Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Dvādaśī-vrata: Month-by-month Viṣṇu Worship and the Year-End Udyāpana

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । अहोऽतिधन्यं सुकृतैकसारं श्रुतं मया पुण्यमसंवृतार्थम् । गाङ्गेयमाहात्म्यमघप्रणाशि त्वत्तो मुने कारुणिकादभीष्टम् ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | aho'tidhanyaṃ sukṛtaikasāraṃ śrutaṃ mayā puṇyamasaṃvṛtārtham | gāṅgeyamāhātmyamaghapraṇāśi tvatto mune kāruṇikādabhīṣṭam || 5 ||

Translation

Nārada said: “Ah! Most blessed am I—having heard from you, O sage compassionate by nature, the very essence of meritorious deeds: the holy greatness of the Gaṅgā, clear in meaning, which destroys sin and grants what is desired.”

Word by Word

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अहो: ah!/indeed!
• अहो: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विस्मयादिबोधक निपात (exclamatory particle)

• अतिधन्यम्: most blessed
• अतिधन्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक विशेषण

• सुकृत: of merit (good deeds)
• सुकृत: Samasa-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive) as compound member

• एक: single/one
• एक: Samasa-upapada (उपपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (as compound member)

• सारम्: essence
• सारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुकृतस्य एकः सारः = the very essence of merit)

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• पुण्यम्: holy/meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of (श्रुतम्/माहात्म्यम्)

• असंवृत: unconcealed
• असंवृत: Samasa-upapada (उपपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + संवृत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (as compound member); नञ्-पूर्वक

• अर्थम्: meaning/purport
• अर्थम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषभावः (असंवृतः अर्थः यस्य/यत्र) — here as qualifier of the teaching

• गाङ्गेय: pertaining to Gaṅgā
• गाङ्गेय: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गङ्गा + एय (तद्धित-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तद्धित (descendant/related) = ‘pertaining to Gaṅgā’

• माहात्म्यम्: glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अघ: of sin
• अघ: Samasa-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी as compound member

• प्रणाशि: destroying sins
• प्रणाशि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + नाशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अघस्य प्रणाशि = sin-destroying)

• त्वत्तः: from you
• त्वत्तः: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• कारुणिकात्: from (you) compassionate
• कारुणिकात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कारुणिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) of ‘त्वत्तः’ (you, the compassionate one)

• अभीष्टम्: desired/most welcome
• अभीष्टम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभीष्ट (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of माहात्म्यम्/श्रुतम्

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Ganga

FAQs

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

The verse highlights śravaṇa (devotional hearing) of the Ganga’s māhātmya as a concentrated essence of puṇya—teaching that sacred knowledge of tīrthas can purify sin (agha) and orient the seeker toward dharma and spiritual uplift.

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

Narada’s gratitude models bhakti through humble reception of sacred narration: honoring the compassionate teacher and valuing hearing (śravaṇa) of a holy topic that inspires reverence, purification, and God-centered living.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is the discipline of śravaṇa—listening to māhātmya narratives as a recognized purāṇic method for accruing puṇya and reinforcing dharmic practice.