Shloka 5

The Description of the Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा माहात्म्यमतुलं गंगायाः पापनाशनम् । पश्चात्पापविनाशिन्यां स्नातुं यास्ये त्वया सह ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

śrutvā māhātmyamatulaṃ gaṃgāyāḥ pāpanāśanam | paścātpāpavināśinyāṃ snātuṃ yāsye tvayā saha || 6 ||

Translation

Sau khi nghe về uy đức vô song của sông Gaṅgā, đấng diệt trừ tội lỗi, rồi đây tôi sẽ cùng bạn đến tắm trong dòng sông xua tan tội chướng ấy.

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: हेतु (कारण/Hetu)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: श्रु, अर्थे: श्रवण (having heard)

• माहात्म्यम्: the greatness
• माहात्म्यम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• अतुलम्: incomparable
• अतुलम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying) माहात्म्यम्

• गंगायाः: of the Ganga
• गंगायाः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• पापनाशनम्: destroyer of sins
• पापनाशनम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: पापस्य नाशनम्

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• पापविनाशिन्याम्: in the sin-destroying (river)
• पापविनाशिन्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + विनाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: पापस्य विनाशिनी; अधिकरण (in/at)

• स्नातुम्: to bathe
• स्नातुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), धातु: स्ना; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the purpose of bathing)

• यास्ये: I shall go
• यास्ये: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्वया: with you (by you)
• त्वया: सहकारक (Sahakāraka/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), द्वितीया/तृतीया-रूपे प्रचलित; अत्र तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: सह (Saha/Accompaniment marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-सम्बन्धक अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition; Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahatmya narration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

The verse links śravaṇa (hearing sacred greatness) with karma of purification—specifically tīrtha-snānā (bathing at a holy ford)—presenting the Gaṅgā as a living purifier (pāpa-nāśinī) whose contact is a dhārmic means for cleansing sin.

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

It highlights a bhakti-pattern: first hearing and revering the Lord’s sacred manifestations (here, the Gaṅgā as a revered tirtha), then acting in faith through pilgrimage and ritual bathing—devotion expressed as humble participation in sanctifying practices.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual practice (kalpa-oriented conduct) is implied: the efficacy of snāna at a tirtha after hearing its māhātmya, reflecting the Purāṇic application of dharma-vidhi rather than a technical lesson in grammar or astrology.