Shloka 17
Description of the Rules for Charitable Gifts and Related Rites
Gaṅgā-māhātmya
रौप्यैः शतगुणं पुण्यं हेमैः कोटिगुणं स्मृतम् । एवमर्घे च नैवेद्ये बलिपूजादिषु क्रमात् ॥ १७ ॥
raupyaiḥ śataguṇaṃ puṇyaṃ hemaiḥ koṭiguṇaṃ smṛtam | evamarghe ca naivedye balipūjādiṣu kramāt || 17 ||
রৌপ্য দ্বারা পুণ্য শতগুণ হয়, আর স্বর্ণ দ্বারা কোটি গুণ—এমনই স্মৃত। তদ্রূপ অর্ঘ্য, নৈবেদ্য, বলি, পূজা প্রভৃতি ক্রিয়াতেও ক্রমানুসারে এই বৃদ্ধি প্রযোজ্য।
Suta (narrating the Purana discourse; teaching the ritual gradation of puṇya)
Vrata: none
Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhakti","emotional_journey":"A measured, instructional tone describing escalating puṇya through increasingly precious materials, then extending the rule across multiple offerings and worship acts."}
FAQs
It teaches a hierarchy of ritual efficacy: the same act of worship yields greater puṇya when performed with higher-value, ritually esteemed substances (silver and especially gold), emphasizing intentional reverence and the quality of upacāras (offerings).
Bhakti is expressed through upacāra—arghya, naivedya, bali, and pūjā—where devotion becomes more demonstrative through careful, elevated offerings; the verse frames external worship as a graded support for inner reverence.
It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure): specifying how variations in ritual materials (silver/gold) affect the stated fruit of arghya, naivedya, bali, and pūjā, guiding practical performance of worship and offerings.