Shloka 6

Kāśī-māhātmya: Avimukta Gaṅgā and the Pañcanada Tīrtha

Devanagari script

वाराणस्या विशेषेण यत्र चोत्तरवाहिनी । वरणायास्तथास्याश्च जाह्नव्याः संगमे नरः ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

vārāṇasyā viśeṣeṇa yatra cottaravāhinī | varaṇāyāstathāsyāśca jāhnavyāḥ saṃgame naraḥ || 6 ||

Translation

尤其在瓦罗那西——河水北流之处——在瓦拉那河与阿西河汇入阇诃那维（恒河）之合流点，凡人至此沐浴，便得殊胜清净与圣德。

Word by Word

• वाराणस्याः: of Varanasi
• वाराणस्याः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner); तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतप्रयोगः

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: अधिकरण-निर्देशक (Locative indicator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), देशवाचक (locative adverb: 'where')

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• उत्तरवाहिनी: north-flowing (river)
• उत्तरवाहिनी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर-वाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• वरणायाः: of (the river) Varana
• वरणायाः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (thus/also)

• अस्याः: of this (river/city)
• अस्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• जाह्नव्याः: of Jahnavi (Ganga)
• जाह्नव्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाह्नवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• संगमे: at the confluence
• संगमे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the tirtha-mahatmya section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Varanasi (Kashi)
• Ganga (Jahnavi)
• Varana River
• Asi River

FAQs

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

It identifies the most sacred locus within Vārāṇasī: the confluence of Varaṇā and Asi with the north-flowing Gaṅgā, presented as a uniquely potent tirtha for accruing purity and merit.

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

By highlighting a specific tirtha in Kāśī, the verse supports devotional practice through pilgrimage and sacred bathing—acts traditionally performed with remembrance and reverence for the divine presence associated with Gaṅgā and holy kṣetras.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa-oriented ritual practice is implied: choosing a prescribed tirtha (saṅgama) and the auspicious feature of an uttaravāhinī Gaṅgā for snāna and related rites.