Shloka 12
Kāśī-māhātmya: Avimukta Gaṅgā and the Pañcanada Tīrtha
अन्यत्र सुधिया भद्रे मोक्षो लभ्येत वा न वा । एकेन जन्मना त्वत्र गंगायां मरणेन च ॥ १२ ॥
anyatra sudhiyā bhadre mokṣo labhyeta vā na vā | ekena janmanā tvatra gaṃgāyāṃ maraṇena ca || 12 ||
Wahai wanita mulia, di tempat lain bahkan orang bijak bisa saja memperoleh moksha atau tidak; tetapi di sini, dalam satu kelahiran saja, dengan wafat di Sungai Gangga, moksha diperoleh.
Narada (teaching within the Ganga-Mahatmya dialogue; addressing a female listener as 'bhadre')
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It elevates the Gaṅgā as a supreme tīrtha: liberation can be uncertain elsewhere, but death on the Gaṅgā is presented as a direct and powerful cause of mokṣa due to her purifying, grace-bestowing status.
By emphasizing reliance on sacred grace rather than mere personal effort: approaching the Gaṅgā with reverence (a bhakti disposition toward the divine tīrtha) is portrayed as a swift support for liberation, even when outcomes are uncertain in other settings.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught directly; the verse belongs to tīrtha-mahātmya theology, guiding practice toward pilgrimage and end-of-life sacred observances connected with the Gaṅgā.