Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 66

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Gaṅgāmāhātmya

Devanagari script

अतीव दुर्ल्लभा नॄणां गायत्री जाह्नवी तथा । तथैव तुलसीभक्तिर्हरिभक्तिश्च सात्त्विकी ॥ ६६ ॥

Transliteration

atīva durllabhā nṝṇāṃ gāyatrī jāhnavī tathā | tathaiva tulasībhaktirharibhaktiśca sāttvikī || 66 ||

Translation

Pour les humains, sont d’une rareté extrême : la dévotion à Gāyatrī et la vénération de Jāhnavī (la Gaṅgā). De même, sont rares la dévotion à Tulasī et la bhakti pure (sāttvika) envers Hari.

Word by Word

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya) — क्रियाविशेषण/परिमाणवाचक (adverb of degree)

• दुर्लभाः: rare / hard to obtain
• दुर्लभाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine) — predicate adjective agreeing with feminine subjects

• नॄणाम्: of men
• नॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) — ‘of men’

• गायत्री: Gāyatrī (mantra/deity)
• गायत्री: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• जाह्नवी: Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• जाह्नवी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाह्नवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine) — epithet of Gaṅgā

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya) — समुच्चय/तुल्यतावाचक (also/likewise)

• तथा एव: likewise indeed
• तथा एव: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय) + एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययद्वय (two indeclinables): ‘likewise’ + ‘indeed/just’

• तुलसी-भक्तिः: devotion to Tulasī
• तुलसी-भक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine) — ‘devotion to Tulasī’

• हरि-भक्तिः: devotion to Hari
• हरि-भक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine) — ‘devotion to Hari’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya) — समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction ‘and’)

• सात्त्विकी: sāttvic (pure, of goodness)
• सात्त्विकी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सात्त्विक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine) — predicate adjective qualifying भक्ति

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Gayatri
• Jahnavi (Ganga)
• Tulasi
• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

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

It ranks four practices as exceptionally rare among humans—Gāyatrī-upāsanā, reverence for the Gaṅgā, devotion to Tulasī, and especially sāttvika (pure) devotion to Hari—implying they arise from great merit and lead toward purification and liberation.

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

Bhakti is presented not as a common sentiment but as a refined sāttvika state directed to Hari; supportive Vaiṣṇava markers—Tulasī-sevā and sacred-tīrtha reverence (Gaṅgā)—are highlighted as aids that nurture and authenticate devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-practice is implied through Gāyatrī: correct recitation and disciplined japa align with Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa (linguistic correctness), ensuring the mantra is preserved and applied as a valid Vedic sādhana.