Shloka 26

The Greatness of Bathing in the Ganges

Gaṅgā-snānā-mahātmya

Devanagari script

गंगायाः कीर्तनेनैव शुभां गतिमवाप्नुयात् । ब्रह्महा गुरुहागोघ्नः स्पृष्टो वा सर्वपातकैः ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

gaṃgāyāḥ kīrtanenaiva śubhāṃ gatimavāpnuyāt | brahmahā guruhāgoghnaḥ spṛṣṭo vā sarvapātakaiḥ || 26 ||

Translation

ഗംഗയുടെ കീർത്തനം മാത്രത്താൽ മനുഷ്യൻ ശുഭഗതി പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു—ബ്രഹ്മഹന്താവായാലും, ഗുരുഹന്താവായാലും, ഗോഹന്താവായാലും, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ സകല മഹാപാതകങ്ങളാൽ മലിനനായാലും പോലും.

Word by Word

• gaṅgāyāḥ: of Ganga
• gaṅgāyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• kīrtanena: by praising/chanting
• kīrtanena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīrtana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• eva: indeed / only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle: 'indeed/only')

• śubhām: auspicious
• śubhām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; 'gatiṃ' इत्यस्य विशेषण

• gatim: destination / state
• gatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• avāpnuyāt: would attain
• avāpnuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava+āp (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• brahma-hā: a brahmin-slayer
• brahma-hā: Karta (कर्ता) (as subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + han (धातु) → -hā (कृदन्त/नामधातु-प्रयोग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (brahmaṇaḥ hantā = 'slayer of a brāhmaṇa')

• guru-hā: a teacher-slayer
• guru-hā: Karta (कर्ता) (as subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक) + han (धातु) → -hā
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (guroḥ hantā = 'slayer of one’s teacher')

• go-ghnaḥ: a cow-killer
• go-ghnaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (as subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + han (धातु) → ghna (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (gāṃ ghnāti iti = 'cow-killer')

• spṛṣṭaḥ: touched / afflicted
• spṛṣṭaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: spṛś (धातु) → spṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'saḥ' (implicit) इत्यस्य विशेषण

• vā: or / even if
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or/even if)

• sarva-pātakaiḥ: by/with all sins
• sarva-pātakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण) / Sahakārī (सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (sarvāṇi pātakāni = sarvapātakāni)

Speaker

Narada (within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue stream; Ganga-mahatmya narration in Uttara-Bhaga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"adbhuta","secondary_rasa":"karuna","emotional_journey":"Astonishment and mercy: the verse escalates from mere kīrtana to the redemption of even mahāpātakins, ending in the promise of an auspicious destiny."}

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It teaches the extraordinary purificatory power of Gaṅgā-kīrtana: even those burdened with mahāpātakas (grave sins) can attain a शुभा गति—an auspicious spiritual end—through sincere glorification of the sacred river.

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

It emphasizes devotional speech (kīrtana) as a direct means of grace: remembrance and praise of a holy embodiment of tīrtha-sakti (Gaṅgā) functions like bhakti-practice, transforming the devotee’s destiny beyond prior impurity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to prayoga-based dharma (prāyaścitta logic): purification can occur through prescribed sacred recitation (kīrtana/śravaṇa), aligning with Smṛti-Purāṇic ritual principles rather than technical Vedāṅga topics like Jyotiṣa or Vyākaraṇa.