Shloka 3
The Account of the Fruits of Bathing at Particular Sacred Places
Tīrtha-viśeṣa-snāna-phala
ततो ब्रह्मपुरं याति कल्पकोटिशतायुतैः । नैरंतर्येण विधिवद्गङ्गायां स्नाति यो नरः ॥ ३ ॥
tato brahmapuraṃ yāti kalpakoṭiśatāyutaiḥ | nairaṃtaryeṇa vidhivadgaṅgāyāṃ snāti yo naraḥ || 3 ||
ततः यो नरः गङ्गायां विधिवत् नैरन्तर्येण स्नाति, स कल्पकोटिशतायुतैः ब्रह्मपुरं याति।
Sage Narada (as narrator/teacher within the tirtha-mahatmya discourse)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It elevates Gaṅgā-snānā (bathing in the Ganga) from a mere physical act to a sustained, rule-based sacred practice whose fruit is extraordinary—access to Brahmā’s realm for an immeasurably long span—signaling the Ganga’s role as a supreme tīrtha in Uttara-bhāga.
Though framed as a tīrtha-ritual, the emphasis on “nairaṃtarya” (steadiness) and “vidhivat” (reverent correctness) implies devotional discipline—regular sacred practice performed with faith and purity—an applied form of bhakti expressed through worshipful engagement with the Gaṅgā.
The term “vidhivat” points to Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Dharma-śāstra style observance—i.e., performing snāna with prescribed purity rules, timing, and method—showing how ritual science underpins tīrtha practices in the Narada Purana.