ध्यानं कृते मोक्षहेतुस्त्रेतायां तच्च वै तपः । द्वापरे तद्द्वयं यज्ञाः कलौ गंगैव केवलम्
dhyānaṃ kṛte mokṣahetustretāyāṃ tacca vai tapaḥ | dvāpare taddvayaṃ yajñāḥ kalau gaṃgaiva kevalam
クリタの世では瞑想が解脱(モークシャ)の因となり、トレーターの世では同じ目的が苦行(タパス)によって得られる。ドヴァーパラの世では両者が合わさり祭祀(ヤジュニャ)となる。しかしカリ・ユガでは、ガンガーのみが唯一の手段である。
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa often Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Gaṅgā
Type: river
Listener: Audience within Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s dialogue frame
Scene: Four spiritual disciplines depicted as yuga emblems: Kṛta—sage in deep meditation; Tretā—ascetic in tapas; Dvāpara—yajña with fire and offerings; Kali—pilgrims bathing in Gaṅgā with hands raised in prayer, the river shining like liquid light.
The verse teaches yuga-appropriate sādhanā: in Kali-yuga, Gaṅgā is praised as the most effective support for liberation.
Gaṅgā is exalted as the decisive tīrtha/sādhana for Kali-yuga.
Implicitly, Gaṅgā-centered practice (snāna, sevā, remembrance) is recommended as Kali-yuga’s principal means.