Shloka 9

The Greatness of Bathing in the Ganges

Gaṅgā-snānā-mahātmya

Devanagari script

वापीकूपतडागादिप्रपासत्रादिभिस्तथा । अन्यत्र यद्भवेत्पुण्यं तद्गंगादर्शनाद्भवेत् ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

vāpīkūpataḍāgādiprapāsatrādibhistathā | anyatra yadbhavetpuṇyaṃ tadgaṃgādarśanādbhavet || 9 ||

Translation

ਬਾਵੜੀ, ਕੂਆਂ, ਤਲਾਬ, ਪਾਣੀ-ਛਤਰ ਅਤੇ ਸਤ੍ਰ ਆਦਿ ਬਣਾਉਣ ਨਾਲ ਹੋਰ ਥਾਵਾਂ ਤੇ ਜੋ ਪੁੰਨ ਮਿਲਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਹੀ ਪੁੰਨ ਕੇਵਲ ਗੰਗਾ-ਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਨਾਲ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• वापी-कूप-तडाग-आदि-प्रपा-सत्र-आदिभिः: by wells, ponds, tanks, water-sheds, alms-houses, etc.
• वापी-कूप-तडाग-आदि-प्रपा-सत्र-आदिभिः: Adhikarana/Upamana (सम्बन्ध/locative-like context: in/through such means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी (प्रातिपदिक) + कूप (प्रातिपदिक) + तडाग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + प्रपा (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘...आदिभिः’ = ‘and the like’ (instrumental plural)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (also/likewise)

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb: elsewhere)

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• भवेत्: may be, would arise
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्: that (same)
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तद्-शब्द (correlative pronoun)

• गंगा-दर्शनात्: from seeing the Ganga
• गंगा-दर्शनात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गंगा (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: गंगायाः दर्शनम् → दर्शनात्

• भवेत्: would arise
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the Ganga/Tirtha-mahatmya context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"adbhuta","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_journey":"Wonder at the equivalence: great public-utility merits elsewhere are said to arise simply from Gaṅgā-darśana, settling into reverent calm."}

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It elevates Gaṅgā-darśana (seeing the Ganga) as a supremely potent tirtha-act, equating it with the merit of major public welfare charities like building wells, tanks, and water-stations.

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

By teaching that sacred contact through darśana of a divinely revered tirtha (Gaṅgā) can grant swift spiritual merit, it supports bhakti-oriented reverence where faith and holy association become powerful means of upliftment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This verse primarily emphasizes Dharma (puṇya through charity and tirtha-mahatmya) rather than a specific Vedanga; it reflects Smārta-purāṇic ritual ethics that praise public-benefit acts (udaka-dāna, prapā, satra) and pilgrimage merit.