Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55
दुर्लभं जाह्नवीस्नानं शिवे भक्तिः सुदुर्लभा । दुर्लभं ब्राह्मणे दानं दुर्लभं वह्निपूजनम्
durlabhaṃ jāhnavīsnānaṃ śive bhaktiḥ sudurlabhā | durlabhaṃ brāhmaṇe dānaṃ durlabhaṃ vahnipūjanam
Jarang sekali mandi di Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā); bhakti kepada Śiva lebih jarang lagi. Jarang pula bersedekah kepada brāhmaṇa, dan jarang juga pemujaan yang benar kepada Api Suci.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced for Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration
Tirtha: Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
Type: river
Scene: Dawn on the Gaṅgā: pilgrims entering the river for snān; a Śiva devotee with rudrākṣa and bilva offering; nearby, a brāhmaṇa receiving dāna; a small sacred fire altar with careful offerings—four ‘rare’ acts shown in one continuous tableau.
FAQs
Even highly meritorious acts are difficult to obtain; among them, steadfast Śiva-bhakti is portrayed as the most exceptional grace.
The Jāhnavī—Gaṅgā—is praised as a sacred river where bathing is a rare and powerful merit.
Gaṅgā-snān (ritual bathing), brāhmaṇa-dāna (charity to brāhmaṇas), and vahni/Agni-pūjan (fire worship) are explicitly mentioned.