Shloka 50
Tīrtha-vidhi (Procedure for Holy Places) — Prayāgarāja-māhātmya
गंगां प्राप्य सरिच्छ्रेष्ठां कल्पांतपापसंचयाः । केशानाश्रित्य तिष्ठंति तस्मात्तान्परिवर्जयेत् ॥ ५० ॥
gaṃgāṃ prāpya saricchreṣṭhāṃ kalpāṃtapāpasaṃcayāḥ | keśānāśritya tiṣṭhaṃti tasmāttānparivarjayet || 50 ||
Hat man die Gaṅgā, die Beste der Flüsse, erreicht, so haften Ansammlungen von Sünden, bis zum Ende eines Kalpa aufgehäuft, am Haar und bleiben dort; darum soll man diese Haare nicht behalten.
Narada (teaching in the Ganga-tirtha context; dialogue frame with Sanatkumara tradition)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
FAQs
It highlights Gaṅgā as the supreme tīrtha whose contact draws out even extremely long-accumulated sin; the verse uses the image of sins clinging to hair to stress thorough purification and mindful post-bath cleanliness.
By elevating Gaṅgā as a sacred presence, it supports bhakti-oriented tīrtha practices—approaching the holy river with reverence, performing snāna as an act of surrender, and maintaining purity as a devotional discipline.
It primarily reflects Dharma-śāstra style śauca (ritual cleanliness) rather than a specific Vedāṅga; the practical takeaway is correct post-snāna conduct—do not keep impurity-associated hair, implying proper grooming/cleansing after tīrtha bathing.