Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 64

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Gaṅgāmāhātmya

Devanagari script

यस्य प्रसन्ना गायत्री तस्य गङ्गा प्रसीदति । विष्णुशक्तियुते ते द्वे समकामप्रसिद्धेदे ॥ ६४ ॥

Transliteration

yasya prasannā gāyatrī tasya gaṅgā prasīdati | viṣṇuśaktiyute te dve samakāmaprasiddhede || 64 ||

Translation

ఎవనిపై గాయత్రీ ప్రసన్నమవుతుందో, అతనిపై గంగ కూడా ప్రసన్నమవుతుంది. విష్ణుశక్తితో యుక్తమైన ఈ ఇద్దరూ కోరిన ఫలసిద్ధిని ప్రసాదించడంలో సమానంగా ప్రసిద్ధులు।

Word by Word

• yasya: of whom
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/of whom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• prasannā: pleased
• prasannā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna (प्रसद् धातु + क्त; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past participle (क्त-कृदन्त) used adjectivally; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• gāyatrī: Gayatri
• gāyatrī: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/of him)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुं), Genitive (षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); correlative pronoun

• gaṅgā: Ganga
• gaṅgā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• prasīdati: is pleased
• prasīdati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-sad (प्र + सद् धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• viṣṇu-śakti-yute: endowed with Vishnu’s power
• viṣṇu-śakti-yute: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक) + yuta (युज् धातु + क्त; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘viṣṇoḥ śaktyā yute’; Past participle base ‘yuta’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन) agreeing with ‘dve’

• te: those two
• te: Karta (कर्ता/subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• dve: two
• dve: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi (द्वि-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); numeral

• sama-kāma-prasiddhe: granting/fulfilling desired aims equally (well-known for that)
• sama-kāma-prasiddhe: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + prasiddha (प्र + सिध् धातु + क्त; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘samānān kāmān prasādhayataḥ/yeṣāṃ prasiddhiḥ’; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन)

• ime: these (two)
• ime: Karta (कर्ता/subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); demonstrative pronoun

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada within the Narada Purana dialogue frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Gayatri
• Ganga
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It equates two major purifiers—Gāyatrī (mantra-śakti) and Gaṅgā (tīrtha-śakti)—teaching that divine grace manifests through both inner practice (japa) and sacred contact (snāna), since both are empowered by Viṣṇu.

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

By attributing the efficacy of Gāyatrī and Gaṅgā to Viṣṇu-śakti, the verse frames mantra and tīrtha as channels of devotion to Viṣṇu—grace arises when one approaches them with faith and reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to mantra-prayoga (practical application of sacred recitation) and purity disciplines connected with Vedic practice—especially the disciplined use of Gāyatrī-japa and tīrtha-related observances as recognized aids to sādhana.