Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 43

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release

Devanagari script

गङ्गाबिन्दूभिषिक्तस्तु त्यक्त्त्वा वै राक्षसीं तनुम् । पूर्वरुपं त्वमापन्नो भोक्ष्यसे मेदिनीमिमाम् ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

gaṅgābindūbhiṣiktastu tyakttvā vai rākṣasīṃ tanum | pūrvarupaṃ tvamāpanno bhokṣyase medinīmimām || 44 ||

Translation

গঙ্গার বিন্দুজলে অভিষিক্ত হলে তুমি এই রাক্ষসী দেহ ত্যাগ করবে। পূর্বরূপ লাভ করে তুমি এই পৃথিবী ভোগ ও শাসন করবে।

Word by Word

• गङ्गा-बिन्दु-अभिषिक्तः: sprinkled/anointed with drops of the Ganga
• गङ्गा-बिन्दु-अभिषिक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + बिन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) + अभि√सिच् (धातु) → अभिषिक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गायाः बिन्दुभिः अभिषिक्तः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having abandoned)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• राक्षसीम्: demonic (rakshasi)
• राक्षसीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राक्षसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (तनुम् इति)

• तनुम्: body
• तनुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पूर्व-रूपम्: former form
• पूर्व-रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (पूर्वं रूपम्)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; उत्तमपुरुषार्थे मध्यमपुरुष-प्रयोगः; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• आपन्नः: have attained/assumed
• आपन्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√पद् (धातु) → आपन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past active/resultative); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (त्वम्)

• भोक्ष्यसे: you will enjoy/possess
• भोक्ष्यसे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future); मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मेदिनीम्: the earth/kingdom
• मेदिनीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेदिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (मेदिनीम्)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (narrating/teaching to Narada in the dialogue framework of Book 1.1)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Medini (Earth)

FAQs

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

It teaches that contact with a supreme tīrtha—here, even a few drops of Gaṅgā—has transformative power: it purifies degraded identity (rākṣasa-bhāva) and restores one’s rightful, dharmic state.

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

Though not a direct bhakti-instruction, it reflects bhakti theology: sacred realities connected to the divine (Gaṅgā as a holy tīrtha) confer grace and inner change, leading from impurity to restored life aligned with dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual practice is implied: abhiṣeka/sprinkling with sanctified water as a purificatory act (a prayoga aligned with kalpa-style ritual reasoning), emphasizing tīrtha-water as a means of śuddhi in dharmic observance.