Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30

गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य गुरवे तस्मै वशिष्ठाय महात्मने । सर्वं विज्ञापयामास ज्ञानदृष्ट्या विजानते ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

praṇamya gurave tasmai vaśiṣṭhāya mahātmane | sarvaṃ vijñāpayāmāsa jñānadṛṣṭyā vijānate || 30 ||

Translation

ಆ ಮಹಾತ್ಮ ಗುರು ವಸಿಷ್ಠರಿಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕರಿಸಿ, ಜ್ಞಾನದೃಷ್ಟಿಯಿಂದ ಎಲ್ಲವನ್ನೂ ತಿಳಿದಿದ್ದ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಎಲ್ಲ ವಿಷಯವನ್ನೂ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿ ತಿಳಿಸಿದನು.

Word by Word

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nam (धातु) + pra + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यबन्त/ल्यप्), avyaya; 'having bowed'

• gurave: to the teacher
• gurave: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Caturthī (4th/चतुर्थी), Ekavacana

• tasmai: to that (one)
• tasmai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Caturthī, Ekavacana

• vaśiṣṭhāya: to Vasiṣṭha
• vaśiṣṭhāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaśiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Caturthī, Ekavacana; in apposition to gurave/tasmai

• mahātmane: to the great-souled one
• mahātmane: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya 'great-souled'; Puṃliṅga, Caturthī, Ekavacana; apposition

• sarvam: everything
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; 'everything'

• vijñāpayāmāsa: informed / reported
• vijñāpayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + jñap (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्)
• Form: Causative (णिजन्त); Liṭ (Perfect/लिट्), Prathamapuruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• jñāna-dṛṣṭyā: by (his) knowledge-vision
• jñāna-dṛṣṭyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa 'vision of knowledge'; Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• vijānate: to (him) who knows
• vijānate: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + jñā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present/लट्), Prathamapuruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Ātmanepada; used as participial finite 'to the one who knows' (present meaning)

Speaker

Suta (narrator)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vasistha

FAQs

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

It emphasizes the dharmic order of learning: humility before the guru and transparent submission of one’s account to a teacher who possesses jñāna-dṛṣṭi (insight born of realization).

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

Though not directly naming Viṣṇu-bhakti, it models bhakti as reverent surrender (praṇāma) and trust in the guru as the living conduit of sacred tradition.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse highlights the practical discipline of śiṣya-vṛtti (student conduct) in the Vedic learning system—approaching the guru with humility and communicating facts clearly for proper instruction.