Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 41

The Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Gaṅgāmāhātmya

Devanagari script

गङ्गायमुनयोर्योगोऽधिकः काश्या अपि द्विज । यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण नरा यान्ति परां गतिम् ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

gaṅgāyamunayoryogo'dhikaḥ kāśyā api dvija | yasya darśanamātreṇa narā yānti parāṃ gatim || 41 ||

Translation

噢，二次生者啊，恒河与阎牟那的圣洁汇合处，甚至比迦尸更为崇高；仅以瞻见，众人便得至上境界。

Word by Word

• गङ्गा-यमुनयोः: of Gaṅgā and Yamunā
• गङ्गा-यमुनयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + यमुना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine dual sense; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन); Dvandva compound ‘of Gaṅgā and Yamunā’

• योगः: confluence, union
• योगः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• अधिकः: greater
• अधिकः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); comparative sense ‘greater/superior’

• काश्याः: than Kāśī
• काश्याः: Apādāna (अपादान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); comparison base ‘than Kāśī’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात) ‘even/also’

• द्विज: O twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun referring to ‘(that confluence) whose’

• दर्शन-मात्रेण: by mere sight
• दर्शन-मात्रेण: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); Tatpuruṣa (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष) ‘by mere seeing’

• नराः: people
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• यान्ति: go, attain
• यान्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies ‘gatim’

• गतिम्: state, liberation-goal
• गतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Yamuna
• Kashi

FAQs

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

It declares the Ganga–Yamuna confluence as an exceptionally potent tirtha whose mere darshana (sacred sight) grants para gati—the supreme spiritual destination—highlighting tirtha-mahatmya as a direct aid to liberation.

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

By emphasizing darshana alone as spiritually transformative, the verse reflects a bhakti-oriented principle: sincere reverent encounter with a sacred locus connected to divine purity can elevate the devotee beyond ordinary merit toward the highest goal.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It chiefly conveys tirtha-dharma (pilgrimage discipline) rather than a Vedanga technical science; the practical takeaway is the scriptural prioritization of sangama-darshana as a recognized means of accruing punya and progressing toward moksha.