Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 162

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

Devanagari script

तानुद्धर महाभाग गङ्गानयनकर्मणा । गङ्गा सर्वाणि पापानि नाशयत्येव भूपते ॥ १६२ ॥

Transliteration

tānuddhara mahābhāga gaṅgānayanakarmaṇā | gaṅgā sarvāṇi pāpāni nāśayatyeva bhūpate || 162 ||

Translation

Hỡi bậc cao quý, hãy cứu họ bằng nghi lễ đưa (họ) đến sông Gaṅgā. Tâu Đại vương, Gaṅgā quả thật tiêu trừ mọi tội lỗi.

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• उद्धर: rescue/lift up
• उद्धर: Kriya (क्रिया/Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + हृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• महाभाग: O greatly fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः (महान् भागः यस्य)

• गङ्गा-आनयन-कर्मणा: by the act of bringing the Ganga
• गङ्गा-आनयन-कर्मणा: Karana (करण/Instrument-means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + आनयन (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गायाः आनयनस्य कर्म)

• गङ्गा: Ganga
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifying पापानि)

• पापानि: sins
• पापानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नाशयति: destroys
• नाशयति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु) (णिच् causative: नाशय)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

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

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing the King in Narada’s narrative frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It presents Gaṅgā as a supreme tīrtha whose contact—especially through the prescribed rite of bringing or leading one to her—functions as a powerful means of purification and deliverance from pāpa.

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

By honoring Gaṅgā as sacred and effective against sin, the verse supports bhakti expressed through tīrtha-sevā and श्रद्धा (faith) in divinely empowered means of purification, which traditionally complements Viṣṇu-bhakti and dharmic living.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application (kalpa-oriented practice) is implied: performing a specific कर्म (karma)—gaṅgānayana—shows how prescribed rites and tīrtha-related observances are used as practical prayāścitta within dharma.