Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 2
गङ्गामाहात्म्यं
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā
ह अग्निर् उवाच माहात्म्यं सर्वतीर्थानामित्यादिः, नैमिषं परमन्तीर्थं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकं इत्य् आग्नेये महापुराणे तीर्थयात्रामाहात्म्यमित्यन्तः पाठो झ पुस्तके नास्ति गतिर्गङ्गा तु भूतानां गतिमन्वेषतांअप्_११०००२अब् सदा गङ्गा तारयते चोभौ वंशौ नित्यं हि सेविता
ha agnir uvāca māhātmyaṃ sarvatīrthānāmityādiḥ, naimiṣaṃ paramantīrthaṃ bhuktimuktipradāyakaṃ ity āgneye mahāpurāṇe tīrthayātrāmāhātmyamityantaḥ pāṭho jha pustake nāsti gatirgaṅgā tu bhūtānāṃ gatimanveṣatāṃap_110002ab sadā gaṅgā tārayate cobhau vaṃśau nityaṃ hi sevitā
อัคนีกล่าวว่า “(ต่อไปนี้เป็น) ว่าด้วยมหิมาแห่งตถาคตสถานศักดิ์สิทธิ์ทั้งปวง และอื่น ๆ—‘ไนมิษะเป็นทีรถะสูงสุด ประทานทั้งความสุขทางโลกและโมกษะ’” (ในอัคนิ มหาปุราณะ บทอ่านที่ลงท้ายด้วย “ตีรถยาตรา-มหาตมยะ” ไม่ปรากฏในฉบับ ‘ฌะ’.) สำหรับสรรพสัตว์ผู้แสวงหาคติอันสูงสุด คงคาคือที่พึ่งและหนทาง. คงคาผู้ได้รับการบูชานิตย์ ย่อมยังสองสายวงศ์—บรรพชนและลูกหลาน—ให้ข้ามพ้นอยู่เสมอ.
Lord Agni
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tirtha-yatra Mahatmya (Pilgrimage and Sacred Geography)","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Pilgrimage planning and daily devotional orientation to Gaṅgā as a salvific tīrtha; motivates regular worship/service for ancestral and familial welfare.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Commentary","entry_title":"Gaṅgā as the supreme gati and deliverer of both lineages","lookup_keywords":["Gaṅgā-gati","tīrtha-māhātmya","ubhaya-vaṃśa-tāraṇa","Naimiṣa-parama-tīrtha","sevā-nitya"],"quick_summary":"The verse frames Gaṅgā as the sure ‘course/refuge’ for seekers of the highest end, emphasizing that constant service to Gaṅgā benefits both ancestors and descendants; it also preserves a textual note about manuscript variation."}
Alamkara Type: Arthāntaranyāsa (supporting maxim) / Śleṣa potential in gati (course/refuge)
Concept: Tīrtha-sevā as a means of purification and transgenerational uplift (ubhaya-vaṃśa-tāraṇa).
Application: Maintain regular acts of reverence—darśana, snāna, japa/kīrtana, offerings—dedicating merit to ancestors and family continuity.
Khanda Section: Tirtha-yatra Mahatmya (Pilgrimage and Sacred Geography)
Primary Rasa: Śānta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Type: River/Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Agni as narrator introducing the tīrtha-māhātmya; the Gaṅgā flowing as a luminous refuge while devotees perform daily worship, with ancestors and descendants symbolically uplifted.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style: Agni Ṛṣi seated with palm-leaf manuscript, gesturing toward a radiant Gaṅgā river goddess; devotees offering arghya; subtle depiction of pitṛs receiving tarpaṇa; earthy reds, ochres, flat iconic composition.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting: central Gaṅgā Devī on a lotus above flowing river, heavy gold foil halo and ornaments; small vignette of Agni speaking; devotees with brass vessels; symbolic ancestors behind in faint gold aura.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting: instructional narrative panel—Agni introducing tīrtha-māhātmya, labeled Gaṅgā as ‘gati’; clean lines, soft shading; devotees in orderly sequence performing daily sevā and tarpaṇa.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: riverside scene with scholars and pilgrims; Agni as sage narrator in a pavilion; Gaṅgā rendered as shimmering river with personified goddess; fine architectural border, delicate flora, subdued jewel tones."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: Resolved: अग्निर्→अग्निः; सर्वतीर्थानामित्यादिः→सर्वतीर्थानाम् + इति + आदिः; परमन्तीर्थं→परमम् + तीर्थम्; इत्य्→इति; तीर्थयात्रामाहात्म्यमित्यन्तः→तीर्थयात्रामाहात्म्यम् + इति + अन्तः; गतिर्गङ्गा→गतिः + गङ्गा; गतिमन्वेषताम्→गतिम् + अन्वेषताम्; चोभौ→च + उभौ.
Related Themes: Agni Purāṇa: Tīrtha-yātrā-māhātmya section (Gaṅgā-stuti and tīrtha-phala passages nearby)
FAQs
It teaches tīrtha-māhātmya as applied practice: honoring Naimiṣa as a paramount pilgrimage site and daily devotion/service to the Gaṅgā as a salvific act benefiting one’s lineage.
It exemplifies the Purana’s sacred-geography and ritual-merit cataloging—mapping places (Naimiṣa, Gaṅgā) to concrete outcomes (bhukti, mukti, ancestral uplift), alongside textual-critical notes on manuscript readings.
Serving the Gaṅgā is presented as a continuous purifier that ‘ferries across’ both ancestral and descendant lines, linking personal devotion with intergenerational spiritual benefit and the pursuit of liberation.