Shloka 9

The Greatness of Bathing in the Ganges

Gaṅgā-snānā-mahātmya

Devanagari script

वापीकूपतडागादिप्रपासत्रादिभिस्तथा । अन्यत्र यद्भवेत्पुण्यं तद्गंगादर्शनाद्भवेत् ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

vāpīkūpataḍāgādiprapāsatrādibhistathā | anyatra yadbhavetpuṇyaṃ tadgaṃgādarśanādbhavet || 9 ||

Translation

Welches Verdienst man anderswo durch fromme Werke wie das Anlegen von Brunnen, Teichen, Wasserbecken, Trinkwasserstellen und Herbergen erlangt—eben dieses Verdienst entsteht schon durch den bloßen Anblick der Gaṅgā.

Word by Word

• वापी-कूप-तडाग-आदि-प्रपा-सत्र-आदिभिः: by wells, ponds, tanks, water-sheds, alms-houses, etc.
• वापी-कूप-तडाग-आदि-प्रपा-सत्र-आदिभिः: Adhikarana/Upamana (सम्बन्ध/locative-like context: in/through such means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी (प्रातिपदिक) + कूप (प्रातिपदिक) + तडाग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + प्रपा (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘...आदिभिः’ = ‘and the like’ (instrumental plural)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (also/likewise)

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb: elsewhere)

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• भवेत्: may be, would arise
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्: that (same)
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तद्-शब्द (correlative pronoun)

• गंगा-दर्शनात्: from seeing the Ganga
• गंगा-दर्शनात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गंगा (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: गंगायाः दर्शनम् → दर्शनात्

• भवेत्: would arise
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the Ganga/Tirtha-mahatmya context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It elevates Gaṅgā-darśana (seeing the Ganga) as a supremely potent tirtha-act, equating it with the merit of major public welfare charities like building wells, tanks, and water-stations.

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

By teaching that sacred contact through darśana of a divinely revered tirtha (Gaṅgā) can grant swift spiritual merit, it supports bhakti-oriented reverence where faith and holy association become powerful means of upliftment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This verse primarily emphasizes Dharma (puṇya through charity and tirtha-mahatmya) rather than a specific Vedanga; it reflects Smārta-purāṇic ritual ethics that praise public-benefit acts (udaka-dāna, prapā, satra) and pilgrimage merit.