Shloka 16

Kāśī-māhātmya: Avimukta Gaṅgā and the Pañcanada Tīrtha

Devanagari script

गंगा च यमुना चैव पंच नद्यः प्रकीर्तिताः । अतः पञ्चनदं नाम तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

gaṃgā ca yamunā caiva paṃca nadyaḥ prakīrtitāḥ | ataḥ pañcanadaṃ nāma tīrthaṃ trailokyaviśrutam || 16 ||

Translation

ഗംഗയും യമുനയും പഞ്ചനദികളിൽ പ്രഖ്യാതങ്ങളാകുന്നു; അതിനാൽ ഈ തീർത്ഥം ‘പഞ്ചനദം’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ ത്രിലോകപ്രസിദ്ധമാണ്.

Word by Word

• gaṅgā: Ganga
• gaṅgā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• yamunā: Yamuna
• yamunā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yamunā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• pañca: five
• pañca: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral adjective), अव्ययवत्/अविकारी; नद्यः इति विशेष्यस्य संख्या (qualifies 'rivers')

• nadyaḥ: rivers
• nadyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• prakīrtitāḥ: are proclaimed/are celebrated
• prakīrtitāḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/statement of being proclaimed)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kīrt (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि प्रयोग (past passive participle), प्रथमा बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग (agreeing with nadyaḥ)

• ataḥ: therefore/from this
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु/तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय (therefore/from this)

• pañcanadam: (the place called) Pañcanada
• pañcanadam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca + nada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समास (numeral compound)

• nāma: by name/called
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/naming marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (indeclinable usage meaning 'by name/called')

• tīrtham: sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• tīrtham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• trailokyaviśrutam: renowned in the three worlds
• trailokyaviśrutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri + loka + viśruta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (trailokye viśrutam = renowned in the three worlds), विशेषणम् (qualifies tīrtham)

Speaker

Narada (as narrator/teacher within the Tirtha-Mahatmya discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Yamuna
• Panchanada Tirtha

FAQs

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

It identifies Pañcanada as a tīrtha whose sanctity arises from its association with revered rivers—especially Gaṅgā and Yamunā—making it a place where contact with sacred waters is understood to generate puṇya (spiritual merit).

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

While the verse is primarily a tīrtha-mahātmya statement, it supports bhakti practice indirectly by elevating pilgrimage and reverent bathing/remembering sacred rivers as devotional acts that purify the mind and prepare one for Viṣṇu-bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The practical takeaway is ritual geography and tīrtha-identification used in dharma practice—knowing which rivers and confluences are scripturally praised to guide snāna (bathing), dāna (charity), and vrata-related observances during pilgrimage.