Motif
Purifying sacred river
purifying_sacred_river
A motif of the Sacred Waters and Passage Through Water family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
2 occurrences
1 traditions
hindu
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The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4: Books 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 SECTION XXIII / SECTION XXIV / SECTION XXV / SECTION XXVI; lines 5805-5888 confidence: high
Ganga's sight, touch, drinking, bathing, praise, and even intention toward her cleanse sins and rescue ancestors and descendants, including paternal and maternal races.
Repeated ritual contacts with Ganga's waters—sight, touch, drinking, bathing, and washing by waves—are said to cleanse sins.
read in the book → -
The Ramayan of Valmiki Canto XXIX. The Celestial Arms. / Canto XXXI. The Perfect Hermitage. / Canto XXXIII. The Sone. / Canto XXXIV. Brahmadatta.; lines 5320-5394 confidence: high
After many leagues, the group sees the Jahnavī, the Rivers’ Queen, with white-winged birds, delights in the sight, and halts on the holy strand.
Gaṅgā is repeatedly identified as holy, heavenly, and purifying, with waters that cleanse, save, bless, and purge sinners.
read in the book →