Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 119

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release

Devanagari script

सर्वथा त्वं महाभाग रागादिरुहितोह्यसि । गंगाजलाभिषेकेण पाह्यस्मात्पातकोच्चयात् ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

sarvathā tvaṃ mahābhāga rāgādiruhitohyasi | gaṃgājalābhiṣekeṇa pāhyasmātpātakoccayāt || 19 ||

Translation

O Hochbegnadeter! In jeder Hinsicht bist du wahrhaft frei von Leidenschaft und dergleichen. Doch durch die rituelle Waschung mit den Wassern der Gaṅgā beschütze uns vor dieser Ansammlung von Sünden.

Word by Word

• sarvathā: in every way
• sarvathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• mahā-bhāga: O greatly fortunate one
• mahā-bhāga: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; कर्मधारय: महान् भागः यस्य/महाभाग (address)

• rāga-ādi-rahitaḥ: free from passion and the like
• rāga-ādi-rahitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāga (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; विशेषण of tvam; समासः: रागादिभिः रहितः (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphatic

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 2nd person (मध्यम), Singular (एकवचन)

• gaṅgā-jala-abhiṣekeṇa: by the bathing/ablution with Ganga water
• gaṅgā-jala-abhiṣekeṇa: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक) + jala (प्रातिपदिक) + abhiṣeka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; समासः: गङ्गायाः जलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + तेन अभिषेकः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-भाव)

• pāhi: protect/save
• pāhi: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (पा धातु, रक्षणे)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यम), Singular

• asmāt: from me/us
• asmāt: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• pātaka-uccayāt: from the heap of sins
• pātaka-uccayāt: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātaka (प्रातिपदिक) + uccaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; समासः: पातकानाम् उच्चयः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (or the Sanaka brothers) addressing Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Ganga

FAQs

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

It highlights Gaṅgā-jala abhiṣeka (ritual ablution with Gaṅgā water) as a powerful means of purification and protection from accumulated pātakas (sins), even while affirming the saintly freedom from inner passions.

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

By praising the exalted one as free from rāga (attachment) and still seeking protective grace through a sacred act, it models humble dependence on divine tīrtha-power—an attitude central to bhakti: surrender and seeking refuge through sanctioned devotional-ritual means.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual practice (kalpa-oriented prayoga) is implied: abhiṣeka/snānā with consecrated water as a form of prayāścitta (expiation) and śuddhi (purificatory rite), a key applied dimension of Vedic ritual procedure.