Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55
दुर्लभं जाह्नवीस्नानं शिवे भक्तिः सुदुर्लभा । दुर्लभं ब्राह्मणे दानं दुर्लभं वह्निपूजनम्
durlabhaṃ jāhnavīsnānaṃ śive bhaktiḥ sudurlabhā | durlabhaṃ brāhmaṇe dānaṃ durlabhaṃ vahnipūjanam
جاہنوی (گنگا) میں اسنان نایاب ہے؛ شیو بھکتی تو اس سے بھی زیادہ نایاب ہے۔ برہمن کو دان دینا نایاب ہے، اور مقدس آگنی کی یَتھا وِدھی پوجا بھی نایاب ہے۔
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced for Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration
Tirtha: Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
Type: river
Scene: Dawn on the Gaṅgā: pilgrims entering the river for snān; a Śiva devotee with rudrākṣa and bilva offering; nearby, a brāhmaṇa receiving dāna; a small sacred fire altar with careful offerings—four ‘rare’ acts shown in one continuous tableau.
FAQs
Even highly meritorious acts are difficult to obtain; among them, steadfast Śiva-bhakti is portrayed as the most exceptional grace.
The Jāhnavī—Gaṅgā—is praised as a sacred river where bathing is a rare and powerful merit.
Gaṅgā-snān (ritual bathing), brāhmaṇa-dāna (charity to brāhmaṇas), and vahni/Agni-pūjan (fire worship) are explicitly mentioned.