Shloka 45

The Description of the Greatness of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

न तच्छक्यं ब्रह्मसुते प्राप्तुं क्रतुशतैरपि । सर्वयज्ञतपोदानयोगस्वाध्यायकर्मभिः ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

na tacchakyaṃ brahmasute prāptuṃ kratuśatairapi | sarvayajñatapodānayogasvādhyāyakarmabhiḥ || 46 ||

Translation

噢，梵天之子啊，那至上境界即使以数百次吠陀祭祀也不可得；亦非凭一切祭祀、苦行、布施、瑜伽修持、诵习吠陀或诸般仪轨之业而能到达。

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध/नकार), indeclinable (अव्यय)

• tat: that (thing/result)
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन)

• śakyam: possible
• śakyam: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; शक् धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle/gerundive sense (शक्य = possible), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective

• brahma-sute: O daughter of Brahmā
• brahma-sute: Sambodhana (संबोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Vocative (संबोधन) singular (एकवचन), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग) of 'sūtā' implied; संबोधन to 'brahmasute' = O daughter of Brahmā

• prāptum: to attain
• prāptum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √āp (आप् धातु) with pra-; tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुनन्त), purpose/complement of śakyam

• kratu-śataiḥ: by hundreds of sacrifices
• kratu-śataiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kratu (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) plural (बहुवचन)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha/Avadhāraṇa (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), indeclinable; concessive/emphatic

• sarva-yajña-tapas-dāna-yoga-svādhyāya-karmabhiḥ: by all (acts of) sacrifice, austerity, charity, yoga, self-study, and rituals
• sarva-yajña-tapas-dāna-yoga-svādhyāya-karmabhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + svādhyāya (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) plural (बहुवचन); collective compound meaning 'by all (such) acts'

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada as 'Brahmasuta')

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It teaches that the highest realization is not a product of ritual merit alone; even extensive yajñas, tapas, dāna, yoga, and svādhyāya cannot by themselves grant the supreme attainment without the deeper principle of God-realization and inner transformation.

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

By stating the insufficiency of ritual and ascetic accomplishments, the verse points toward surrender and single-minded devotion as the decisive means—Bhakti being the grace-centered path that transcends mere karmic accumulation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse references svādhyāya (Vedic recitation/self-study), which is supported by Vedāṅga disciplines like Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa (grammar), yet emphasizes that technical mastery and ritual correctness alone do not equal the final liberating attainment.