Shloka 26

The Greatness of Bathing in the Ganges

Gaṅgā-snānā-mahātmya

Devanagari script

गंगायाः कीर्तनेनैव शुभां गतिमवाप्नुयात् । ब्रह्महा गुरुहागोघ्नः स्पृष्टो वा सर्वपातकैः ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

gaṃgāyāḥ kīrtanenaiva śubhāṃ gatimavāpnuyāt | brahmahā guruhāgoghnaḥ spṛṣṭo vā sarvapātakaiḥ || 26 ||

Translation

Chỉ nhờ tán dương Gaṅgā mà thôi, người ta đạt đến cảnh giới tốt lành—dẫu là kẻ sát hại brāhmaṇa, sát hại thầy (guru), giết bò, hay kẻ bị nhiễm mọi trọng tội.

Word by Word

• gaṅgāyāḥ: of Ganga
• gaṅgāyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• kīrtanena: by praising/chanting
• kīrtanena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīrtana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• eva: indeed / only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle: 'indeed/only')

• śubhām: auspicious
• śubhām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; 'gatiṃ' इत्यस्य विशेषण

• gatim: destination / state
• gatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• avāpnuyāt: would attain
• avāpnuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava+āp (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• brahma-hā: a brahmin-slayer
• brahma-hā: Karta (कर्ता) (as subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + han (धातु) → -hā (कृदन्त/नामधातु-प्रयोग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (brahmaṇaḥ hantā = 'slayer of a brāhmaṇa')

• guru-hā: a teacher-slayer
• guru-hā: Karta (कर्ता) (as subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक) + han (धातु) → -hā
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (guroḥ hantā = 'slayer of one’s teacher')

• go-ghnaḥ: a cow-killer
• go-ghnaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (as subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + han (धातु) → ghna (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (gāṃ ghnāti iti = 'cow-killer')

• spṛṣṭaḥ: touched / afflicted
• spṛṣṭaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: spṛś (धातु) → spṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'saḥ' (implicit) इत्यस्य विशेषण

• vā: or / even if
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or/even if)

• sarva-pātakaiḥ: by/with all sins
• sarva-pātakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण) / Sahakārī (सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (sarvāṇi pātakāni = sarvapātakāni)

Speaker

Narada (within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue stream; Ganga-mahatmya narration in Uttara-Bhaga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It teaches the extraordinary purificatory power of Gaṅgā-kīrtana: even those burdened with mahāpātakas (grave sins) can attain a शुभा गति—an auspicious spiritual end—through sincere glorification of the sacred river.

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

It emphasizes devotional speech (kīrtana) as a direct means of grace: remembrance and praise of a holy embodiment of tīrtha-sakti (Gaṅgā) functions like bhakti-practice, transforming the devotee’s destiny beyond prior impurity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to prayoga-based dharma (prāyaścitta logic): purification can occur through prescribed sacred recitation (kīrtana/śravaṇa), aligning with Smṛti-Purāṇic ritual principles rather than technical Vedāṅga topics like Jyotiṣa or Vyākaraṇa.