Shloka 23
The Greatness of Bathing in the Ganges
Gaṅgā-snānā-mahātmya
अवगाह्य तथा पीत्वा पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम् । सप्तावपरान्परान्सप्त सप्ताथ परतः परान् ॥ २३ ॥
avagāhya tathā pītvā punātyāsaptamaṃ kulam | saptāvaparānparānsapta saptātha parataḥ parān || 23 ||
Sa paglusong at pagligo roon, at sa pag-inom din ng banal na tubig na iyon, nalilinis ang angkan hanggang ikapitong salinlahi—pitong salinlahi ng mga inapo, pitong salinlahi ng mga ninuno, at pitong higit pa sa kanila.
Suta (narrating the Narada Purana discourse)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It states the extraordinary purificatory merit (puṇya) of tirtha-bathing and drinking sacred water: the benefit is not limited to the individual but extends to one’s entire lineage across multiple generations.
In the tirtha context, devotional acts—reverent bathing, sipping sacred water, and remembering the divine—are shown as simple, faith-filled practices that generate merit and support purification, which in turn strengthens one’s eligibility for bhakti and dharmic living.
Ritual practice is implied: proper snāna (sacred bath) and ācamana/pāna (ritual sipping/drinking) at a tirtha are karmakāṇḍa-aligned observances, reflecting applied discipline of dharma rather than technical Vedanga instruction.