Shloka 51

Tīrtha-vidhi (Procedure for Holy Places) — Prayāgarāja-māhātmya

Devanagari script

यावंति नखलोमानि गंगातोये पतंति वै । तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

yāvaṃti nakhalomāni gaṃgātoye pataṃti vai | tāvadvarṣasahasrāṇi svargaloke mahīyate || 51 ||

Translation

As many as the nails and hairs that fall into the waters of the Gaṅgā, for that many thousands of years one is honored and enjoys glory in the heavenly world.

Word by Word

• यावन्ति: as many as
• यावन्ति: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); परिमाणवाचक (quantitative)

• नख-लोमानि: nails and hairs
• नख-लोमानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख (प्रातिपदिक) + लोमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: नखाः च लोमानि च (collectively)

• गङ्गा-तोये: in the water of the Ganga
• गङ्गा-तोये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: गङ्गायाः तोयम्

• पतन्ति: fall
• पतन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — एव/खलु-अर्थे (emphasis/indeed)

• तावत्: so many / that many
• तावत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); परिमाणवाचक (correlative)

• वर्ष-सहस्राणि: thousands of years
• वर्ष-सहस्राणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष: वर्षाणां सहस्राणि

• स्वर्ग-लोके: in heaven-world
• स्वर्ग-लोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: स्वर्गस्य लोकः

• महीयते: is honored / attains glory
• महीयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (passive sense): ‘is honored/glorified’

Speaker

Narada (as narrator/teacher within the Tirtha-Mahatmya discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Svarga

FAQs

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

It extols Gaṅgā-tīrtha as extraordinarily merit-giving: even the smallest bodily offering (fallen hair/nails during contact with Gaṅgā water) is poetically used to indicate vast punya leading to prolonged honor in Svarga.

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

Though framed as a fruit (phala) statement, it supports bhakti through tīrtha-sevā—reverent approach to Gaṅgā as a sacred presence—showing that sincere contact with the holy river is spiritually efficacious.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual practice (kalpa-oriented conduct) is implied: tīrtha-snāna and purity observances. No specific teaching of śikṣā, vyākaraṇa, chandas, nirukta, jyotiṣa, or śrauta details is explicit in this verse.