Shloka 34
The Greatness of Haridvāra
Gaṅgādvāra-māhātmya
पितॄंश्च लभते मर्त्य ऋषिलोकं सनातनम् । भगीरथेन वै राज्ञा यदानीता सुरापगा ॥ ३४ ॥
pitṝṃśca labhate martya ṛṣilokaṃ sanātanam | bhagīrathena vai rājñā yadānītā surāpagā || 34 ||
Un mortel aussi obtient la rencontre de ses ancêtres et parvient au monde éternel des ṛṣi, en se réfugiant auprès du fleuve sacré Surāpaga (Gaṅgā), que le roi Bhagīratha fit réellement descendre.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It declares that contact with Gaṅgā (Surāpaga)—the river sanctified by Bhagīratha’s descent—brings ancestral fulfillment (pitr-prāpti) and elevates the practitioner toward ṛṣiloka, emphasizing tirtha as a direct vehicle of punya and higher lokas.
While framed as tirtha-mahātmya, the verse supports bhakti in practice: reverent approach to Gaṅgā as a divine presence, performed with faith (śraddhā), becomes an act of devotion that benefits both oneself and one’s lineage.
It implicitly points to Kalpa (ritual procedure) through pitr-related rites such as tarpaṇa and śrāddha performed at a tirtha; the verse links correct sacred place and rite to specific results (pitṛ-tṛpti and loka-prāpti).