Shloka 55

The Account of the Fruits of Bathing at Particular Sacred Places

Tīrtha-viśeṣa-snāna-phala

Devanagari script

इति श्रीबृहन्नारदीयपुराणोत्तरभागे मोहिनीवसुसंवादे गंगामाहात्म्ये स्थलविशेषस्नानफलकथनं नाम चत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

iti śrībṛhannāradīyapurāṇottarabhāge mohinīvasusaṃvāde gaṃgāmāhātmye sthalaviśeṣasnānaphalakathanaṃ nāma catvāriṃśattamo'dhyāyaḥ || 40 ||

Translation

இவ்வாறு ஸ்ரீ ப்ருஹந்நாரதீய புராணத்தின் உத்தரபாகத்தில், மோஹினி–வசு உரையாடலில் உள்ள கங்கா-மாஹாத்ம்யத்தில் ‘தலவிசேஷ ஸ்நான பலக் கதனம்’ எனும் நாற்பதாம் அத்தியாயம் நிறைவுற்றது।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative/end marker)

• श्री-बृहन्-नारदीय-पुराण-उत्तर-भागे: in the later part of the Śrī Bṛhan-Nāradīya Purāṇa
• श्री-बृहन्-नारदीय-पुराण-उत्तर-भागे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + बृहन् + नारदीय + पुराण + उत्तर + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (title phrase); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘...भागे’ = in the later part/section of the Śrī Bṛhan-Nāradīya Purāṇa

• मोहिनी-वसु-संवादे: in the dialogue of Mohinī and Vasu
• मोहिनी-वसु-संवादे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी + वसु + संवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (मोहिन्याः वसोः संवादः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• गङ्गा-माहात्म्ये: in the section on the greatness of the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा-माहात्म्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Section-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (गङ्गायाः माहात्म्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्थल-विशेष-स्नान-फल-कथनम्: the narration of the fruits of bathing at specific places
• स्थल-विशेष-स्नान-फल-कथनम्: Visheshya (विशेष्य/Title predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थल + विशेष + स्नान + फल + कथन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अध्यायनामरूपेण (as chapter-title)

• नाम: called
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Naming marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशक (name-indicating particle) = “called”

• चत्वारिंशत्तमः: fortieth
• चत्वारिंशत्तमः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चत्वारिंशत् (संख्या) + तमप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रमवाचक (ordinal); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of अध्यायः)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator/colophon (textual closure of the chapter within the Mohinī–Vasu dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Mohinī
• Vasu
• Gaṅgā
• Bṛhan-Nāradīya Purāṇa

FAQs

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

This is a colophon marking the completion of Adhyaya 40, formally identifying the topic as the fruits of bathing at specific sacred Gaṅgā sites—framing tīrtha-snāna as a dharmic purifier within the Gaṅgā-māhātmya.

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

Indirectly: by placing Gaṅgā-māhātmya and tīrtha-snāna within a Purāṇic teaching context, it supports devotional practice through sacred geography and reverence for Gaṅgā as a sanctifying presence aligned with bhakti-oriented merit.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual practice (kalpa in a broad sense): it indexes snāna-vidhi as a results-oriented rite tied to specific locations (sthala-viśeṣa), serving as a practical guidepost for pilgrimage and observance.