Shloka 62

The Description of the Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

यस्तु सूर्य्यांशुनिष्टप्तं गांगेयं पिबते जलम् । गोमूत्रयावकाहाराद्गांगपानं विशिष्यते ॥ ६३ ॥

Transliteration

yastu sūryyāṃśuniṣṭaptaṃ gāṃgeyaṃ pibate jalam | gomūtrayāvakāhārādgāṃgapānaṃ viśiṣyate || 63 ||

Translation

സൂര്യകിരണങ്ങളാൽ ചൂടേറ്റ ഗംഗാജലം പാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവന്റെ ഗംഗാപാനം, ഗോമൂത്രവും യവകാഹാരവും മാത്രം സ്വീകരിക്കുന്ന വ്രതത്തേക്കാൾ പോലും ശ്രേഷ്ഠമെന്നു കണക്കാക്കപ്പെടുന്നു।

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle; ‘but/indeed’)

• सूर्य-अंशु-निष्टप्तम्: heated by the sun’s rays
• सूर्य-अंशु-निष्टप्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अंशु (प्रातिपदिक) + निष्टप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; नि+तप्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies गांगेयम्/जलम्); तत्पुरुष-समासः (सूर्यस्य अंशुभिः निष्टप्तम् = heated by the sun’s rays)

• गाङ्गेयम्: of the Ganges
• गाङ्गेयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + ञेय (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; तद्धितान्त-विशेषणम् (derived adjective: ‘belonging to the Ganges’)

• पिबते: drinks
• पिबते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म); एकवचन

• गो-मूत्र-यावक-आहारात्: than a diet of cow-urine and yāvaka
• गो-मूत्र-यावक-आहारात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + यावक (प्रातिपदिक) + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/Ablative); एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (गोमूत्रं च यावकः च—आहारः; ‘diet of cow-urine and barley-gruel’)

• गाङ्ग-पानम्: drinking the Ganges (water)
• गाङ्ग-पानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाङ्ग (तद्धित-प्रातिपदिक) + पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/Nominative); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गायाः पानम् = drinking of Ganges-water)

• विशिष्यते: is superior/excels
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विशिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; भावे प्रयोगः (intransitive)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Ganga-mahatmya discourse as received in tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Surya

FAQs

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

It elevates Ganga-pāna (drinking Ganga-water) as a powerful, accessible act of purification and merit, presented as surpassing certain austerity-based dietary vows.

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

By valuing reverent contact with a sacred tirtha (the Ganga) over harsh austerity, the verse reflects a bhakti-friendly principle: grace and sanctity accessed through faithful practice can be more efficacious than severe self-mortification.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-practical dharma is implied: a tirtha-related observance (Ganga-pāna) is prescribed and hierarchized against other vratas, indicating applied smṛti-style ritual reasoning rather than a technical Vedanga like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.