Text 12] The Dynasty of Arnsuman 13

TAIT «= AUET! aT |
ae fed wey: Fae Sera: 11221

yaj-jala-sparsa-matrena
brahma-danda-hata api

sagaratmaja diva jagmuh
kevalam deha-bhasmabhih

yat-jala—whose water; sparsa-mdtrena—simply by touching;
brahma-danda-hatah—those who were condemned for offending
brahma, the self; api—although; sagara-atmajah—the sons of Sagara;
divam—to the heavenly planets; jagmuh—went; kevalam—only; deha-
bhasmabhih—by the remaining ashes of their burnt bodies.

TRANSLATION

Because the sons of Sagara Maharaja had offended a great per-
sonality, the heat of their bodies had increased, and they were
burnt to ashes. But simply by being sprinkled with water from the
Ganges, all of them became eligible to go to the heavenly planets.
What then is to be said of those who use the water of mother
Ganges to worship her?

PURPORT

Mother Ganges is worshiped by the water of the Ganges: a devotee
takes a little water from the Ganges and offers it back to the Ganges.
When the devotee takes the water, mother Ganges does not lose any-
thing, and when the water is offered back, mother Ganges does not in-
crease, but in this way the worshiper of the Ganges is benefited.
Similarly, a devotee of the Lord offers the Lord patram puspam phalam
toyam—a leaf, flower, fruit or water—in great devotion, but everything,
including the leaf, flower, fruit and water, belongs to the Lord, and
therefore there is nothing to renounce or to accept. One must simply take
advantage of the bhakti process because by following this process one
does not lose anything but one gains the favor of the Supreme Person.
