The Greatness of the Gaṅgā
Gaṅgāmāhātmya
सकृदप्युच्चरेद्यस्तु गङ्गेत्येवाक्षरद्वयम् । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति ॥ २७ ॥
sakṛdapyuccaredyastu gaṅgetyevākṣaradvayam | sarvapāpavinirmukto viṣṇulokaṃ sa gacchati || 27 ||
若有人哪怕只一次称念两音节之名“恒河(Gaṅgā)”,便能脱离一切罪垢,往生毗湿奴之界。
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in dialogue)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
It teaches the extraordinary purifying power (pāpa-kṣaya) of sacred remembrance: even a single utterance of the name “Gaṅgā” is said to remove sins and lead toward Viṣṇu’s realm.
It highlights nāma-smaraṇa (devotional remembrance through a holy name) as a direct, accessible form of bhakti that connects the devotee to Viṣṇu and his abode.
The verse implicitly emphasizes śabda and correct utterance (linked to Śikṣā and Vyākaraṇa) by pointing to the “two syllables” of the name, underscoring the ritual-spiritual efficacy attributed to precise sacred recitation.