Shloka 53

Description of the Rules for Charitable Gifts and Related Rites

Gaṅgā-māhātmya

Devanagari script

भूमिं निवर्तनमितां गंगातीरे ददाति यः । भूमिरेणुप्रमाणाब्दं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवातिगः ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

bhūmiṃ nivartanamitāṃ gaṃgātīre dadāti yaḥ | bhūmireṇupramāṇābdaṃ brahmaviṣṇuśivātigaḥ || 53 ||

Translation

जो गंगातीरी एक निवर्तन-परिमित भूमी दान करतो, तो त्या भूमीतील धुळीच्या कणांइतक्या वर्षे ब्रह्मा, विष्णु आणि शिव यांनाही अतिक्रमून श्रेष्ठ फल भोगतो।

Word by Word

• भूमिम्: land, earth
• भूमिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• निवर्तन-मिताम्: measured as one nivartana (measure)
• निवर्तन-मिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निवर्तन (प्रातिपदिक) + मित (कृदन्त, √मा माने/मितौ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (निवर्तन-परिमाणेन मिता = ‘measured by a nivartana’)

• गङ्गा-तीरे: on the bank of the Ganga
• गङ्गा-तीरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गङ्गायाः तीरम्)

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (दाने)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• भूमि-रेणु-प्रमाण-अब्दम्: a ‘year’ of dust-particle measure (very long time)
• भूमि-रेणु-प्रमाण-अब्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक) + रेणु (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक) + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—बहु-तत्पुरुष (भूमेः रेणु-प्रमाणः अब्दः = ‘a year measured by a dust-particle of earth’, i.e., extremely long time)

• ब्रह्म-विष्णु-शिव-अतिगः: one who surpasses Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva
• ब्रह्म-विष्णु-शिव-अतिगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + अतिग (कृदन्त, √गम् + अति उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्म-विष्णु-शिवान् अतिगः = ‘surpassing Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva’)

Speaker

Suta (narrating Narada Purana’s Gaṅgā-māhātmya section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It elevates Gaṅgā-tīra bhūmi-dāna (donation of land at the Ganga) as an exceptionally potent dharmic act, whose merit is described as immeasurable—counted by the land’s dust-particles—highlighting the unique sanctity of the Gaṅgā and tīrthas.

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

The verse frames charity at a sacred tīrtha as an offering aligned with divine presence (especially in Uttara-Bhāga tīrtha-māhātmya contexts), where devotion expresses itself through selfless giving and reverence for holy places associated with the Lord’s grace.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A practical takeaway is the use of traditional measurement terminology (nivartana) relevant to ritual-dāna procedure—showing how dharma texts integrate precise conventional measures and rules for valid gifts (dāna-vidhi).