Gaṅgā-tīra Udaka-kriyā and Kuntī’s Disclosure of Karṇa’s Maternity
Strī-parva, Adhyāya 27
सूपतीर्था भवद्गड़ा भूयो विप्रससार च । धर्मज्ञ पुरुषोंने अपने हितैषी सुहृदोंके लिये भी जलांजलि देनेका कार्य सम्पन्न किया। वीरोंकी पत्नियोंद्वारा जब उन वीरोंके लिये जलांजलि दी जा रही थी, उस समय गंगाजीके जलमें उतरनेके लिये बड़ा सुन्दर मार्ग बन गया और गंगाका पाट अधिक चौड़ा हो गया
sūpatīrthā bhavad gaṅgā bhūyo viprasasāra ca | dharmajñaiḥ puruṣaiḥ svahitaiṣī-suhṛdbhyo 'pi jalāñjali-dāna-kriyā samāpāditā | vīrāṇāṃ patnībhiḥ teṣāṃ vīrāṇāṃ prati jalāñjalir dīyamānāyāṃ gaṅgā-jale 'vataraṇāya mahān suśobhanaḥ panthā abhavat, gaṅgāyāś ca pāṭaḥ vistīrṇaḥ abhavat |
Vaiśampāyana said: The Gaṅgā became furnished with excellent fords, and her stream spread out again. The men who understood dharma completed the rite of offering water (jalāñjali) even for their well-wishing friends. And as the wives of the fallen heroes offered water for those heroes, a beautiful, easy descent into the Gaṅgā’s waters appeared, and the river’s channel grew broader—an auspicious facilitation of the funeral duty and a sign of reverent compassion amid the aftermath of war.
वैशम्पायन उवाच