Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1
The Origin of the Gaṅgā and the Gods’ Defeat Caused by Bali
नारद उवाच । विष्णुपादाग्रसंभूता या गङ्गेत्यभिधीयते । तदुत्पत्तिं वद भ्रातरनुग्राह्योऽस्मि ते यदि ॥ १ ॥
nārada uvāca | viṣṇupādāgrasaṃbhūtā yā gaṅgetyabhidhīyate | tadutpattiṃ vada bhrātaranugrāhyo'smi te yadi || 1 ||
નારદે કહ્યું—જેને ‘ગંગા’ કહે છે તે ભગવાન વિષ્ણુના પાદાગ્રથી ઉત્પન્ન થઈ છે એમ કહેવાય છે. હે ભ્રાતા, હું જો તમારા અનુગ્રહને યોગ્ય હોઉં તો તેની ઉત્પત્તિ કહો.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It frames Ganga as divinely sourced—emerging from Vishnu—thereby establishing her as a supremely purifying tirtha whose sanctity is rooted in Vaishnava theology.
Narada approaches with humility and seeks instruction as a form of grace (anugraha), modeling the bhakti attitude: reverent inquiry, surrender, and dependence on the Lord and guru-like elders for sacred knowledge.
No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana or Jyotisha) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is the Purana-method of dharmic learning—receiving tirtha-mahatmya through respectful questioning and authoritative narration.