Shloka 43

The Greatness of Bathing in the Ganges

Gaṅgā-snānā-mahātmya

Devanagari script

परार्द्धद्वितयं यावन्नात्र कार्या विचारणा । गंगायां स्नाति यो मर्त्यो नैरंतर्येण नित्यदा ॥ ४३ ॥

Transliteration

parārddhadvitayaṃ yāvannātra kāryā vicāraṇā | gaṃgāyāṃ snāti yo martyo nairaṃtaryeṇa nityadā || 43 ||

Translation

Cho đến thời lượng hai parārdha, ở đây không cần nghi ngờ: phàm nhân nào tắm sông Gaṅgā mỗi ngày, liên tục không gián đoạn, sẽ đạt được quả phúc tâm linh đã được hứa dạy.

Word by Word

• परार्द्ध-द्वितयम्: two parārdhas (a vast span)
• परार्द्ध-द्वितयम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परार्द्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) वा प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक (measure)

• यावत्: as long as / until
• यावत्: सम्बन्ध/काल-सीमा (Temporal limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययप्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-सीमावाचक (correlative/limit: ‘as long as/until’)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अत्र: here / in this matter
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: ‘here/in this matter’)

• कार्या: necessary / to be done
• कार्या: विधेय (Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ√कृ + यत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective) ‘to be done/necessary’

• विचारणा: consideration, deliberation
• विचारणा: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गङ्गायाम्: in the Ganga
• गङ्गायाम्: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्नाति: bathes
• स्नाति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• मर्त्यः: a mortal (man)
• मर्त्यः: कर्ता (Subject; apposition to यः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नैरन्तर्येण: with uninterrupted continuity
• नैरन्तर्येण: करण (Instrument/means; adverbial)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैरन्तर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (adverbial instrumental: ‘with continuity’)

• नित्यदा: always / every day
• नित्यदा: काल (Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: ‘always/every day’)

Speaker

Sage Narada (teaching the Sanatkumara brothers in the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahatmya context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

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

It asserts the assured, long-enduring spiritual efficacy of uninterrupted daily bathing in the Gaṅgā, presenting it as a powerful tirtha-based purificatory discipline whose result is beyond doubt.

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

By emphasizing steadfast, continuous practice (nairantarya) centered on a sacred embodiment of purity (Gaṅgā), it models bhakti as consistent, daily sacred observance rather than occasional acts—devotion expressed through disciplined tirtha-sevā and faith in its fruit.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual practice (tirtha-snana) and the importance of niyama (regularity) in dharma; while not a technical Vedanga passage, it aligns with kalpa-style ritual discipline through the insistence on uninterrupted daily observance.