Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 68

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Gaṅgāmāhātmya

Devanagari script

नारायणो जगद्धाता वासुदेवः सनातनः । गङ्गास्नानपराणां तु वाञ्छितार्थफलप्रदः ॥ ६८ ॥

Transliteration

nārāyaṇo jagaddhātā vāsudevaḥ sanātanaḥ | gaṅgāsnānaparāṇāṃ tu vāñchitārthaphalapradaḥ || 68 ||

Translation

নারায়ণ—জগদ্ধাতা, সনাতন বাসুদেব—গঙ্গাস্নানে পরায়ণ জনদের অবশ্যই বাঞ্ছিত অভীষ্টের ফল প্রদান করেন।

Word by Word

• नारायणः: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• जगत्-धाता: sustainer of the world
• जगत्-धाता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + धाता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) — ‘supporter/creator of the world’

• वासुदेवः: Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• सनातनः: eternal
• सनातनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) — qualifying the subject

• गङ्गा-स्नान-पराणाम्: of those devoted to bathing in the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा-स्नान-पराणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) — ‘of those devoted to bathing in the Gaṅgā’

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya) — अवधारण/विरोधसूचक (emphasis/contrast ‘indeed/but’)

• वाञ्छित-अर्थ-फल-प्रदः: giver of the results of desired aims
• वाञ्छित-अर्थ-फल-प्रदः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाञ्छित (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) — ‘giver of the fruit of desired aims’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Vasudeva
• Vishnu
• Ganga

FAQs

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

It links tīrtha-practice (Gaṅgā-snāna) with devotion to Nārāyaṇa, teaching that sacred acts bear fruit when oriented to the Eternal Lord who sustains the world.

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

By naming Nārāyaṇa/Vāsudeva as the true giver of results, it frames the ritual act of Gaṅgā-bathing as bhakti-centered—an offering and reliance on Viṣṇu rather than mere external purification.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application (kalpa-oriented practice) is implied: tīrtha-snāna as a purificatory rite and a dharmic observance, with the reminder that its efficacy is ultimately attributed to the deity (Nārāyaṇa) who grants phala.