Previous Verse
Next Verse

Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10

गङ्गामाहात्म्य — The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

अहो महद्गुणान्वक्तुं कः समर्थो मुनीश्वर । गर्भं प्राप्तो गरो जीर्णो मासत्रयमहोऽदभुतम् ॥ १० ॥

aho mahadguṇānvaktuṃ kaḥ samartho munīśvara | garbhaṃ prāpto garo jīrṇo māsatrayamaho'dabhutam || 10 ||

अहो, हे मुनीश्वर! असे महान गुण पूर्णपणे कोण वर्णू शकेल? घातक विष गर्भात जाऊन तीन महिने तिथेच पचले—किती अद्भुत!

अहोah!/indeed!
अहो:
Bhava (भाव/उद्गार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअहो (अव्यय)
Formविस्मयादि-निपात (interjection)
महत्great
महत्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; qualifies ‘गुणान्’
गुणान्qualities
गुणान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; object of ‘वक्तुम्’
वक्तुम्to speak
वक्तुम्:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन/infinitival purpose)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
Formतुमुनन्त (infinitive), ‘to speak’
कःwho
कः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; interrogative subject
समर्थःcapable
समर्थः:
Kriya-visheshana/Predicate (विधेय)
TypeAdjective
Rootसमर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective with ‘कः’
मुनीश्वरO lord of sages
मुनीश्वर:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootमुनीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; address; समास: मुनि + ईश्वर
गर्भम्womb
गर्भम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object with ‘प्राप्तः’ (having reached/entered the womb)
प्राप्तःhaving reached/entered
प्राप्तः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्र + आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; qualifies ‘गरः’
गरःpoison (gara)
गरः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootगर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; subject of the descriptive clause
जीर्णःdigested/decayed
जीर्णः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootजॄ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; qualifies ‘गरः’ (‘digested/decayed’)
मासत्रयम्three months
मासत्रयम्:
Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootमासत्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; duration ‘three months’; समास: त्रय (संख्या) + मास
अहोah!
अहो:
Bhava (भाव/उद्गार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअहो (अव्यय)
Formविस्मयादि-निपात (interjection)
अद्भुतम्wonderful
अद्भुतम्:
Kriya-visheshana/Predicate (विधेय)
TypeAdjective
Rootअद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; exclamatory predicate ‘wonderful’ (referring to the event)

Narada

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

It highlights the incomparability of exalted virtues and frames an extraordinary event as a sign of divine or karmic wonder, prompting reverence for the unseen workings of dharma.

By expressing awe at greatness beyond ordinary speech, it cultivates humility and reverent wonder—key inner moods (bhāva) that support devotion, even though the verse itself is not a direct bhakti injunction.

No specific Vedanga (like Vyakarana, Jyotisha, or Kalpa) is taught in this line; it functions primarily as a narrative marvel (adbhuta) underscoring moral-spiritual meaning.