Shloka 1

Devanagari script

नामाशीतितमो ऽध्यायः (इति रत्नमुक्तादि परीक्षा समाप्ता ) / (अथ तीर्थक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यमारभ्यते ) / सूत उवाच / सर्वतीर्थानि वक्ष्यामि गङ्गा तीर्थोत्तमोत्तमा / सर्वत्र सुलभा गङ्गात्रिषु स्थानेषु दुर्लभा

Transliteration

nāmāśītitamo 'dhyāyaḥ (iti ratnamuktādi parīkṣā samāptā ) / (atha tīrthakṣetramāhātmyamārabhyate ) / sūta uvāca / sarvatīrthāni vakṣyāmi gaṅgā tīrthottamottamā / sarvatra sulabhā gaṅgātriṣu sthāneṣu durlabhā

Translation

ఇది ఎనభై ఒకటవ అధ్యాయం (రత్నముక్తాది పరీక్ష ముగిసింది). ఇప్పుడు తీర్థక్షేత్ర మహాత్మ్యము ప్రారంభమగుచున్నది. సూతుడు పలికెను—నేను సమస్త తీర్థములను వర్ణించెదను; వాటిలో గంగా తీర్థోత్తమోత్తమ. గంగా సర్వత్ర సులభము, కాని మూడు స్థానములలో దుర్లభము.

Word by Word

• nāma: name/title
• nāma: Sambandha (Heading/Label)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular); शीर्षक-निर्देशार्थम् (as a heading/label)

• aśītitamaḥ: eightieth
• aśītitamaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśīti + tama (प्रातिपदिक; तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (masc. nominative singular; ordinal adjective)

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc. nominative singular)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative/closure particle)

• ratna-muktā-ādi: (of) gems, pearls, etc.
• ratna-muktā-ādi: Visheshya (Qualifier to parīkṣā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratna + muktā + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आदि-समास/समाहार) (neuter nominative singular; ‘gems, pearls, etc.’)

• parīkṣā: examination
• parīkṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parīkṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (fem. nominative singular)

• samāptā: completed
• samāptā: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-āp (धातु) + kta (कृत्) → samāpta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भावे (fem. nominative singular; past passive participle ‘completed’)

• atha: now/then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: आरम्भसूचक अव्यय (inceptive particle)

• tīrtha-kṣetra-māhātmyam: the greatness of sacred pilgrimage-places
• tīrtha-kṣetra-māhātmyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha + kṣetra + māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (neuter nom./acc. singular; ‘the greatness of pilgrimage-places/holy fields’)

• ārabhyate: is begun
• ārabhyate: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√rabh (रभ्, धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (present indicative, 3rd sg, middle; passive sense ‘is begun’)

• sūtaḥ: Sūta
• sūtaḥ: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc. nominative singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Speech act)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्, धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परस्मैपद), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (perfect, 3rd sg, active)

• sarva-tīrthāni: all sacred fords/pilgrimage places
• sarva-tīrthāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘all’ + ‘pilgrimages’) (neuter accusative plural)

• vakṣyāmi: I shall describe
• vakṣyāmi: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्, धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (simple future, 1st sg, active)

• gaṅgā: Gaṅgā
• gaṅgā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (fem. nominative singular)

• tīrtha-uttama-uttamā: the best of the best among holy places
• tīrtha-uttama-uttamā: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīrtha + uttama + uttamā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः/उपपद-समासः (‘best among sacred places, the best’) (fem. nominative singular)

• sarvatra: everywhere
• sarvatra: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• sulabhā: easily obtainable
• sulabhā: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-labha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (fem. nominative singular)

• gaṅgā: Gaṅgā
• gaṅgā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (fem. nominative singular)

• triṣu: in three
• triṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (locative plural; numeral adjective)

• sthāneṣu: places
• sthāneṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन (neuter locative plural)

• durlabhā: hard to obtain/rare
• durlabhā: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur-labha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (fem. nominative singular)

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-sevā and Gaṅgā-smaraṇa as a privileged means of purification and merit; sacred geography as a conduit of grace.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha mediated through nāma/tīrtha; purity (śuddhi) as support for jñāna/bhakti leading toward mokṣa.

Application: Cultivate Gaṅgā-reverence (snāna, darśana, smaraṇa) and plan pilgrimage with discernment for especially potent stations; keep a daily remembrance of Gaṅgā as purifier.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: river/tīrtha-network

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: transition from ratna-parīkṣā (gem examination) to tīrtha-kṣetra-māhātmya (chapter opening); Garuda Purana: later tīrtha listings and phala-śruti passages in the same section

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Sūta

FAQs

What is the importance of the Gaṅgā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse declares the Gaṅgā as “tīrthottamottamā”—the most excellent among all sacred tīrthas—setting her apart as the foremost purifier in the tīrtha-kṣetra tradition.

How does this verse relate to spiritual purification and liberation?

By introducing tīrtha-māhātmya and placing the Gaṅgā at the summit of tīrthas, the text frames pilgrimage and contact with sacred waters as a key means of inner purification that supports dharma and higher spiritual aims.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat pilgrimage and sacred bathing as disciplined spiritual practice—paired with ethical conduct—while remembering that true “access” to holiness also requires reverence, restraint, and right intention.