Shloka 7
The Greatness of Bathing in the Ganges
Gaṅgā-snānā-mahātmya
परहिंसा च कौटिल्यं परदोषाद्यवेक्षणम् । दांभिकत्वं नृणां गंगादर्शनादेव नश्यति ॥ ७ ॥
parahiṃsā ca kauṭilyaṃ paradoṣādyavekṣaṇam | dāṃbhikatvaṃ nṛṇāṃ gaṃgādarśanādeva naśyati || 7 ||
Violence toward others, deceit, the habit of scrutinizing others’ faults, and hypocrisy in people—all these are destroyed merely by the sight of the River Gaṅgā.
Sage Nārada (teaching in the Gaṅgā-māhātmya context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It declares Gaṅgā-darśana (seeing the Gaṅgā) as a direct purifier that dissolves inner vices—violence, deceit, fault-finding, and hypocrisy—highlighting the transformative power of tīrtha-mahātmyas in the Uttara-bhāga.
By presenting reverent encounter with Gaṅgā as purifying the heart, it supports bhakti by removing obstacles (like dāmbhikatva and paradoṣa-darśana) that block sincere devotion and humility toward the Divine.
No specific Vedāṅga (such as Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is tīrtha-dharma—undertaking sacred sight (darśana) as a purificatory observance within Purāṇic ritual culture.