Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 6
गङ्गामाहात्म्यं
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā
दर्शनात् स्पर्शनात् पानात्तथा गङ्गेतिकीर्तनात् पुनाति पुण्यपुरुषान् शतशीथ सहस्रशः
darśanāt sparśanāt pānāttathā gaṅgetikīrtanāt punāti puṇyapuruṣān śataśītha sahasraśaḥ
Par le seul fait de la voir, de la toucher, d’en boire l’eau, et de chanter ou réciter les louanges de la Gaṅgā, elle purifie les hommes vertueux—par centaines et par milliers, encore et encore.
Lord Agni (narrating to Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Stotra","practical_application":"A fourfold accessible practice—seeing, touching, drinking, and praising Gaṅgā—presented as a repeatable purification regimen for individuals and communities.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"List","entry_title":"Four means of Gaṅgā-purification: darśana, sparśana, pāna, kīrtana","lookup_keywords":["darśana","sparśana","pāna","kīrtana","Gaṅgā-pavana"],"quick_summary":"The verse enumerates four simple engagements with Gaṅgā that purify repeatedly and at scale, emphasizing both physical contact and devotional speech."}
Alamkara Type: Anuprāsa/parallelism via repeated instrumental forms; enumeration (saṅkhyāna)
Concept: Multi-modal sādhanā: body (sparśa/pāna), mind (darśana), and speech (kīrtana) converge to purify.
Application: Adopt a simple practice set during pilgrimage or daily remembrance: visit/visualize Gaṅgā (darśana), touch water (sparśa), sip ritually (pāna), and recite Gaṅgā-stotra (kīrtana).
Khanda Section: Tirtha-Mahatmya (Sacred Geography and Pilgrimage Merit)
Primary Rasa: Śānta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Type: River/Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sequence of devotees: one beholds the river, one touches the water, one drinks from cupped hands, and a group sings Gaṅgā’s praises; the river radiates purity outward to many people.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: four-panel frieze—darśana, sparśana, pāna, kīrtana—set along a stylized Gaṅgā; rhythmic composition, bold outlines, traditional palette; chorus of singers with cymbals in final panel.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central Gaṅgā Devī with gold halo; around her four vignettes of the practices; gold foil on water highlights and ornaments; devotional symmetry.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore: didactic layout with labeled actions; refined faces and soft colors; emphasis on clarity of gestures (seeing, touching, sipping, singing).","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: lively ghat with multiple small groups performing the four acts; musicians singing kīrtana; detailed textiles and architecture; shimmering river rendered with fine brushwork."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"devotional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Resolved: पानात्तथा→पानात् + तथा; गङ्गेतिकीर्तनात् (corrupt) normalized to गङ्गायाः + कीर्तनात्; शतशीथ (corrupt) normalized to शतशः.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa: Gaṅgā-māhātmya verses enumerating tīrtha-phala; stotra-related sections elsewhere in the text
FAQs
It prescribes four practical modes of tirtha-based purification—darśana (seeing), sparśana (touching), pāna (drinking), and nāma/guṇa-kīrtana (recitation of Gaṅgā’s name/praise)—as efficacious religious acts.
It exemplifies the Purana’s tirtha-mahātmya material, cataloging pilgrimage practices and their karmic results alongside other domains (ritual, law, polity, medicine, arts), thereby functioning as a compendium of applied Dharma.
The verse teaches that contact with the Gaṅgā—physically or through devotional recitation—removes impurity and generates merit, extending purification broadly to many devotees (symbolically “hundreds and thousands”).