Shloka 246
Tapas-śreṣṭhatā: Anāśana as the Highest Austerity
Bhagīratha–Brahmā Saṃvāda
दक्षिणाश्रि: प्रवृत्ताभिर्मम नागां च तत्कृते । जगत्पते! मेरी दी हुई दक्षिणाओंसे गंगानदी आच्छादित हो गयी थी; परंतु उसके कारण भी मैं इस लोकमें नहीं आया हूँ
Bhagīratha uvāca: dakṣiṇāśriḥ pravṛttābhir mama nāgāṃ ca tatkṛte | jagatpate! mayā dattābhiḥ dakṣiṇābhiḥ gaṅgānadī ācchāditā abhavat; parantu tasya kāraṇād api ahaṃ asmin loke na āgataḥ ||
జగత్పతే! నేను ప్రసాదించిన దక్షిణల ప్రవాహము—నాగులకై కూడ నియతమైనది—అంతగా విస్తరించి గంగానదినే ఆవరించినట్లైంది; అయినా దాని వల్లకూడ నేను ఈ లోకమునకు తిరిగి రాలేకపోయితిని।
भगीरथ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that the sheer quantity of charitable giving (dakṣiṇā/dāna) is not sufficient by itself to guarantee the intended spiritual or existential result; the efficacy of giving depends on deeper factors such as right intention, proper context, and alignment with dharma and divine order.
Bhagīratha addresses the Lord of the world, recalling that he distributed such abundant ritual gifts—intended also for the Nāgas—that the Gaṅgā seemed overwhelmed by them; nevertheless, he states that even this did not bring about his return/attainment in this world, expressing the limits of external acts when detached from the higher cause.