Shloka 246
Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity
Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda
दक्षिणाश्रि: प्रवृत्ताभिर्मम नागां च तत्कृते । जगत्पते! मेरी दी हुई दक्षिणाओंसे गंगानदी आच्छादित हो गयी थी; परंतु उसके कारण भी मैं इस लोकमें नहीं आया हूँ
Bhagīratha uvāca: dakṣiṇāśriḥ pravṛttābhir mama nāgāṃ ca tatkṛte | jagatpate! mayā dattābhiḥ dakṣiṇābhiḥ gaṅgānadī ācchāditā abhavat; parantu tasya kāraṇād api ahaṃ asmin loke na āgataḥ ||
Bhagīratha said: “O Lord of the world! Through the stream of gifts I distributed—meant for the Nāgas as well—the river Gaṅgā herself seemed covered over by the abundance of my donations. Yet even because of that, I have not attained a return to this world.” Thus, mere magnitude of charity, without the right inner disposition and higher sanction, does not by itself secure the desired fruit.
भगीरथ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that the sheer quantity of charitable giving (dakṣiṇā/dāna) is not sufficient by itself to guarantee the intended spiritual or existential result; the efficacy of giving depends on deeper factors such as right intention, proper context, and alignment with dharma and divine order.
Bhagīratha addresses the Lord of the world, recalling that he distributed such abundant ritual gifts—intended also for the Nāgas—that the Gaṅgā seemed overwhelmed by them; nevertheless, he states that even this did not bring about his return/attainment in this world, expressing the limits of external acts when detached from the higher cause.