Shloka 2

Description of the Rules for Charitable Gifts and Related Rites

Gaṅgā-māhātmya

Devanagari script

यैः पुण्यवाहिनी गंगा सकृद्भक्त्यावगाहिता । तेषां कुलानां लक्षं तु भवात्तारयते शिवा ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

yaiḥ puṇyavāhinī gaṃgā sakṛdbhaktyāvagāhitā | teṣāṃ kulānāṃ lakṣaṃ tu bhavāttārayate śivā || 2 ||

Translation

Тех, кто хотя бы раз с преданностью вошёл в святую, несущую заслуги Гангу, — благостная Ганга-Деви (Шива) освобождает от мирских уз сто тысяч поколений их рода.

Word by Word

• यैः: by whom/with whom
• यैः: Karana (करण/Instrument/Agentive means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• पुण्य-वाहिनी: merit-bearing
• पुण्य-वाहिनी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य + वाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (पुण्यं वहति इति); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of गङ्गा)

• गङ्गा: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/आवृत्तिवाचक (once)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अवगाहिता: is bathed in/entered
• अवगाहिता: Kriya (क्रिया/Participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + गाह् (धातु) → अवगाहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि भावः—‘(गङ्गा) अवगाहिता’ = has been bathed/entered

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कुलानाम्: of (their) families/lineages
• कुलानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• लक्षम्: a hundred thousand
• लक्षम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-नाम (a lakh = 100,000)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/contrast)

• भवात्: from worldly existence (saṃsāra)
• भवात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘भव’ = संसार (worldly existence)

• तारयते: delivers/carries across
• तारयते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु) [तारयति-णिच्]
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) = causes to cross/delivers

• शिवा: the auspicious one (Gaṅgā)
• शिवा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; गङ्गायाः विशेषणरूपेण/नामरूपेण (as epithet/name of Gaṅgā)

Speaker

Narada (narrative voice within the Tirtha-Mahatmya context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Shiva (as epithet: Śivā)

FAQs

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

It teaches that even a single devotional immersion in the Gaṅgā has vast salvific power, extending beyond the individual to uplift and liberate many generations of one’s lineage from saṁsāra.

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

The verse emphasizes bhakti as the key qualifier—Gaṅgā-snān is not presented as mere ritual purity, but as a devotional act that becomes a vehicle for crossing over worldly bondage.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual practice (kalpa-oriented tirtha-snān) is implied: performing sacred bathing with proper intent (bhakti) and purity of conduct is treated as a dhārmic observance within tirtha-mahātmya traditions.