Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Gaṅgāmāhātmya

Devanagari script

यानि क्षेत्राणि पुण्यानि समुद्रान्ते महीतले । तेषां पुण्यतमं ज्ञेयं प्रयागाख्यं महामुने ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

yāni kṣetrāṇi puṇyāni samudrānte mahītale | teṣāṃ puṇyatamaṃ jñeyaṃ prayāgākhyaṃ mahāmune || 9 ||

Translation

हे महामुने, समुद्रपर्यंत या पृथ्वीवर जितकी पुण्यक्षेत्रे आहेत, त्यांमध्ये ‘प्रयाग’ नावाचे स्थान सर्वाधिक पुण्यतम आहे असे जाणावे।

Word by Word

• यानि: which
• यानि: सम्बन्ध (Relative pronoun; links clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — ‘which’ (relative)

• क्षेत्राणि: holy places/regions
• क्षेत्राणि: कर्ता/विषय (Subject of relative clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — Nominative/Accusative plural

• पुण्यानि: holy, meritorious
• पुण्यानि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन — agreeing with क्षेत्राणि

• समुद्र-अन्ते: at the seashore
• समुद्र-अन्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन — Locative singular; तत्पुरुष ‘at the sea’s end/shore’

• मही-तले: on the earth’s surface
• मही-तले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन — Locative singular; तत्पुरुष ‘on the surface of the earth’

• तेषाम्: of those
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th), बहुवचन — Genitive plural

• पुण्यतमम्: most holy
• पुण्यतमम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — superlative ‘most holy’ (agreeing with implied ‘(क्षेत्रम्)’)

• ज्ञेयम्: is to be known
• ज्ञेयम्: विधेय (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (भाव्य), ‘to be known’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रयाग-आख्यम्: called Prayaga
• प्रयाग-आख्यम्: विशेषण (Name-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयाग (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — agreeing with implied ‘(क्षेत्रम्)’; तत्पुरुष ‘named Prayāga’

• महा-मुने: O great sage
• महा-मुने: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन — Vocative singular; कर्मधारय ‘great sage’

Speaker

Narada (addressing Sanatkumara, in a teacher–disciple dialogue context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Prayaga

FAQs

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

It establishes a hierarchy of tīrthas and declares Prayāga as the most merit-bestowing sacred kṣetra, emphasizing pilgrimage and sacred geography as a means to accumulate puṇya.

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

By praising Prayāga as supremely holy, it implicitly directs devotees to worship, bathe, and perform remembrance of the Divine at a foremost tīrtha—supporting bhakti through sacred place-based practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It relates to Dharma-śāstra style tīrtha-vicāra (discernment of pilgrimage sites) used in ritual planning—deciding where vows, baths, and offerings yield the highest puṇya.