Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 29

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Gaṅgāmāhātmya

Devanagari script

सेयं गङ्गा महापुण्या नदी भक्त्या निषेविता । मेषतौलिमृगार्केषु पावयत्यखिलं जगत् ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

seyaṃ gaṅgā mahāpuṇyā nadī bhaktyā niṣevitā | meṣataulimṛgārkeṣu pāvayatyakhilaṃ jagat || 29 ||

Translation

Ito ang Gaṅgā—ang ilog na dakilang mapagpala—na dinadalaw at pinaglilingkuran nang may bhakti; kapag ang Araw ay nasa Meṣa (Aries), Taulī (Libra), at Mṛga (panahon/daan ng Mṛgaśīrṣa), nililinis niya ang buong sanlibutan.

Word by Word

• सा: she/that (river)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta (कर्ता; deictic qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative) सा-शब्दस्य

• गङ्गा: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महापुण्या: greatly holy/meritorious
• महापुण्या: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: महत् पुण्यम् यस्याः/या

• नदी: river
• नदी: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• निषेविता: is resorted to/served
• निषेविता: Karta-Predicate (कर्ता; predicate participle of Gaṅgā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + सेव् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग; 'भक्त्या' इति करणेन सह

• मेषतौलिमृगार्केषु: in Aries, Libra, Capricorn, and Leo (zodiac signs)
• मेषतौलिमृगार्केषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative; time/occasion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेष + तौलि + मृग + अर्क (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (समाहार/इतरेतर): मेषे, तौलौ, मृगे, अर्के (राशिषु)

• पावयति: purifies
• पावयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रत्यय (causative)

• अखिलम्: entire, whole
• अखिलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण जगत्-शब्दस्य

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Arka (Sun)

FAQs

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

It declares Gaṅgā as a universally purifying tīrtha whose sanctity is activated through bhakti (devotional resorting), emphasizing her role as a dharma-supporting purifier for all beings.

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

Purification is not presented as merely physical contact with water but as ‘bhaktyā niṣevitā’—approaching and serving Gaṅgā with reverence—showing that inner devotion is central to the fruit of tīrtha-sevā.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Jyotiṣa (Vedic astrology) by naming specific solar placements (Meṣa, Taulī, Mṛga) as spiritually potent times for tīrtha practices like Gaṅgā-snāna.