Shloka 118
Pūjādi-kathana — Gaṅgā Vratas, Tenfold Worship, Stotra, and Mokṣa on the Riverbank
तावद्गभं विजानीयात्तद्दूरं तीरमुच्यते । सार्द्धहस्तशतं यावद्गर्भस्तीरं ततः परम् ॥ ११८ ॥
tāvadgabhaṃ vijānīyāttaddūraṃ tīramucyate | sārddhahastaśataṃ yāvadgarbhastīraṃ tataḥ param || 118 ||
One should understand the ‘depth’ only up to that point; that distance is called the ‘bank’. Up to one hundred and fifty hastas is regarded as the depth belonging to the bank; beyond that lies the region past the bank, the deeper midstream.
Suta
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: none
FAQs
It frames pilgrimage practice (tīrtha-sevā) with dharmic precision: sacred acts like bathing and offerings should be done with proper knowledge of the river’s safe and ritually appropriate zones (tīra versus deeper midstream).
Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined tīrtha-ācaraṇa—devotion shown through careful, rule-based conduct during pilgrimage, honoring sacred spaces with correct boundaries rather than casual or hazardous practice.
It reflects practical pramāṇa (measurement) using the unit hasta, supporting ritual procedure and pilgrim safety—an applied, technical aspect often used alongside kalpa-style ritual guidelines in Purāṇic tīrtha sections.