Shloka 28

The Account of the Fruits of Bathing at Particular Sacred Places

Tīrtha-viśeṣa-snāna-phala

Devanagari script

गंगाद्वारे कुशावर्ते स्नाने पुण्यफलं श्रृणु । सप्तानां राजसूयानां फलं स्यादश्वमेधयोः ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

gaṃgādvāre kuśāvarte snāne puṇyaphalaṃ śrṛṇu | saptānāṃ rājasūyānāṃ phalaṃ syādaśvamedhayoḥ || 28 ||

Translation

ଗଙ୍ଗାଦ୍ୱାରର କୁଶାବର୍ତ୍ତରେ ସ୍ନାନର ପୁଣ୍ୟଫଳ ଶୁଣ। ସେଠାରେ ସ୍ନାନ କଲେ ସାତ ରାଜସୂୟ ଯଜ୍ଞର ଫଳ ଏବଂ ଅଶ୍ୱମେଧ ଯଜ୍ଞର ଫଳ ମିଳେ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• गङ्गाद्वारे: at Gangā’s gate (Gangādvāra/Haridwar)
• गङ्गाद्वारे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गायाः द्वारम्)

• कुशावर्ते: at Kuśāvarta (a sacred spot)
• कुशावर्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशावर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्थाननाम

• स्नाने: in the bath (during bathing)
• स्नाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुण्यफलम्: the meritorious fruit
• पुण्यफलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (पुण्यं फलम्)

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सप्तानाम्: of seven
• सप्तानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• राजसूयानाम्: of Rājasūya sacrifices
• राजसूयानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसूय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; यागनाम

• फलम्: the fruit/result
• फलम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative/विधि), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अश्वमेधयोः: of two Aśvamedha sacrifices
• अश्वमेधयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन (dual)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a Tirtha-Mahatmya context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Gaṅgādvāra
• Kuśāvarta
• Rājasūya
• Aśvamedha

FAQs

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

It elevates Gaṅgādvāra’s Kuśāvarta as a supremely meritorious tīrtha, teaching that a single act of Ganga-bathing there can confer merit comparable to major Vedic royal sacrifices, emphasizing tīrtha-sevā as an accessible path to punya.

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

While framed as a merit statement, it supports bhakti-oriented pilgrimage: approaching the Ganga tīrtha with श्रद्धा (faith) and reverence turns a simple snāna into a powerful devotional act, substituting costly sacrificial displays with humble sacred practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual knowledge (Kalpa) is implied through the comparison to Rājasūya and Aśvamedha: the text uses yajña-phala as a benchmark to communicate the magnitude of tīrtha-snana merit within a dharmic, rite-centered framework.