Shloka 32

The Greatness of Bathing in the Ganges

Gaṅgā-snānā-mahātmya

Devanagari script

तथापहत्य पाप्मानं भाति गंगाजलोक्षितः । एकेनैवापि विधिना स्नानेन नृपसुन्दरि ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

tathāpahatya pāpmānaṃ bhāti gaṃgājalokṣitaḥ | ekenaivāpi vidhinā snānena nṛpasundari || 32 ||

Translation

ഹേ രാജകുലസുന്ദരീ! ഗംഗാജലസ്പർശം ലഭിച്ചോ ഗംഗയിൽ സ്നാനം ചെയ്തോ ഒരാൾ പാപം നീക്കി ദീപ്തനാകുന്നു; വിധിപൂർവ്വം ഒരൊറ്റ സ്നാനത്താലും ഫലം ലഭിക്കും.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that way
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/रीति-अर्थे (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

• अपहत्य: having removed
• अपहत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); उपसर्गः अप-; ‘having removed/destroyed’

• पाप्मानम्: sin, evil
• पाप्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म) एकवचन; accusative singular

• भाति: shines, appears radiant
• भाति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• गङ्गा-जल-उक्षितः: sprinkled/wetted with Ganga water
• गङ्गा-जल-उक्षितः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + जल (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्षित (कृदन्त, √उक्ष्/वक्ष् ‘to sprinkle/wet’)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/संबन्ध: ‘गङ्गायाः जलम्’); उक्षितः = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• एकेन: by one (single)
• एकेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (करण) एकवचन; instrumental singular

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (particle: ‘also/even’)

• विधिना: by the prescribed method/rite
• विधिना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (करण) एकवचन; instrumental singular

• स्नानेन: by bathing
• स्नानेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (करण) एकवचन; instrumental singular

• नृप-सुन्दरि: O beautiful one of the king (O princess)
• नृप-सुन्दरि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + सुन्दरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘नृपस्य सुन्दरि’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (vocative) एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhakti","emotional_journey":"Begins with the burden of sin, then turns to purification and a calm radiance attained through a single proper Gaṅgā-bath."}

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It declares the Gaṅgā as a purifying tīrtha: even one bath performed according to vidhi removes pāpa (sinful taint) and makes the person spiritually radiant (bhāti).

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

By praising Gaṅgā-jala as sacred, it supports bhakti-oriented tīrtha-sevā: approaching holy waters with faith and proper observance becomes a devotional act that cleanses obstacles to remembrance of the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It emphasizes vidhi (procedural correctness) in snāna—i.e., ritual discipline aligned with kalpa-style practice (ritual method), indicating that intention and prescribed performance together yield the stated fruit.