Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 136

Vāmana’s Advent, Aditi’s Hymn, Bali’s Gift, and the Mahatmya of Bhū-dāna

Devanagari script

अश्वमेधसहस्त्राणि वाजपेयशतानि च । विधाय जाह्नवीतीरे यत्फलं तल्लभेद्धुवम् ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

aśvamedhasahastrāṇi vājapeyaśatāni ca | vidhāya jāhnavītīre yatphalaṃ tallabheddhuvam || 36 ||

Translation

Wer Verehrung und Gelübde am Ufer der Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā) vollzieht, erlangt gewiss das Verdienst, das sonst durch tausend Aśvamedha-Opfer und hundert Vājapeya-Riten gewonnen würde.

Word by Word

• aśvamedha-sahasrāṇi: thousands of Aśvamedha sacrifices
• aśvamedha-sahasrāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvamedha + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), बहुवचन (plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): ‘aśvamedhānām sahasrāṇi’

• vājapeya-śatāni: hundreds of Vājapeya sacrifices
• vājapeya-śatāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vājapeya + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), बहुवचन (plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘vājapeyānām śatāni’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• vidhāya: having performed
• vidhāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + √dhā (धा) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable); ‘having performed/arranged’

• jāhnavī-tīre: on the bank of the Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• jāhnavī-tīre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāhnavī + tīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘jāhnavyāḥ tīre’

• yat-phalam: whatever fruit/result
• yat-phalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (यद्-प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन (singular); ‘yat’ = सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• tat: that (same)
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन (singular); निर्देश/अन्वयार्थक सर्वनाम (correlative pronoun)

• labhet: would obtain
• labhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √labh (लभ्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• dhuvam: certainly
• dhuvam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (ध्रुव) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverbial use)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Jahnavi

FAQs

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

It elevates Gaṅgā (Jāhnavī) as a supreme tīrtha, teaching that sincere sacred observance at her bank can grant extraordinary punya comparable to the most prestigious Vedic sacrifices.

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

By implying that grace accessed through a holy place and devoted practice can surpass difficult ritual grandeur, it supports the Purāṇic emphasis on accessible, faith-filled worship over merely expensive sacrificial display.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It references Śrauta-yajñas (Aśvamedha, Vājapeya), pointing to Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Dharmaśāstra-style evaluation of relative merits (phala) of rites and tīrtha-sevā.