Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā
Gaṅgāmāhātmya
यत्र स्नाता महात्मानः पितृमातृकुलानि वै । सहस्राणि समुद्धृत्य विष्णुलोके व्रजन्ति वै ॥ १७ ॥
yatra snātā mahātmānaḥ pitṛmātṛkulāni vai | sahasrāṇi samuddhṛtya viṣṇuloke vrajanti vai || 17 ||
Onde quer que as grandes almas devotas se banhem, elas elevam milhares de famílias, tanto do lado paterno quanto do materno, e de fato seguem para o mundo de Viṣṇu.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Purva Bhaga dialogue frame)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It teaches that tirtha-snana performed by a mahātmā is not merely personal purification; it generates salvific merit that uplifts extensive ancestral lineages and culminates in attainment of Viṣṇu-loka.
By linking holy bathing with going to Viṣṇu’s realm, the verse frames snāna as a bhakti-aligned act—an offering of oneself to Viṣṇu—whose fruit extends compassionately to one’s family lines.
The verse primarily reflects ritual praxis (tīrtha and snāna) rather than a specific Vedāṅga; it implies dhārmic timing and observance rules typical of Kalpa (ritual procedure) in Narada Purana rituals.