Shloka 119

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

तस्मात्तु गाङ्गमपरं जानीयात्तोयमुत्तमम् / पुत्रजन्मनि योगेषु तथा संक्रमणे रवेः

Transliteration

tasmāttu gāṅgamaparaṃ jānīyāttoyamuttamam / putrajanmani yogeṣu tathā saṃkramaṇe raveḥ

Translation

Darum soll man das Wasser der Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā) als das höchste, allen anderen überlegen, erkennen—besonders bei der Geburt eines Sohnes, bei glückverheißenden Yogas und zur Zeit der Saṅkramaṇa (saṅkramaṇa), des Sonnenübergangs.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् (पञ्चमी-एकवचन) अव्ययीभाववत् = 'therefore/from that'

• tu: indeed; but
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात)

• gāṅgam: Ganga-related; of the Ganga
• gāṅgam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gāṅga (प्रातिपदिक) < gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Acc., Singular); 'गङ्गासम्बन्धि'

• aparam: unmatched; superior (lit. not other)
• aparam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (toyam)

• jānīyāt: should know; should regard
• jānīyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (लिङ्-लकार), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd sg)

• toyam: water
• toyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Acc., Singular)

• uttamam: best; excellent
• uttamam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (toyam)

• putra-janmani: at a son's birth
• putra-janmani: Adhikarana (Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक) + janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी): 'पुत्रस्य जन्मनि'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Neuter, Loc., Singular)

• yogeṣu: in auspicious conjunctions (yogas)
• yogeṣu: Adhikarana (Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (Masculine, Loc., Plural)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = 'likewise/so'

• saṃkramaṇe: at the transit (ingress)
• saṃkramaṇe: Adhikarana (Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkramaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Neuter, Loc., Singular)

• raveḥ: of the Sun
• raveḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ravi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (Masculine, Gen., Singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kāla-viśeṣa (sacred timing) amplifies the fruit of tīrtha-water; auspicious events and transits are dharmically marked by purification.

Vedantic Theme: Kāla as a sacred dimension; aligning action with auspicious time supports sattva and remembrance of the Divine.

Application: At childbirth (especially son’s birth per text), during auspicious yogas, and at saṅkramaṇa, perform ācamana/snāna with Gaṅgā-jala, japa, and dāna; adapt inclusively for any child’s birth in modern practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred river

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: calendrical merits (saṅkramaṇa, grahaṇa) and tīrtha-snāna guidelines in nearby sections (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Surya (Ravi)

FAQs

What is the importance of Ganga water in the Garuda Purana?

This verse elevates Gaṅgā-jala as the foremost purifying water, especially effective when used during key samskāra-like life events and sacred calendrical moments.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana ritual practice?

It frames Gaṅgā water as a preferred ritual medium for purification and merit at auspicious times (yogas) and solar transits (saṅkramaṇa), aligning practice with sacred timing.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use Gaṅgā-jala (or symbolically sanctified water where unavailable) for prayers, vows, and purification during important family milestones and on Sankranti or other auspicious days.