Shloka 44
The Description of the Greatness of the Gaṅgā
सदा चांद्रायणं चैव तल्लभेज्जाह्नवीतटे । गंगासेवापरस्येह दिवसार्द्धेन यत्फलम् ॥ ४५ ॥
sadā cāṃdrāyaṇaṃ caiva tallabhejjāhnavītaṭe | gaṃgāsevāparasyeha divasārddhena yatphalam || 45 ||
Sur la rive de la Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā), on obtient réellement le fruit d’accomplir sans cesse le vœu de Cāndrāyaṇa. Pour celui qui se voue ici au service de la Gaṅgā, ce même mérite s’acquiert en une demi-journée.
Suta (narrating the tirtha-mahatmya discourse; within the broader Narada–Sanatkumara transmission frame)
Vrata: Cāndrāyaṇa
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It teaches that association with the Gaṅgā—specifically devoted service at her banks—accelerates spiritual merit, equating a short period of sincere tirtha-based devotion with long, demanding penances.
By valuing gaṅgā-sevā (service) as a direct, accessible devotional act whose fruit can surpass austere vows, the verse emphasizes heartfelt dedication over mere duration of ritual hardship.
It references vrata-vidhi through the well-known Cāndrāyaṇa observance (a dharma-śāstra style discipline tied to lunar reckoning), showing how time/ritual calculation is applied in penance practice.