Shloka 10
The Five Great Sacrifices: Supremacy of Honoring Parents, Pativrata Dharma, Truthfulness, and Śrāddha
पितरो यस्य तृप्यंति सेवया च गुणेन च । तस्य भागीरथी स्नानमहन्यहनि वर्तते
pitaro yasya tṛpyaṃti sevayā ca guṇena ca | tasya bhāgīrathī snānamahanyahani vartate
यस्य पितरः सेवया गुणेन च तृप्यन्ति, तस्य भागीरथीस्नानं अहन्यहनि वर्तते इव।
Unspecified (narrative voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa; exact dialogue frame not provided in the input)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: river
Sandhi Resolution Notes: snānamahanyahani = snānam + ahani + ahani (reduplication for 'daily').
FAQs
It highlights Bhāgīrathī (Gaṅgā) as a premier tīrtha. The verse frames Gaṅgā-snāna as a benchmark of sacred merit, using it to praise an inner discipline (sevā and guṇa) that yields comparable sanctifying benefit.
By valuing sevā (devoted service) and guṇa (virtuous character) as the means that truly satisfy the Pitṛs, it teaches that sincere, lived devotion and ethical excellence can equal or surpass the merit of external pilgrimage practices.
The ethical lesson is that consistent good conduct and respectful service—especially toward elders and one’s lineage—create enduring spiritual merit; ritual acts like tīrtha-bathing are most meaningful when grounded in daily virtue.