Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 62
अथवा सन्त्यजाम्येनां यदि मूर्ध्नः कथंचन । तद्दूरं वेगतो भित्त्वा पृथ्वीं याति रसातलम्
athavā santyajāmyenāṃ yadi mūrdhnaḥ kathaṃcana | taddūraṃ vegato bhittvā pṛthvīṃ yāti rasātalam
Ou bien, si d’aventure je la relâchais de ma tête, elle, d’un élan terrible, percerait la terre au loin et plongerait jusqu’à Rasātala.
Deva (likely Śiva) speaking to Devī
Tirtha: Gaṅgā (uncontrolled descent motif)
Type: river
Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)
Scene: A dramatic vision: Gaṅgā as a torrential, luminous column released from above, drilling through earth strata toward the underworld; Śiva’s poised hand and jaṭā symbolize restraint preventing catastrophe; layers of earth and nāga realms hinted below.
FAQs
Even sacred power must be rightly contained and directed; Śiva’s restraint symbolizes regulation of overwhelming divine energy for the good of creation.
Gaṅgā is glorified as a cosmic river whose power shapes worlds; her earthly flow is framed as a regulated blessing.
No explicit ritual is stated; the verse supports reverence for Gaṅgā and Śiva as her cosmic governor.