Shloka 5
The Greatness of Bathing in the Ganges
Gaṅgā-snānā-mahātmya
ज्ञानमैश्वर्यमतुलं प्रतिष्ठायुर्यशस्तथा । शुभानामाश्रमाणां च गंगादर्शनजं फलम् ॥ ५ ॥
jñānamaiśvaryamatulaṃ pratiṣṭhāyuryaśastathā | śubhānāmāśramāṇāṃ ca gaṃgādarśanajaṃ phalam || 5 ||
De solo contemplar el Gaṅgā nacen estos frutos: conocimiento espiritual, prosperidad incomparable, honra, larga vida y fama, así como los auspiciosos méritos propios de los cuatro āśramas de la vida.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches the tīrtha-mahātmya principle that even darśana (sacred sight) of the Gaṅgā confers multi-layered merit—inner uplift (jñāna) and outer well-being (āyuḥ, yaśas, pratiṣṭhā, aiśvarya).
By valuing darśana of a sacred manifestation (Gaṅgā) as spiritually transformative, it reflects bhakti’s emphasis on reverent encounter—approaching the holy with faith, which then ripens into purity and knowledge.
No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is dharma-oriented tīrtha practice—seeking darśana of Gaṅgā as a sanctioned means of accruing puṇya and supporting one’s āśrama-duties.