Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā
Gaṅgāmāhātmya
यत्र स्नाता महात्मानः पितृमातृकुलानि वै । सहस्राणि समुद्धृत्य विष्णुलोके व्रजन्ति वै ॥ १७ ॥
yatra snātā mahātmānaḥ pitṛmātṛkulāni vai | sahasrāṇi samuddhṛtya viṣṇuloke vrajanti vai || 17 ||
Wo immer die großherzigen Bhaktas baden, erheben sie Tausende von Familien sowohl väterlicher als auch mütterlicher Linie und gelangen wahrhaftig in die Welt Viṣṇus.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Purva Bhaga dialogue frame)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It teaches that tirtha-snana performed by a mahātmā is not merely personal purification; it generates salvific merit that uplifts extensive ancestral lineages and culminates in attainment of Viṣṇu-loka.
By linking holy bathing with going to Viṣṇu’s realm, the verse frames snāna as a bhakti-aligned act—an offering of oneself to Viṣṇu—whose fruit extends compassionately to one’s family lines.
The verse primarily reflects ritual praxis (tīrtha and snāna) rather than a specific Vedāṅga; it implies dhārmic timing and observance rules typical of Kalpa (ritual procedure) in Narada Purana rituals.