Shloka 51
Matsya Purana — Procedure for Going to Prayaga and the Greatness of the Ganga
क्षितौ तारयते मर्त्यान् नागांस्तारयते ऽप्यधः दिवि तारयते देवांस् तेन त्रिपथगा स्मृता //
kṣitau tārayate martyān nāgāṃstārayate 'pyadhaḥ divi tārayate devāṃs tena tripathagā smṛtā //
On the earth she carries mortals across; below, she also delivers the Nāgas; and in heaven she conveys the gods—therefore she is remembered as “Tripathagā,” the river that flows along the three paths (worlds).
FAQs
It does not describe pralaya directly; it presents a cosmological map of three realms (earth, heaven, and the netherworld) and portrays Gaṅgā as a salvific, purifying current that symbolically connects them.
As part of tirtha-mahātmya, it supports the householder and ruler’s dharma of supporting sacred sites and encouraging purifying rites (such as pilgrimage and bathing), since Gaṅgā is depicted as a universal “deliverer” across all realms.
The ritual takeaway is the river’s purificatory and liberating power: Tripathagā is praised as effective for spiritual cleansing and merit-making rites connected with holy waters, even though no specific Vāstu or temple-building rule is stated in this verse.