Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Gaṅgāmāhātmya

Devanagari script

यत्र स्नातं नरं दृष्ट्वा पापोऽपि स्वर्गभूमिभाक् । मदङ्गस्पर्शेमात्रेण देवानामाधिपो भवेत् ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

yatra snātaṃ naraṃ dṛṣṭvā pāpo'pi svargabhūmibhāk | madaṅgasparśemātreṇa devānāmādhipo bhavet || 19 ||

Translation

En ese lugar sagrado, incluso un pecador, con solo ver a un hombre que se ha bañado allí, se vuelve digno del cielo; y con el mero contacto de mi cuerpo, uno puede llegar a ser el señor de los dioses.

Word by Word

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (स्थानवाचक अव्यय)

• snātaṃ: bathed
• snātaṃ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √snā (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle, Masculine, Accusative (2), Singular; qualifying naraṃ

• naraṃ: a man
• naraṃ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2), Singular

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)

• pāpaḥ: a sinner
• pāpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1), Singular; ‘a sinner’

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अपि = even)

• svarga-bhūmi-bhāk: a partaker of heaven
• svarga-bhūmi-bhāk: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāj (प्रातिपदिक; √bhaj (धातु) with possessive sense ‘partaker’)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1), Singular; adjective/predicative of pāpaḥ; bhāk = ‘one who partakes/possesses’

• mat-aṅga-sparśa-mātreṇa: by mere touch of my body
• mat-aṅga-sparśa-mātreṇa: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + sparśa (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Instrumental (3), Singular; ‘by mere touch of my body/limb’

• devānām: of the gods
• devānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6), Plural

• ādhipaḥ: lord/overlord
• ādhipaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1), Singular

• bhavet: would become/may become
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

Speaker

Narada (describing the extraordinary merit of a sacred tirtha/holy presence)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

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

It teaches the Purāṇic principle that association with sanctity—through bathing, seeing the purified, or sacred touch—can rapidly destroy sin (pāpa) and generate merit (puṇya), culminating in eligibility for svarga and higher spiritual uplift.

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

By emphasizing darśana (seeing) and sparśa (touch) as spiritually transformative, it aligns with bhakti’s stress on direct contact with the holy—devotees seek sacred presence because grace can operate even when one’s past is sinful.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual practice (kalpa-oriented conduct) is implied: tīrtha-snānā (bathing rules), purity through contact, and the doctrine of snāna-phala—practical dharma guidance rather than a technical lesson in vyākaraṇa or jyotiṣa.