शेरते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद

Characters & Entities

• Bhagīratha
• Gaṅgā
• Bhagīratha's forefathers (Sagara's sons)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the power of Gaṅgā to purify and liberate?

This verse states that Bhagīratha brought the world-purifying Gaṅgā to the place where his ancestors lay as ashes, implying her purifying potency connected with their deliverance.

Why did King Bhagīratha bring Gaṅgā to the place where the ashes of his forefathers lay?

Because his forefathers had been reduced to ashes and required purification and deliverance; Bhagīratha performed extraordinary effort to bring Gaṅgā to that very spot for their benefit.

Practical application: What can we learn from Bhagīratha’s determination in modern life?

Bhagīratha models selfless responsibility—working with perseverance for the welfare of others, especially one’s family and spiritual duties, even when the task is difficult.