Shloka 35

Kāśī-māhātmya: Avimukta Gaṅgā and the Pañcanada Tīrtha

Devanagari script

यदेकस्नानतो नश्येदघं जन्मत्रयार्जितम् । कृते धर्मंनदं नाम त्रेतायां धूतपातकम् ॥ ३५ ॥

Transliteration

yadekasnānato naśyedaghaṃ janmatrayārjitam | kṛte dharmaṃnadaṃ nāma tretāyāṃ dhūtapātakam || 35 ||

Translation

যাতে একবার স্নান করলেই তিন জন্মের সঞ্চিত পাপ নষ্ট হয়; কৃতযুগে তার নাম ছিল ‘ধর্মনদা’, আর ত্রেতাযুগে তা ‘ধূতপাতক’ (পাপ-নাশিনী) নামে প্রসিদ্ধ।

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; relative pronoun introducing clause

• एकस्नानतः: from a single bath
• एकस्नानतः: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचन; 'from/through one bath' (ablative of cause)

• नश्येत्: would perish/be destroyed
• नश्येत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन

• अघम्: sin/evil
• अघम्: Karta (कर्ता; thing destroyed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; subject of नश्येत् (or object in some readings)

• जन्मत्रयार्जितम्: accumulated over three births
• जन्मत्रयार्जितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन्म + त्रय + अर्जित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण of अघम्; अर्जित = कृदन्त (क्त) 'acquired'; 'acquired over three births'

• कृते: in the Kṛta age
• कृते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; 'in Kṛta (yuga)'

• धर्मनदम्: (called) Dharmanada
• धर्मनदम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; naming/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + नद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; proper name (of a tīrtha/river)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/naming particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-निपात (particle meaning 'by name/called')

• त्रेतायाम्: in the Tretā age
• त्रेतायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रेता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; 'in Tretā (yuga)'

• धूतपातकम्: (the one) that washes away sins
• धूतपातकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धूत + पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate/appositional) 'sin-washing'

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Tirtha-Mahatmya section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

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

It extols a specific tīrtha’s purifying power: a single स्नान (ritual bath) is said to destroy sins accumulated across three lifetimes, presenting tīrtha-sevā as a potent form of प्रायश्चित्त (expiation) and पुण्य (merit).

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

While not explicitly naming a deity, tīrtha-snān is traditionally performed with श्रद्धा (faith), mantra, and remembrance of the divine; the verse supports bhakti-oriented practice by framing sacred places as channels of grace that cleanse karmic impurity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual application aligned with Kalpa (procedural discipline): the act of tīrtha-snān as a structured rite of purification, and it also preserves yuga-based nomenclature (an anukramaṇikā-style detail) for identifying sacred geography across eras.