Shloka 4

The Greatness of Haridvāra

Gaṅgādvāra-māhātmya

Devanagari script

यत्र भूमिमनुप्राप्ता भगीरथरथानुगा । श्रीगंगालकनंदाख्या नगान्भित्त्वा सहस्रशः ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

yatra bhūmimanuprāptā bhagīratharathānugā | śrīgaṃgālakanaṃdākhyā nagānbhittvā sahasraśaḥ || 4 ||

Translation

ณ ที่นั้น พระศรีคงคาผู้เป็นมงคล—ซึ่งเรียกอีกนามว่า ลากานันดา—ทรงตามรอยรถศึกของภคีรถะ และทรงเจาะฝ่าภูเขานับพันจนถึงพื้นพิภพ।

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable); स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• भूमिम्: the earth/ground
• भूमिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (singular)

• अनुप्राप्ता: having reached
• अनुप्राप्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-√प्राप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण/विधेय (predicate participle)

• भगीरथ-रथ-अनुगा: following Bhagiratha’s chariot
• भगीरथ-रथ-अनुगा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगीरथ (प्रातिपदिक) + रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुगा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): भगीरथस्य रथम् अनुगच्छती (following Bhagiratha's chariot)

• श्री-गङ्गा-लका-नन्दा-आख्या: having the names Śrīgaṅgā, Lakā, and Nandā
• श्री-गङ्गा-लका-नन्दा-आख्या: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + लका (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दा (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (possessive): यस्याः आख्या/नाम 'श्रीगङ्गा', 'लका', 'नन्दा' (having the names Śrīgaṅgā, Lakā, Nandā)

• नगान्: mountains
• नगान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

• भित्त्वा: having split/cleft
• भित्त्वा: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भिद् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having done earlier)

• सहस्रशः: by the thousand; in thousands
• सहस्रशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक (adverb of manner/number)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Tirtha-Mahatmya section in Uttara-Bhaga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Bhagiratha

FAQs

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

It presents Gaṅgā’s descent as a divine, world-purifying event: her very arrival on earth—guided by Bhagīratha—marks a tirtha where contact with her flow is understood to cleanse and uplift beings.

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

By glorifying Gaṅgā’s sacred power and Bhagīratha’s God-centered perseverance, the verse supports bhakti through reverent remembrance (smaraṇa) of holy deeds and through faith in tirtha-sevā as a devotional act.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Kalpa in the applied sense: it underlies tirtha-related observances—such as rules for sacred bathing (snāna), purity, and pilgrimage conduct—implied by the Mahatmya context rather than explicit technical instruction.