Shloka 4
Description of the Rules for Charitable Gifts and Related Rites
Gaṅgā-māhātmya
दत्ताः पितृभ्यो यत्रापस्तनयैः श्रद्धयान्वितैः । अक्षयां तु प्रकुर्वंति तृप्तिं मोहिनि दुर्लभाम् ॥ ४ ॥
dattāḥ pitṛbhyo yatrāpastanayaiḥ śraddhayānvitaiḥ | akṣayāṃ tu prakurvaṃti tṛptiṃ mohini durlabhām || 4 ||
信をもって子孫が祖霊ピトリに水の供養（タルパナ）を捧げるところでは――おおモーヒニーよ――得がたき不滅の満足がもたらされる。
Suta (narrating the Narada Purana dialogue/travel accounts; verse addresses Mohinī within the narration)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that Pitṛ-tarpaṇa (water-offerings to ancestors) performed with śraddhā yields akṣaya (inexhaustible) tṛpti for the Pitṛs—an enduring spiritual merit emphasized in the tirtha-focused Uttara-Bhaga.
Bhakti here appears as sincere śraddhā and reverent intention: the verse implies that inner devotion sanctifies ritual action, making the result “akṣaya,” not merely a mechanical offering.
It highlights kalpa/ritual procedure in practice—specifically tarpaṇa and śrāddha principles: offering water to Pitṛs with correct intent and faith is presented as the key determinant of lasting efficacy.