Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 2
गङ्गामाहात्म्यं
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā
ह अग्निर् उवाच माहात्म्यं सर्वतीर्थानामित्यादिः, नैमिषं परमन्तीर्थं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकं इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे तीर्थयात्रामाहात्म्यमित्यन्तः पाठो झ पुस्तके नास्ति गतिर्गङ्गा तु भूतानां गतिमन्वेषतांअप्_११०००२अब् सदा गङ्गा तारयते चोभौ वंशौ नित्यं हि सेविता
ha agnir uvāca māhātmyaṃ sarvatīrthānāmityādiḥ, naimiṣaṃ paramantīrthaṃ bhuktimuktipradāyakaṃ ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe tīrthayātrāmāhātmyamityantaḥ pāṭho jha pustake nāsti gatirgaṅgā tu bhūtānāṃ gatimanveṣatāṃap_110002ab sadā gaṅgā tārayate cobhau vaṃśau nityaṃ hi sevitā
Agni bersabda: “(Di sini bermula) kisah kemuliaan semua tīrtha (tempat suci penyeberangan) dan seterusnya—‘Naimiṣa ialah tīrtha tertinggi, yang menganugerahkan kenikmatan duniawi dan juga mokṣa (pembebasan).’” (Dalam Agni Mahāpurāṇa, bacaan penutup yang berakhir dengan “tīrtha-yātrā-māhātmyam” tidak terdapat dalam manuskrip ‘Jha’.) Bagi makhluk yang mencari gati tertinggi, Gaṅgā sesungguhnya menjadi jalan dan tempat berlindung. Sentiasa disembah, Gaṅgā terus-menerus menyelamatkan kedua-dua garis keturunan (leluhur dan zuriat).
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tirtha-yatra Mahatmya (Pilgrimage and Sacred Geography)","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Pilgrimage planning and daily devotional orientation to Gaṅgā as a salvific tīrtha; motivates regular worship/service for ancestral and familial welfare.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Gaṅgā as the supreme gati and deliverer of both lineages","lookup_keywords":["Gaṅgā-gati","tīrtha-māhātmya","ubhaya-vaṃśa-tāraṇa","Naimiṣa-parama-tīrtha","sevā-nitya"],"quick_summary":"The verse frames Gaṅgā as the sure ‘course/refuge’ for seekers of the highest end, emphasizing that constant service to Gaṅgā benefits both ancestors and descendants; it also preserves a textual note about manuscript variation."}
Alamkara Type: Arthāntaranyāsa (supporting maxim) / Śleṣa potential in gati (course/refuge)
Concept: Tīrtha-sevā as a means of purification and transgenerational uplift (ubhaya-vaṃśa-tāraṇa).
Application: Maintain regular acts of reverence—darśana, snāna, japa/kīrtana, offerings—dedicating merit to ancestors and family continuity.
Khanda Section: Tirtha-yatra Mahatmya (Pilgrimage and Sacred Geography)
Primary Rasa: Śānta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Type: River/Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Agni as narrator introducing the tīrtha-māhātmya; the Gaṅgā flowing as a luminous refuge while devotees perform daily worship, with ancestors and descendants symbolically uplifted.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style: Agni Ṛṣi seated with palm-leaf manuscript, gesturing toward a radiant Gaṅgā river goddess; devotees offering arghya; subtle depiction of pitṛs receiving tarpaṇa; earthy reds, ochres, flat iconic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: central Gaṅgā Devī on a lotus above flowing river, heavy gold foil halo and ornaments; small vignette of Agni speaking; devotees with brass vessels; symbolic ancestors behind in faint gold aura.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: instructional narrative panel—Agni introducing tīrtha-māhātmya, labeled Gaṅgā as ‘gati’; clean lines, soft shading; devotees in orderly sequence performing daily sevā and tarpaṇa.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: riverside scene with scholars and pilgrims; Agni as sage narrator in a pavilion; Gaṅgā rendered as shimmering river with personified goddess; fine architectural border, delicate flora, subdued jewel tones."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Resolved: अग्निर्→अग्निः; सर्वतीर्थानामित्यादिः→सर्वतीर्थानाम् + इति + आदिः; परमन्तीर्थं→परमम् + तीर्थम्; इत्य्→इति; तीर्थयात्रामाहात्म्यमित्यन्तः→तीर्थयात्रामाहात्म्यम् + इति + अन्तः; गतिर्गङ्गा→गतिः + गङ्गा; गतिमन्वेषताम्→गतिम् + अन्वेषताम्; चोभौ→च + उभौ.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa: Tīrtha-yātrā-māhātmya section (Gaṅgā-stuti and tīrtha-phala passages nearby)
FAQs
It teaches tīrtha-māhātmya as applied practice: honoring Naimiṣa as a paramount pilgrimage site and daily devotion/service to the Gaṅgā as a salvific act benefiting one’s lineage.
It exemplifies the Purana’s sacred-geography and ritual-merit cataloging—mapping places (Naimiṣa, Gaṅgā) to concrete outcomes (bhukti, mukti, ancestral uplift), alongside textual-critical notes on manuscript readings.
Serving the Gaṅgā is presented as a continuous purifier that ‘ferries across’ both ancestral and descendant lines, linking personal devotion with intergenerational spiritual benefit and the pursuit of liberation.