Shloka 20
The Greatness of Bathing in the Ganges
Gaṅgā-snānā-mahātmya
आरोग्यं वित्त्रसंपत्तिर्गंगास्मरणंज फलम् । मनसा संस्मरेद्यस्तु गंगां दूरस्थितो नरः ॥ २० ॥
ārogyaṃ vittrasaṃpattirgaṃgāsmaraṇaṃja phalam | manasā saṃsmaredyastu gaṃgāṃ dūrasthito naraḥ || 20 ||
The fruits of remembering Gaṅgā are health and the gaining of wealth. Even a person far away, if he recalls Gaṅgā in his mind, attains these results.
Suta (narrating the tirtha-mahatmya discourse as preserved in the Purana)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that tirtha-power is accessible through smaraṇa (mental remembrance): even without physical proximity, sincere recollection of the Ganga yields tangible and auspicious results.
By emphasizing remembrance (smaraṇa) as an effective practice, it aligns with bhakti where inner recollection and reverence—rather than only external travel—brings grace and beneficial outcomes.
No specific Vedanga is taught directly; the practical takeaway is an upāsanā-style discipline—regular mental smaraṇa as a simple, repeatable daily practice connected to tirtha-dharma.