Shloka 44

The Liberation of the Lizard

Godhā-vimukti

Devanagari script

सरय्वाश्चैव गंगायाः पापनाशविधायके । प्रेतनिर्यातनी पुण्या मानसेप्सितदायिनी ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

sarayvāścaiva gaṃgāyāḥ pāpanāśavidhāyake | pretaniryātanī puṇyā mānasepsitadāyinī || 44 ||

Translation

Ebenso sind Sarayū und Gaṅgā — beide bewirken die Vernichtung der Sünden. Heilig und glückverheißend erlösen sie die Wesen aus dem Zustand des Preta (umherirrenden Totengeistes) und gewähren, was das Herz begehrt.

Word by Word

• सरय्वाः: of (the river) Sarayū
• सरय्वाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरयू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed; also
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• गङ्गायाः: of (the river) Gaṅgā
• गङ्गायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• पाप-नाश-विधायके: in/at the sin-destroying (place/rite)
• पाप-नाश-विधायके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + नाश (प्रातिपदिक) + विधायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘पापस्य नाशं विधत्ते’ (causing destruction of sin)

• प्रेत-निर्यातनी: deliverer of the departed (from preta-state)
• प्रेत-निर्यातनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्यातनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘प्रेतानां निर्यातनी’ (that which leads the departed out / delivers from preta-state)

• पुण्या: holy; auspicious
• पुण्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying प्रेतनिर्यातनी)

• मानस-ईप्सित-दायिनी: granting desired wishes in the mind
• मानस-ईप्सित-दायिनी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक) + ईप्सित (कृदन्त; ईप्स्/आप्? desiderative sense ‘desired’) + दायिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘मानसे ईप्सितं ददाति’ (giver of mentally desired wishes)

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a Tirtha-Mahatmya context; traditional dialogue framework with Sanatkumara lineage implied)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Sarayu
• Ganga

FAQs

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

It presents Sarayū and Gaṅgā as supreme tīrthas whose contact destroys sins, supports the welfare of the departed, and yields inner wishes—highlighting tīrtha-sevā as a direct purifier in the Uttara-bhāga.

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

By praising Gaṅgā and Sarayū as sacred manifestations worthy of reverence, the verse channels devotion into tīrtha-vandana, स्नान (ritual bathing), and स्मरण (remembrance), which in Purāṇic practice support Viṣṇu-bhakti through purity and faith.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily kalpa-oriented ritual practice: tīrtha-snāna and śrāddha/preta-related observances connected with holy rivers; it is less about technical vedāṅgas like vyākaraṇa or jyotiṣa and more about dharma-ritual application.