Shloka 1

Description of the Rules for Charitable Gifts and Related Rites

Gaṅgā-māhātmya

Devanagari script

वसुरुवाच । अथावगाहनादीनां कर्मणां फलमुच्यते । सावधाना श्रृणुष्व त्वं ब्रह्मपुत्रि नृपप्रिये ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

vasuruvāca | athāvagāhanādīnāṃ karmaṇāṃ phalamucyate | sāvadhānā śrṛṇuṣva tvaṃ brahmaputri nṛpapriye || 1 ||

Translation

Vasu dijo: «Ahora se expondrán los frutos de los ritos que comienzan con el baño sagrado (avagāhana) y otros. Escucha con atención, oh hija de Brahmā, amada del rey».

Word by Word

• वसुः: Vasu
• वसुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• अवगाहन-आदीनाम्: of bathing/immersion and the like
• अवगाहन-आदीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवगाहन + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (अवगाहनं आदिः येषाम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कर्मणाम्: of actions/rites
• कर्मणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• फलम्: the fruit/result
• फलम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject in passive construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is stated
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive) = “is said/declared”

• स-अवधाना: attentive (O attentive one)
• स-अवधाना: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः (सह अवधानेन); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे (vocative sense) — addressing a female listener

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Listener as subject of imperative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative)

• ब्रह्म-पुत्रि: O daughter of Brahmā
• ब्रह्म-पुत्रि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + पुत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (ब्रह्मणः पुत्री); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• नृप-प्रिये: O beloved of the king
• नृप-प्रिये: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (नृपस्य प्रिया); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Vasu

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Vasu
• Brahmā

FAQs

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

It formally introduces the karmaphala teaching: the chapter will detail the spiritual merits gained from tīrtha-oriented practices such as ritual bathing, emphasizing attentive listening as part of receiving dharma.

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

While not directly praising bhakti yet, it sets up tīrtha-rites as supportive disciplines; in the Narada Purana such acts are typically framed as aids that purify the devotee and prepare one for devotion to the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure and karmaphala reasoning are foregrounded—i.e., practical dharma-śāstra style guidance on rites (karman) and their results (phala), relevant to correct observance of snāna/avagāhana in tīrthas.