Shloka 50

Tīrtha-vidhi (Procedure for Holy Places) — Prayāgarāja-māhātmya

Devanagari script

गंगां प्राप्य सरिच्छ्रेष्ठां कल्पांतपापसंचयाः । केशानाश्रित्य तिष्ठंति तस्मात्तान्परिवर्जयेत् ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

gaṃgāṃ prāpya saricchreṣṭhāṃ kalpāṃtapāpasaṃcayāḥ | keśānāśritya tiṣṭhaṃti tasmāttānparivarjayet || 50 ||

Translation

നദികളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠയായ ഗംഗയെ പ്രാപിച്ചാൽ, കല്പാന്തം വരെ സഞ്ചിതമായ പാപസഞ്ചയങ്ങൾ മുടിയെ ആശ്രയിച്ച് അവിടെ തന്നെ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു; അതിനാൽ ആ മുടി ഉപേക്ഷിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• गङ्गाम्: the Ganga
• गङ्गाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable); अर्थः: प्राप्य = having reached

• सरित्-श्रेष्ठाम्: the best of rivers
• सरित्-श्रेष्ठाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: सरितां श्रेष्ठा

• कल्पान्त-पाप-संचयाः: accumulations of sins (lasting) till the end of a kalpa
• कल्पान्त-पाप-संचयाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्पान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + संचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष-समास: कल्पान्ते (यावत् कल्पान्तम्) पापानां संचयाः

• केशान्: hair
• केशान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• आश्रित्य: having clung to / resorting to
• आश्रित्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; अर्थः: having resorted to / clinging to

• तिष्ठन्ति: remain / stay
• तिष्ठन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) [तिष्ठ-]
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् (ablatival adverb/particle) = ‘therefore/from that reason’

• तान्: those (sins)
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• परिवर्जयेत्: should avoid / should shun
• परिवर्जयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-वृज्/वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in the Ganga-tirtha context; dialogue frame with Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It highlights Gaṅgā as the supreme tīrtha whose contact draws out even extremely long-accumulated sin; the verse uses the image of sins clinging to hair to stress thorough purification and mindful post-bath cleanliness.

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

By elevating Gaṅgā as a sacred presence, it supports bhakti-oriented tīrtha practices—approaching the holy river with reverence, performing snāna as an act of surrender, and maintaining purity as a devotional discipline.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It primarily reflects Dharma-śāstra style śauca (ritual cleanliness) rather than a specific Vedāṅga; the practical takeaway is correct post-snāna conduct—do not keep impurity-associated hair, implying proper grooming/cleansing after tīrtha bathing.