Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 134
Vāmana’s Advent, Aditi’s Hymn, Bali’s Gift, and the Mahatmya of Bhū-dāna
गङ्गातीर्थाश्वमेधानां शतानि विधिवन्नरः । कृत्वा यत्फलमाप्वोति तदाप्नोति स पुष्कलम् ॥ ३४ ॥
gaṅgātīrthāśvamedhānāṃ śatāni vidhivannaraḥ | kṛtvā yatphalamāpvoti tadāpnoti sa puṣkalam || 34 ||
Qualquer recompensa que alguém alcance ao realizar devidamente centenas de peregrinações ao Gaṅgā e sacrifícios Aśvamedha, esse mesmo mérito abundante ele obtém (pela prática aqui louvada).
Nārada (within the Nārada–Sanatkumāra dialogue framework)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It emphasizes the extraordinary potency of the practice being discussed by equating its fruit with the vast merit of hundreds of Gaṅgā pilgrimages and Aśvamedha sacrifices performed strictly according to injunctions.
Though the verse speaks in the language of ritual merit (puṇya), its intent is to elevate a specific sacred practice as supremely efficacious—often a Purāṇic way of steering seekers from costly external rites toward a more accessible, inwardly grounded discipline aligned with devotion and dharma.
The key idea is vidhivat—performing acts according to rule—pointing to Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Dharmaśāstra-style injunctions that govern tīrtha observances and major yajñas like Aśvamedha.