Shloka 59
The Description of the Greatness of the Gaṅgā
शास्त्रेणाकृततोयानां मृतानां क्वापि देहिनाम् । तदुत्तरफलावाप्तिर्गंगायामस्थियोगतः ॥ ६० ॥
śāstreṇākṛtatoyānāṃ mṛtānāṃ kvāpi dehinām | taduttaraphalāvāptirgaṃgāyāmasthiyogataḥ || 60 ||
Para los seres encarnados que mueren en algún lugar sin que se realicen los ritos de agua prescritos por el śāstra, el beneficio posterior se obtiene al unir sus huesos con la Gaṅgā.
Suta
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that Gaṅgā is a uniquely potent tīrtha: even if a person’s prescribed water-rites were not done, contact of the departed’s bones with the Gaṅgā can still secure posthumous spiritual benefit.
In the Uttara-bhāga tīrtha-context, reverence for Gaṅgā functions as a devotional act—trusting in sacred grace (tīrtha-māhātmya) to aid the departed when normal rites could not be completed.
It points to ritual procedure (kalpa/śrauta-smārta practice) around water-offerings and antyeṣṭi-related observances, and gives a remedial rite: asthi-yoga (asthi-visarjana) in the Gaṅgā when those rites were missed.