Shloka 5

Kāśī-māhātmya: Avimukta Gaṅgā and the Pañcanada Tīrtha

Devanagari script

सद्यो निष्पातको भूत्वा मुच्यते भवबंधनात् । गंगा हि सर्वतः पुण्या ब्रह्महत्यापहारिणी ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

sadyo niṣpātako bhūtvā mucyate bhavabaṃdhanāt | gaṃgā hi sarvataḥ puṇyā brahmahatyāpahāriṇī || 5 ||

Translation

ただちに清められ、人は輪廻（サンサーラ）の束縛から解き放たれる。ガンガーはあらゆる面で聖なる川であり、ブラフマハティヤー（バラモン殺し）の罪さえも除き去る。

Word by Word

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb: immediately)

• निष्पातकः: one who has fallen down (from sin)/a fallen sinner
• निष्पातकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having become’

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• भव-बन्धनात्: from the bondage of worldly existence
• भव-बन्धनात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘भवस्य बन्धनम्’

• गङ्गा: Ganga
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतौ/निश्चये (indeed/for)

• सर्वतः: everywhere/in every way
• सर्वतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (spatial adverb: everywhere/from all sides)

• पुण्या: holy/pure
• पुण्या: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of ‘गङ्गा’

• ब्रह्महत्या-अपहारिणी: remover of the sin of brahmin-slaying
• ब्रह्महत्या-अपहारिणी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्महत्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘ब्रह्महत्यायाः अपहारिणी’ (remover of brahma-hatya sin)

Speaker

Suta (traditional Purana narrator, relaying the Ganga-mahatmya section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhakti","emotional_journey":"Assurance of immediate purification leads into liberation from saṃsāra, climaxing in Gaṅgā’s all-pervasive holiness and her power to remove even brahmahatyā."}

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It declares the Gaṅgā as universally sanctifying: contact with her (as a tīrtha) brings immediate purification and supports release from saṃsāric bondage, emphasizing tīrtha-mahātmyas as aids to spiritual uplift.

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

While not naming a specific deity here, the verse frames sacred geography (Gaṅgā) as a grace-bearing support for devotees—encouraging reverent approach, faith (śraddhā), and tīrtha-sevā as devotional disciplines that purify the heart for higher bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse aligns with dharma-śāstric prayāścitta principles (ritual expiation): it highlights tīrtha-snānā and sacred-river observance as practical means of pāpa-kṣaya, a ritual-application theme rather than a technical Vedāṅga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.