Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13
Bhāgīratha’s Bringing of the Gaṅgā
भृगुरुवाच । राजंस्तवेप्सितं ज्ञातं त्वं हि पुण्यवतां वरः । अन्यथा स्वकुलं सर्वं कथमुद्धर्तुमर्हसि ॥ १३ ॥
bhṛguruvāca | rājaṃstavepsitaṃ jñātaṃ tvaṃ hi puṇyavatāṃ varaḥ | anyathā svakulaṃ sarvaṃ kathamuddhartumarhasi || 13 ||
Bhṛgu sprach: „O König, ich habe erkannt, was du begehrst; denn du bist der Vorzüglichste unter den Verdienstreichen. Andernfalls, wie könntest du würdig sein, dein ganzes Geschlecht zu erheben und zu retten?“
Bhṛgu
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
The verse links personal merit (puṇya) with spiritual capacity: a truly virtuous ruler is considered capable of benefiting not only himself but also elevating his entire lineage through dharmic intention and action.
While bhakti is not explicitly named here, the logic is consistent with Purāṇic bhakti ethics: sincere, dharma-aligned desire and inner purity are treated as qualifications for receiving guidance and for becoming an instrument of upliftment for others.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical eligibility (adhikāra)—that puṇya and right intention qualify a seeker to receive further instruction on rites (kalpa) or vows (vrata) elsewhere in the text.