Shloka 4

The Description of the Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

मोहिन्युवाच । भगवन्वाडवश्रेष्ठ गंगामाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । सर्वेषां च पुराणानां संमतं वद सांप्रतम् ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

mohinyuvāca | bhagavanvāḍavaśreṣṭha gaṃgāmāhātmyamuttamam | sarveṣāṃ ca purāṇānāṃ saṃmataṃ vada sāṃpratam || 5 ||

Translation

قالت موهينِي: «يا أيها المبارك، يا أفضلَ من بين الفادَفَة (Vāḍava)، حدّثني الآن عن العظمةِ العليا للغانغا؛ تلك السيرة التي أقرّتها جميعُ البورانات وصدّقتها».

Word by Word

• mohinī: Mohinī
• mohinī: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mohinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया/main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhagavan: O venerable one
• bhagavan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• vāḍava-śreṣṭha: O best of the Vāḍavas
• vāḍava-śreṣṭha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāḍava (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('best among the Vāḍavas')

• gaṅgā-māhātmyam: the glory of the Gaṅgā
• gaṅgā-māhātmyam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक) + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('the greatness of Gaṅgā')

• uttamam: supreme, excellent
• uttamam: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with māhātmyam

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• purāṇānām: of the Purāṇas
• purāṇānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• saṃmatam: approved, agreed upon
• saṃmatam: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃmata (कृदन्त, √man)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with (gaṅgā-māhātmyam) understood

• vada: tell
• vada: Kriya (क्रिया/imperative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• sāṃpratam: now, at present
• sāṃpratam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sāṃpratam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (कालवाचक)

Speaker

Mohinī

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

This verse formally requests the Gaṅgā’s māhātmya as a universally accepted (sarva-purāṇa-saṃmata) teaching, framing Gaṅgā as a pan-Purāṇic tirtha whose glory supports purification and pilgrimage-dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By seeking the “supreme greatness” of Gaṅgā, the verse sets a devotional tone: hearing and honoring a tirtha’s māhātmya is treated in Purāṇic tradition as a bhakti practice that deepens reverence and inspires worship, vows, and sacred bathing.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga is taught directly; the practical takeaway is Purāṇic hermeneutics—validating a teaching as “agreed by all Purāṇas” as a criterion for authoritative dharma guidance in tirtha-related practice.