Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 114
Bhāgīratha’s Bringing of the Gaṅgā
य इदं पुण्यमाख्यानं महापातकनाशनम् । पठेच्च शृणुयाद्वापि गङ्गास्नानफलं लभेत् ॥ ११५ ॥
ya idaṃ puṇyamākhyānaṃ mahāpātakanāśanam | paṭhecca śṛṇuyādvāpi gaṅgāsnānaphalaṃ labhet || 115 ||
Wer diese heilige, verdienstvolle Erzählung liest, die große Sünden vernichtet—oder sie auch nur hört—erlangt denselben Lohn wie ein Bad im Fluss Gaṅgā.
Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue frame)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that śravaṇa (hearing) and pāṭha (recitation) of a purifying sacred narrative can confer tirtha-like merit—specifically the fruit of Gaṅgā-snāna—by destroying mahāpātakas (grave sins).
By elevating hearing and reciting sacred narration, it highlights a core bhakti practice: attentive listening to holy teachings (kathā/ākhyāna) as a direct means of inner purification and spiritual uplift.
The verse emphasizes ritual-and-practice principles rather than a specific Vedāṅga: the dhārmic efficacy of pāṭha and śravaṇa as sanctioned means to gain puṇya comparable to tīrtha-snāna.