Shloka 20

Description of the Rules for Charitable Gifts and Related Rites

Gaṅgā-māhātmya

Devanagari script

स्पर्शनादर्चनं श्रेष्ठं घृतस्नानमतः परम् । प्राहुर्गंगाजलैः स्नानं घृतस्नानसमं बुधाः ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

sparśanādarcanaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ ghṛtasnānamataḥ param | prāhurgaṃgājalaiḥ snānaṃ ghṛtasnānasamaṃ budhāḥ || 20 ||

Translation

ยิ่งกว่าการสัมผัสคือการบูชา (อรจนะ) และยิ่งกว่านั้นคือการอาบด้วยเนยใส ผู้รู้กล่าวว่า การอาบในน้ำคงคามีบุญเสมอด้วยการอาบเนยใส

Word by Word

• स्पर्शनात्: than touching/from touching
• स्पर्शनात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• अर्चनम्: worship/adoration
• अर्चनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रेष्ठम्: best/superior
• श्रेष्ठम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (predicate)

• घृत-स्नानम्: bath with ghee
• घृत-स्नानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (घृतेन स्नानम् / घृतस्य स्नानम्)

• अतः: thereafter/than this
• अतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/क्रमार्थ-निर्देशक (thereafter/thereupon/than this)

• परम्: higher/supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (predicate)

• प्राहुः: they have said
• प्राहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• गङ्गा-जलैः: with the waters of the Ganga
• गङ्गा-जलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गायाः जलम्)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; object of ‘they say’

• घृत-स्नान-समम्: equal to a ghee-bath
• घृत-स्नान-समम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (घृतस्नानेन समम्)

• बुधाः: the wise (people)
• बुधाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching in the context of Tirtha-mahatmya in Uttara-bhaga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"bhakti","secondary_rasa":"adbhuta","emotional_journey":"Builds an ascending ladder of sanctity—touching → worship → ghee-bath—culminating in wonder at Gaṅgā’s power: her waters equal the rare, costly ghṛtasnāna."}

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It ranks spiritual acts by inner efficacy: mere contact is least, worship is higher, and sacred bathing is highly purifying—placing Gaṅgā-snāna on par with the especially meritorious ghṛta-snāna.

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

By stating that arcana (devotional worship) surpasses simple physical contact, it emphasizes intentional reverence and offering-based devotion rather than relying only on proximity to holiness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual practice (kalpa-style procedure) is implied: distinctions among sparśana, arcana, and snāna reflect graded ritual observances used in tīrtha-yātrā and purification disciplines.