Shloka 28

Viṣṇv-ekapūjya-nirṇaya; Gaṅgā-Viṣṇupadī-māhātmya; Kali-yuga doṣa; Puṣkara-dharma of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa

Devanagari script

गङ्गादिषट्कं सममेव नित्यं परस्परं नोत्तमं नाधमं च / प्रधानाग्नेः पाविकान्यैव गङ्गा सदा शुभा नात्र विचार्यमस्ति

Transliteration

gaṅgādiṣaṭkaṃ samameva nityaṃ parasparaṃ nottamaṃ nādhamaṃ ca / pradhānāgneḥ pāvikānyaiva gaṅgā sadā śubhā nātra vicāryamasti

Translation

Die sechs heiligen Wasser, beginnend mit der Gaṅgā, sind stets an Verdienst gleich; unter ihnen gibt es weder Höheres noch Niedrigeres. Doch die Gaṅgā—aus dem uranfänglichen Feuer hervorgegangen und von Natur aus reinigend—ist immerdar glückverheißend; darüber braucht man nicht zu streiten.

Word by Word

• गङ्गा-आदि-षट्कम्: the set of six beginning with Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा-आदि-षट्कम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + षट्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘गङ्गा-आदि’ (beginning with Gaṅgā) + ‘षट्क’ (group of six)

• समम्: equal
• समम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• परस्परम्: mutually/with respect to one another
• परस्परम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (mutually)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• उत्तमम्: superior
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• न: nor/not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• अधमम्: inferior
• अधमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• प्रधान-अग्नेः: of the chief fire
• प्रधान-अग्नेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘प्रधानः अग्निः’/‘प्रधान-अग्नि’ (chief fire)

• पाविकानि: purifiers
• पाविकानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाविक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘purifiers’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

• गङ्गा: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• शुभा: auspicious
• शुभा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• विचार्यम्: to be deliberated/considered
• विचार्यम्: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चर् (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be considered’

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-sāmya (equal merit of sacred waters) with Gaṅgā as archetypal purifier; avoid needless disputation in sacred matters.

Vedantic Theme: Purity as a sattvic aid to inner clarity; external tīrtha supports internal śuddhi leading toward knowledge/devotion.

Application: Respect diverse sacred traditions; use pilgrimage/bathing as a prompt for ethical purification and mental restraint rather than rivalry.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha network (sacred waters)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.29.29 (merit from knowing; Hari pleased)

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

What is the importance of sacred waters (tīrtha) like the Gaṅgā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that multiple sacred waters have equal spiritual efficacy for purification, while emphasizing the Gaṅgā as uniquely and perpetually auspicious due to her intrinsically purifying nature.

How does this verse connect to Garuda Purana death rituals and purification practices?

In the Preta-kāṇḍa context, purification supports rites for the departed and the living (snāna, śauca, and related observances); the verse reassures that holy waters are valid for such rites, with special reverence for Gaṅgā.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform purification with sincere intent using available sacred water or tīrtha practices without sectarian comparison, while honoring the Gaṅgā tradition as a foremost symbol of cleansing and auspiciousness.