Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 71

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Gaṅgāmāhātmya

Devanagari script

इति श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणे पूर्वभागे प्रथमपादे गङ्गामाहात्म्यं नाम षष्टोऽध्यायः ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

iti śrībṛhannāradīyapurāṇe pūrvabhāge prathamapāde gaṅgāmāhātmyaṃ nāma ṣaṣṭo'dhyāyaḥ || 6 ||

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ ശ്രീ ബൃഹന്നാരദീയപുരാണത്തിന്റെ പൂർവഭാഗത്തിലെ പ്രഥമ പാദത്തിൽ ‘ഗംഗാമാഹാത്മ്യം’ എന്ന ആറാം അധ്യായം സമാപ്തമായി।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative/closing particle (इति-निपात)

• श्री-बृहन्-नारदीय-पुराणे: in the Śrī Bṛhan-Nāradīya Purāṇa
• श्री-बृहन्-नारदीय-पुराणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + बृहन् (प्रातिपदिक) + नारदीय (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; title-compound: 'in the venerable Great Nārada Purāṇa'

• पूर्व-भागे: in the first part
• पूर्व-भागे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; 'in the former part'

• प्रथम-पादे: in the first section
• प्रथम-पादे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; 'in the first pāda/section'

• गङ्गा-माहात्म्यम्: (the chapter) ‘Gaṅgā’s greatness’
• गङ्गा-माहात्म्यम्: Karta/Viṣaya (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; 'the greatness of Gaṅgā' (chapter title)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable used as naming marker (नाम-निपात)

• षष्ठः: sixth
• षष्ठः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ordinal qualifying 'अध्यायः'

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Narrator/Redactor (colophon; not part of the dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhannāradīya Purāṇa
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

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

This is a colophon marking the completion of the “Gaṅgā-māhātmya” chapter, emphasizing the Purāṇic practice of framing sacred teachings with clear textual boundaries for faithful recitation and preservation.

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

Indirectly: by closing a chapter devoted to Gaṅgā’s sanctity, it points to devotional practices centered on holy places and sacred rivers—common supports for bhakti through pilgrimage, remembrance, and reverent bathing.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects textual-ritual discipline (pāṭha/recitation conventions): the colophon is a traditional marker used to organize study, chanting, and citation—useful for accurate transmission and referencing.