Shloka 34
The Greatness of Haridvāra
Gaṅgādvāra-māhātmya
पितॄंश्च लभते मर्त्य ऋषिलोकं सनातनम् । भगीरथेन वै राज्ञा यदानीता सुरापगा ॥ ३४ ॥
pitṝṃśca labhate martya ṛṣilokaṃ sanātanam | bhagīrathena vai rājñā yadānītā surāpagā || 34 ||
Auch ein Sterblicher erlangt seine Ahnen und erreicht die ewige Welt der ṛṣis, indem er Zuflucht nimmt zum heiligen Fluss Surāpaga (Gaṅgā), den König Bhagīratha wahrlich herabgeführt hat.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It declares that contact with Gaṅgā (Surāpaga)—the river sanctified by Bhagīratha’s descent—brings ancestral fulfillment (pitr-prāpti) and elevates the practitioner toward ṛṣiloka, emphasizing tirtha as a direct vehicle of punya and higher lokas.
While framed as tirtha-mahātmya, the verse supports bhakti in practice: reverent approach to Gaṅgā as a divine presence, performed with faith (śraddhā), becomes an act of devotion that benefits both oneself and one’s lineage.
It implicitly points to Kalpa (ritual procedure) through pitr-related rites such as tarpaṇa and śrāddha performed at a tirtha; the verse links correct sacred place and rite to specific results (pitṛ-tṛpti and loka-prāpti).