Ganges

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SB 3.5.41

mArganti yat te mukha-padma-nIDaiz

chanda-suparNair RSayo vivikte

yasyAgha-marSoda-sarid-varAyAH

padaM padaM tIrtha-padaM prapannAH

 

TRANSLATION

The lotus feet of the Lord are by themselves the shelter of all places of

pilgrimage. The great clear-minded sages, carried by the wings of the

Vedas, always search after the nest of Your lotuslike face. Some of them

surrender to Your lotus feet at every step by taking shelter of the best

of rivers [the Ganges], which can deliver one from all sinful reactions.

 

PURPORT

The paramahamsas are compared to royal swans who make their nests on the

petals of the lotus flower. The Lord's transcendental bodily parts are

always compared to the lotus flower because in the material world the

lotus flower is the last word in beauty. The most beautiful thing in the

world is the Vedas, or Bhagavad-gita, because therein knowledge is

imparted by the Personality of Godhead Himself. The paramahamsa makes his

nest in the lotuslike face of the Lord and always seeks shelter at His

lotus feet, which are reached by the wings of Vedic wisdom. Since the Lord

is the original source of all emanations, intelligent persons, enlightened

by Vedic knowledge, seek the shelter of the Lord, just as birds who leave

the nest again search out the nest to take complete rest. All Vedic

knowledge is meant for understanding the Supreme Lord, as stated by the

Lord in Bhagavad-gita (15.15): vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah.

Intelligent persons, who are like swans, take shelter of the Lord by all

means and do not hover on the mental plane by fruitlessly speculating on

different philosophies.

 

The Lord is so kind that He has spread the River Ganges throughout the

universe so that by taking bath in that holy river everyone can get

release from the reactions of sins, which occur at every step. There are

many rivers in the world which are able to evoke one's sense of God

consciousness simply by one's bathing in them, and the River Ganges is

chief amongst them. In India there are five sacred rivers, but the Ganges

is the most sacred. The River Ganges and Bhagavad-gita are chief sources

of transcendental happiness for mankind, and intelligent persons can

take shelter of them to go back home, back to Godhead. Even Sripada

Sankaracarya recommends that a little knowledge in Bhagavad-gita and the

drinking of a little quantity of Ganges water can save one from the

punishment of Yamaraja.

 

MDd