Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 165

Pāpa-bheda, Naraka-yātanā, Mahāpātaka-vicāra, Atonement Limits, Daśa-vidhā Bhakti, and Gaṅgā as Final Remedy

Devanagari script

यानि कानि च पापानि प्रोक्तानि तव भूपते । तानि कर्माणि नश्यन्ति गङ्गाबिन्द्वभिषेचनात् ॥ १६५ ॥

Transliteration

yāni kāni ca pāpāni proktāni tava bhūpate | tāni karmāṇi naśyanti gaṅgābindvabhiṣecanāt || 165 ||

Translation

హే భూపతే! నీకు చెప్పబడిన ఏ ఏ పాపాలైనను, గంగాజలంలోని ఒక్క బిందువు చల్లడమే వాటి కర్మఫలాన్ని నశింపజేస్తుంది.

Word by Word

• यानि: which (things)
• यानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कानि: any/whatever
• कानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction: and)

• पापानि: sins
• पापानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रोक्तानि: spoken/mentioned
• प्रोक्तानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) + क्त (Kta)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifier of पापानि)

• तव: to you/your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• भूपते: O king
• भूपते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कर्माणि: acts/deeds
• कर्माणि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नश्यन्ति: perish/are destroyed
• नश्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• गङ्गाबिन्द्वभिषेचनात्: from the sprinkling of a drop of Ganga (water)
• गङ्गाबिन्द्वभिषेचनात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा + बिन्दु + अभिषेचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; addressed to a king within the instruction)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It teaches the tirtha-mahātmya of the Gaṅgā: contact with Gaṅgā-water—even a single drop used for sprinkling—has purificatory power that destroys sinful karmic residues.

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

By honoring Gaṅgā as sacred and purifying, the verse supports bhakti-based practice: approaching holy waters with faith and reverence as a devotional means of inner and outer purification.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application (prayoga) is implied: abhiṣecana/sprinkling as a purification act within dharmic rites, aligning with kalpa-style procedural knowledge rather than grammar or astrology.