Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Gaṅgāmāhātmya

Devanagari script

स्मृतार्तिनाशिनी गङ्गा नदीनां प्रवरा मुने । सर्वपापक्षयकरी सर्वोपद्रवनाशिनी ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

smṛtārtināśinī gaṅgā nadīnāṃ pravarā mune | sarvapāpakṣayakarī sarvopadravanāśinī || 8 ||

Translation

ಓ ಮುನೇ, ನದಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠವಾದ ಗಂಗೆಯು ಸ್ಮರಣಮಾತ್ರದಿಂದಲೇ ದುಃಖವನ್ನು ಹರಣಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ. ಅವಳು ಸರ್ವಪಾಪಕ್ಷಯಕರಿ, ಸರ್ವೋಪದ್ರವನಾಶಿನಿ।

Word by Word

• स्मृत-आर्ति-नाशिनी: destroying distress upon remembrance
• स्मृत-आर्ति-नाशिनी: विशेषण (Qualifier of गङ्गा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + आर्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular; तत्पुरुष ‘destroyer of distress when remembered’

• गङ्गा: Ganga
• गङ्गा: कर्ता/विषय (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• नदीनाम्: among/of rivers
• नदीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th), बहुवचन — Genitive plural

• प्रवरा: the foremost
• प्रवरा: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular (superlative sense ‘most excellent’)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन — Vocative singular

• सर्व-पाप-क्षय-करी: causing the removal of all sins
• सर्व-पाप-क्षय-करी: विशेषण (Qualifier of गङ्गा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक) + करिन्/करी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular; तत्पुरुष ‘causing the destruction of all sins’

• सर्व-उपद्रव-नाशिनी: destroyer of all troubles
• सर्व-उपद्रव-नाशिनी: विशेषण (Qualifier of गङ्गा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + उपद्रव (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Nominative singular; तत्पुरुष ‘destroyer of all calamities’

Speaker

Narada (addressing a sage, 'mune')

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It presents Gaṅgā as a supreme tīrtha whose mere remembrance (smaraṇa/smṛti) removes inner distress and leads to pāpakṣaya (the wearing away of sin), emphasizing sacred memory as a purifier.

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

By teaching that even remembrance brings protection and purification, it aligns with bhakti’s principle that heartfelt recollection of the sacred (here, Gaṅgā as a divine tīrtha) has transformative spiritual power.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Kalpa (ritual principle) is implied: tīrtha-smaraṇa and tīrtha-sevā are recognized purificatory supports to dharma; the verse frames remembrance as a valid, accessible religious practice.