Shloka 31

Procedure for the Guḍa-dhenū (Jaggery-Cow) Gift; Ten Dhenu-dānas; Yearlong Gaṅgā Worship and Darśana

Devanagari script

ऋत्विजः प्रीतिसंयुक्तो नमस्कृत्य विसर्जयेत् । ततः संपूजयेद्गंगां विधिना सुसमाहितः ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

ṛtvijaḥ prītisaṃyukto namaskṛtya visarjayet | tataḥ saṃpūjayedgaṃgāṃ vidhinā susamāhitaḥ || 31 ||

Translation

次に、心よりの歓喜をもって礼拝し、祭儀を司ったリトヴィジュ（祭官たち）を恭しく辞去させるべきである。その後、心をよく整え、正しい作法により女神ガンガーを礼拝すべきである。

Word by Word

• ऋत्विजः: the officiating priest
• ऋत्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• प्रीति-संयुक्तः: endowed with joy/pleasure
• प्रीति-संयुक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीति + संयुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—प्रीत्या संयुक्तः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• नमस्कृत्य: having bowed/saluted
• नमस्कृत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस्-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having saluted’

• विसर्जयेत्: should dismiss/let depart
• विसर्जयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√सृज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb); क्रम/अनन्तर (thereafter)

• संपूजयेत्: should worship duly
• संपूजयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• गंगाम्: Ganga
• गंगाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• विधिना: according to rule/rite
• विधिना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• सु-समाहितः: well-composed, attentive
• सु-समाहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + समाहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद ‘सु’ (well) + समाहित (collected)

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the tirtha-mahatmya narration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Rtvij (priests)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes ritual completeness: after honoring and respectfully sending off the priests, the practitioner turns inward (samāhita) and offers worship to Gaṅgā, treating the tirtha-devatā as a living divine presence.

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

Bhakti is shown as reverent conduct and focused worship—gratitude toward sacred functionaries (ṛtvij) and wholehearted devotion to Gaṅgā performed with attention and proper reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied through “vidhinā”—performing the prescribed sequence: respectful closure of priestly service followed by orderly worship of the deity of the tirtha.