Shloka 4
Description of the Rules for Charitable Gifts and Related Rites
Gaṅgā-māhātmya
दत्ताः पितृभ्यो यत्रापस्तनयैः श्रद्धयान्वितैः । अक्षयां तु प्रकुर्वंति तृप्तिं मोहिनि दुर्लभाम् ॥ ४ ॥
dattāḥ pitṛbhyo yatrāpastanayaiḥ śraddhayānvitaiḥ | akṣayāṃ tu prakurvaṃti tṛptiṃ mohini durlabhām || 4 ||
यत्र पितृभ्यः श्रद्धयान्वितैः अपस्तनयैः जलदानानि दत्तानि, तानि हे मोहिनि दुर्लभामक्षयां तृप्तिं प्रकुर्वन्ति।
Suta (narrating the Narada Purana dialogue/travel accounts; verse addresses Mohinī within the narration)
Vrata: none
Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"karuna","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_journey":"From tender concern for ancestors (pitṛs) it settles into a peaceful assurance: faith-filled offerings yield rare, imperishable satisfaction."}
FAQs
It teaches that Pitṛ-tarpaṇa (water-offerings to ancestors) performed with śraddhā yields akṣaya (inexhaustible) tṛpti for the Pitṛs—an enduring spiritual merit emphasized in the tirtha-focused Uttara-Bhaga.
Bhakti here appears as sincere śraddhā and reverent intention: the verse implies that inner devotion sanctifies ritual action, making the result “akṣaya,” not merely a mechanical offering.
It highlights kalpa/ritual procedure in practice—specifically tarpaṇa and śrāddha principles: offering water to Pitṛs with correct intent and faith is presented as the key determinant of lasting efficacy.