Shloka 1

Pūjādi-kathana — Gaṅgā Vratas, Tenfold Worship, Stotra, and Mokṣa on the Riverbank

Devanagari script

वसिष्ठ उवाच । वसोर्वचनमाकर्ण्य गङ्गामाहात्म्यसूचकम् । पुनः पप्रच्छ राजेन्द्रं तं विप्रं स्वपुरोहितम् ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

vasiṣṭha uvāca | vasorvacanamākarṇya gaṅgāmāhātmyasūcakam | punaḥ papraccha rājendraṃ taṃ vipraṃ svapurohitam || 1 ||

Translation

বসিষ্ঠ ক’লে—গঙ্গা-মাহাত্ম্য সূচক বসুৰ বাক্য শুনি, ৰাজেন্দ্ৰই পুনৰ নিজৰ কুলপুৰোহিত সেই ব্ৰাহ্মণক প্ৰশ্ন কৰিলে ॥ ১ ॥

Word by Word

• vasiṣṭhaḥ: Vasiṣṭha
• vasiṣṭhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

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

• vasoḥ: of Vasu
• vasoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• vacanam: statement/words
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ākarṇya: having heard
• ākarṇya: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√karṇ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय/ल्यप्), indeclinable; meaning ‘having heard’

• gaṅgā-māhātmya-sūcakam: indicating the greatness of the Gaṅgā
• gaṅgā-māhātmya-sūcakam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक) + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक) + sūcaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; विशेषणम् vacanam-शब्दस्य; समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गङ्गायाः माहात्म्यस्य सूचकम्)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• papraccha: asked
• papraccha: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√prach (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• rājendram: the lord of kings (king)
• rājendram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājendra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; संबोधनार्थक-उपाधि as object of asking

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• vipram: the brāhmaṇa
• vipram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; apposition to tam

• sva-purohitam: his own priest
• sva-purohitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + purohita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य पुरोहितः)

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Vasu
• Gaṅgā
• Rājendra (the king)
• Purohita (family priest)

FAQs

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

It frames the Gaṅgā-Māhātmya as authoritative teaching transmitted through respectful inquiry—showing that sacred knowledge about tīrthas is received by listening (śravaṇa) and asking (praśna) the qualified teacher.

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

While not explicitly naming bhakti, it models a bhakti-aligned attitude: humble attentiveness to sacred topics (Gaṅgā’s greatness) and reliance on a learned guide, which supports practices like tīrtha-sevā, śravaṇa, and dharma-centered living.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights the applied role of the purohita (ritual specialist) in guiding dharmic action; the verse implies the use of Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Dharmaśāstra-based counsel when discussing tīrtha-related observances.