Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Gaṅgāmāhātmya

Devanagari script

तुलसीमूलसंभूता द्विजपादोद्भवा तथा । गङ्गोद्भवा तु मृल्लोकान्नयत्यच्युतरूपताम् ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

tulasīmūlasaṃbhūtā dvijapādodbhavā tathā | gaṅgodbhavā tu mṛllokānnayatyacyutarūpatām || 20 ||

Translation

Sacred earth arisen from the root of Tulasī, likewise earth that has come from the feet of a brāhmaṇa, and above all earth born of the Gaṅgā—such holy clay leads people in this world to the state of becoming like Acyuta (Lord Viṣṇu).

Word by Word

• तुलसी-मूल-सम्भूता: born from the root of Tulasi
• तुलसी-मूल-सम्भूता: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भूत (कृदन्त, भू धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘सम्भूता’ = उत्पन्ना; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तुलसीमूलात् सम्भूता)

• द्विज-पाद-उद्भवा: arisen from the foot of a Brahmin
• द्विज-पाद-उद्भवा: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (कृदन्त, भू धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘उद्भवा’ = उत्पन्ना; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजपादात् उद्भवा)

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘thus/also’)

• गङ्गा-उद्भवा: arisen from the Ganga
• गङ्गा-उद्भवा: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (कृदन्त, भू धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त (क्त), ‘उद्भवा’ = उत्पन्ना; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गायाः उद्भवा / गङ्गातः उद्भवा)

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधसूचक निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• मृत्-लोकात्: from the world of earth/clay
• मृत्-लोकात्: अपादान (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मृदः लोकः = मृल्लोकः)

• नयति: leads
• नयति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अच्युत-रूपताम्: the state/form of Achyuta (Vishnu)
• अच्युत-रूपताम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अच्युतस्य रूपता)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Tulasi
• Ganga
• Acyuta (Vishnu)
• Dvija (Brahmana)

FAQs

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

It teaches that contact with exceptionally sacred substances—especially clay associated with Tulasi, brāhmaṇas, and the Ganga—purifies the practitioner and supports transformation toward Acyuta (Viṣṇu), i.e., devotionally aligned purity leading toward liberation.

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

By highlighting Tulasi and Ganga—central to Vaiṣṇava practice—it implies that bhakti is strengthened through reverent use of Viṣṇu-beloved sacred items, which cultivate inner purity and single-pointed orientation to Acyuta.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application (kalpa-prayoga) is implied: selecting purified mṛt (clay) from approved sacred sources for rites such as tilaka, snāna, or other purity-observances, emphasizing correct material purity within dharma-practice.