Adhyaya 3

The chapter begins with Jaimini asking Vyāsa to state the essence of Kriyā-yoga, stressing the rarity of human birth and the need for urgent practice toward liberation. Kriyā-yoga is then set forth in practical limbs: reverence for the sacred Gaṅgā, prosperity (Śrī) aligned with dharma, worship of Viṣṇu, charity, devotion to brāhmaṇas, observance of the Ekādaśī vow, veneration of dhātrī (āmalakī) and tulasī, and honoring guests. The discourse next proclaims Gaṅgā’s saving power—especially at Gaṅgādvāra, Prayāga, and the ocean-confluence—declaring that even uttering the name “Gaṅgā” removes sin. An embedded tale follows: King Manobhadra hears a vulture recount karmic histories, including judgment in the court of Dharmarāja (Yama) with Citragupta, the dire results of miserliness toward brāhmaṇas and contempt for parents, and the extraordinary liberation gained through an accidental death in Gaṅgā. The chapter ends with a phalaśruti promising swift destruction of sins for those who reverently recite and listen.