Shloka 15
The Greatness of Bathing in the Ganges
Gaṅgā-snānā-mahātmya
अपि दुष्कृतकर्मा हि लभते परमां गतिम् । स्मरणादेव गंगायाः पापसंघातपंजरम् ॥ १५ ॥
api duṣkṛtakarmā hi labhate paramāṃ gatim | smaraṇādeva gaṃgāyāḥ pāpasaṃghātapaṃjaram || 15 ||
Même celui qui a commis des actes mauvais atteint la voie suprême par le seul souvenir de la Gaṅgā ; car ce souvenir brise la cage, comme une prison, tissée d’un amas de péchés.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahatmya context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that the sanctity of the Gaṅgā is so great that even simple remembrance (smaraṇa) can break the bondage created by accumulated sins and lead one toward the highest spiritual end (paramā gati).
By emphasizing smaraṇa—devotional recollection—as a potent practice: heartfelt remembrance of a sacred embodiment of purity (Gaṅgā) functions like bhakti, dissolving inner impurity and orienting the mind toward liberation.
No specific Vedāṅga technique is taught here; the practical takeaway is a dhārmic sādhana principle—smaraṇa (recollection) as an accessible purificatory practice within tirtha-mahātmya traditions.