Shloka 37

Description of the Rules for Charitable Gifts and Related Rites

Gaṅgā-māhātmya

Devanagari script

वैशाखशुक्लसप्तम्यां जह्नुना जाह्नवी पुरा । क्रोधात्पीता पुनस्त्यक्ता कर्णरंघ्रात्तु दक्षिणात् ॥ ३७ ॥

Transliteration

vaiśākhaśuklasaptamyāṃ jahnunā jāhnavī purā | krodhātpītā punastyaktā karṇaraṃghrāttu dakṣiṇāt || 37 ||

Translation

Thuở xưa, vào ngày Thất (saptamī) của nửa tháng sáng tháng Vaiśākha, Jahnavī (sông Hằng) vì cơn giận đã bị hiền giả Jahnu uống cạn; rồi lại được thả ra, tuôn ra từ lỗ tai phải của ngài.

Word by Word

• वैशाख-शुक्ल-सप्तम्याम्: on the bright seventh of Vaiśākha
• वैशाख-शुक्ल-सप्तम्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशाख (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + सप्तमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; काल-अधिकरण (locative: ‘on the 7th (tithi) of bright fortnight of Vaiśākha’)

• जह्नुना: by (sage) Jahnu
• जह्नुना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जह्नु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृ/करण-भाव (instrumental: ‘by Jahnu’)

• जाह्नवी: Jāhnavī (Ganga)
• जाह्नवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाह्नवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपद (subject)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb: ‘formerly/once’)

• क्रोधात्: out of anger
• क्रोधात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (ablative of cause: ‘from/through anger’)

• पीता: was drunk (up)
• पीता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘having been drunk’

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-अव्यय (adverb: ‘again’)

• त्यक्ता: was released
• त्यक्ता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘having been released/abandoned’

• कर्ण-रन्ध्रात्: from the ear-opening
• कर्ण-रन्ध्रात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + रन्ध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अपादान (ablative: ‘from the ear-opening’)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/contrast)

• दक्षिणात्: from the right (side)
• दक्षिणात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (ablative: ‘from the right (side)’)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the tirtha-mahatmya within Uttara-Bhaga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Jahnu
• Jahnavi
• Ganga

FAQs

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

It explains the sacred identity of Gaṅgā as “Jāhnavī,” linking her holiness to a purāṇic event and marking Vaiśākha Śukla Saptamī as an auspicious puṇya-kāla connected with her manifestation.

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

By emphasizing Gaṅgā’s divine presence and auspicious sacred time, it supports bhakti expressed through tīrtha-sevā—reverent pilgrimage, remembrance, and ritual bathing with devotion directed toward the sacred river as a manifestation of divine grace.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Jyotiṣa-style calendrical specificity—observance on Vaiśākha Śukla Saptamī—useful for timing vratas, snāna (ritual bathing), and tīrtha-related rites according to the lunar tithi.