Shloka 21
The Description of the Greatness of the Gaṅgā
गंगांभः कणदिग्धस्य वायोः संस्पर्शनादपि । पापशीला अपि नराः परां गतिमवाप्नुयुः ॥ २२ ॥
gaṃgāṃbhaḥ kaṇadigdhasya vāyoḥ saṃsparśanādapi | pāpaśīlā api narāḥ parāṃ gatimavāpnuyuḥ || 22 ||
Walau hanya bersentuhan dengan angin yang dilembapkan oleh titisan air Gaṅgā, manusia yang berperangai dosa sekalipun dapat mencapai tujuan tertinggi.
Narada (teaching in the Ganga-tirtha context; dialogue tradition with Sanatkumara lineage)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)
Secondary Rasa: karuna (compassion)
FAQs
It magnifies the Gaṅgā’s tirtha-śakti: her sanctity is so pervasive that even indirect contact—through wind touched by her droplets—can elevate even sinners toward the highest spiritual goal.
By presenting Gaṅgā-contact as grace that transforms the unworthy, the verse supports the bhakti idea that divine/holy association (saṅga) can uplift beyond one’s past karma, orienting the heart toward the supreme gati.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught here; the practical takeaway is tirtha-vidhi in Purāṇic dharma—seeking holy association (Gaṅgā-sevā, snāna, and proximity) as a means of purification.