Shloka 55
The Description of the Greatness of the Gaṅgā
रथाश्वगजदानैश्च यत्पुण्यं परिकीर्तितम् । ततः शतगुणं पुण्यं गंगांभश्चुलुकाशनात् ॥ ५६ ॥
rathāśvagajadānaiśca yatpuṇyaṃ parikīrtitam | tataḥ śataguṇaṃ puṇyaṃ gaṃgāṃbhaśculukāśanāt || 56 ||
Le mérite pieux que l’on célèbre en offrant chars, chevaux et éléphants—cent fois plus grand encore est le mérite obtenu en ne faisant que boire une paume d’eau de la sainte Gaṅgā.
Narada (teaching in the context of Tirtha-mahatmya; traditional dialogue framework with Sanatkumara lineage)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It elevates tirtha-sevana by teaching that even a small act connected to the Ganga—sipping a palmful of her water—yields extraordinary puṇya, surpassing major forms of material charity.
By praising Ganga as supremely purifying, it encourages reverent approach to sacred tirthas and faith-filled practice; such śraddhā-centered acts support bhakti by orienting the mind toward the divine and sanctity.
Ritual-practice guidance is implied: the verse foregrounds tīrtha-related ācamana/sipping as a meritorious act, emphasizing procedural purity and the dharmic valuation of specific sacred substances.