Shloka 59

The Description of the Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

शास्त्रेणाकृततोयानां मृतानां क्वापि देहिनाम् । तदुत्तरफलावाप्तिर्गंगायामस्थियोगतः ॥ ६० ॥

Transliteration

śāstreṇākṛtatoyānāṃ mṛtānāṃ kvāpi dehinām | taduttaraphalāvāptirgaṃgāyāmasthiyogataḥ || 60 ||

Translation

Pour les êtres incarnés morts quelque part sans que soient accomplis, selon le śāstra, les rites d’eau prescrits, le bienfait ultérieur s’obtient par le contact de leurs os avec la Gaṅgā.

Word by Word

• शास्त्रेण: by scripture/rite
• शास्त्रेण: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• अकृत: not performed
• अकृत: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त, क्त) with privative अ-
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक क्त-कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन (agreeing with देहिनाम्; ‘not done’)

• तोयानाम्: of water(-rites)
• तोयानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

• मृतानाम्: of the dead
• मृतानाम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु) → मृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन (agreeing with देहिनाम्)

• क्वापि: anywhere
• क्वापि: देशाधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक + अपि (indefinite adverb: ‘anywhere’)

• देहिनाम्: of embodied beings/persons
• देहिनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

• तत्: that
• तत्: — (समासाङ्ग/compound-member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (as first member in compound; ‘that’)

• उत्तर: subsequent
• उत्तर: — (समासाङ्ग/compound-member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (stem in compound; ‘subsequent/later’)

• फल: fruit/result
• फल: — (समासाङ्ग/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (stem in compound)

• अवाप्तिः: attainment
• अवाप्तिः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु) → अवाप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (तद्-उत्तर-फलस्य अवाप्तिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• गङ्गायाम्: in the Ganga
• गङ्गायाम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular)

• अस्थि: bone/remains
• अस्थि: — (समासाङ्ग/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (stem in compound)

• योगतः: due to contact/connection
• योगतः: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + तः (अव्ययीभाव/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय, तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb): ‘due to/through connection’

Speaker

Suta

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It teaches that Gaṅgā is a uniquely potent tīrtha: even if a person’s prescribed water-rites were not done, contact of the departed’s bones with the Gaṅgā can still secure posthumous spiritual benefit.

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

In the Uttara-bhāga tīrtha-context, reverence for Gaṅgā functions as a devotional act—trusting in sacred grace (tīrtha-māhātmya) to aid the departed when normal rites could not be completed.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to ritual procedure (kalpa/śrauta-smārta practice) around water-offerings and antyeṣṭi-related observances, and gives a remedial rite: asthi-yoga (asthi-visarjana) in the Gaṅgā when those rites were missed.