Shloka 2

Procedure for the Guḍa-dhenū (Jaggery-Cow) Gift; Ten Dhenu-dānas; Yearlong Gaṅgā Worship and Darśana

Devanagari script

अहो गङ्गासमं तीर्थं नास्ति किंचिद्धरा तले । यस्याः संदर्शनादीनामीदृशं पुण्यमीरितम् ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

aho gaṅgāsamaṃ tīrthaṃ nāsti kiṃciddharā tale | yasyāḥ saṃdarśanādīnāmīdṛśaṃ puṇyamīritam || 2 ||

Translation

O weh! Auf dem Antlitz der Erde gibt es keine Tīrtha, die der Gaṅgā gleichkäme; denn es wird verkündet, dass solch außerordentliches Verdienst (puṇya) selbst schon aus Handlungen wie dem bloßen Anblick von ihr erwächst.

Word by Word

• aho: ah!, indeed
• aho: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, exclamation particle (विस्मयादि-निपात)

• gaṅgā-samam: equal to the Gaṅgā
• gaṅgā-samam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समासः उपमान-तत्पुरुष (गङ्गायाः समम्)

• tīrtham: sacred ford/place of pilgrimage
• tīrtham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object in existential negation

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, negation particle (निषेध)

• asti: exists/is
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• kiṃcit: anything at all
• kiṃcit: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + cit (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Indefinite pronoun, Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; used adverbially with nāsti

• dharā-tale: on the surface of the earth
• dharā-tale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharā (प्रातिपदिक) + tala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धरायाः तलम्)

• yasyāḥ: of whom/whose
• yasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun, Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; refers to Gaṅgā

• saṃdarśana-ādīnām: of seeing and other (acts)
• saṃdarśana-ādīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃdarśana (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः तत्पुरुष (संदर्शनादयः)

• īdṛśam: such, of this kind
• īdṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īdṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; qualifies puṇyam

• puṇyam: merit, sacred merit
• puṇyam: Karta (कर्ता/subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• īritam: has been proclaimed
• īritam: Kriyā (क्रिया/passive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: īr (धातु) + kta (क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative, Singular; passive sense ‘has been declared’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahatmya dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It elevates the Gaṅgā as the supreme tīrtha on earth, teaching that her sanctity is so potent that even simple contact like darśana (seeing) is said to generate great puṇya.

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

By praising Gaṅgā’s unique holiness, it encourages reverent remembrance and devotional approach—honoring a sacred manifestation associated with purification, which supports a bhakti-oriented life grounded in śraddhā and sacred encounter.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application (kalpa-style practice) is implied: the text lists qualifying acts like darśana and related observances (e.g., approaching, touching, bathing) as merit-producing components of tīrtha-yātrā discipline.