Why is the River Ganges (Bhagirathi) mentioned in Chapter 47, and what is its significance in the context of saints?

The mention of the River Ganges in Chapter 47 serves as a powerful metaphor to elevate the status of saints like Shri Sai. The text explains that the River Bhagirathi, by washing the sins of the world, becomes soiled with accumulated impurities herself. To wash away these impurities, the river is personified as desiring the dust from the feet of saints. She knows that without the touch of a saint's feet, there is no deliverance from her own sins. This analogy, found in Chapter 47, powerfully illustrates that the holiness of saints is so profound that they can purify even the ultimate purifier, establishing their supreme spiritual significance.