पूर्वस्मिन्न् ऋषयो देवा पितरो लोकपालकाः जगृहुः शुभदं वारि तस्माच् छ्रेष्ठं तद् उच्यते
In the east, the sages, gods, ancestors, and guardians of the worlds took the auspicious water; therefore, it is called the best.
या दक्षिणां दिशं प्राप्ता आपो वै लोकमातरः विष्णुपादप्रसूतास् ता ब्रह्मण्या लोकमातरः
The waters that reached the southern direction are indeed the mothers of the worlds, born from Viṣṇu’s feet, those devoted to Brahman, the mothers of the worlds.
महेश्वरजटासंस्थाः पर्वजातशुभोदयाः तासां प्रभावस्मरणात् सर्वकामान् अवाप्नुयात्
Those established in Maheśvara’s matted locks, born at the joints and auspicious in origin—by remembering their power, one attains all desires.
कमण्डलुस्थिता देवी महेश्वरजटागता श्रुता देव यथा मर्त्यम् आगता तद् ब्रवीतु मे
O god, tell me how the goddess who was in the water-pot and entered Maheśvara’s matted locks came to the world of mortals, as I have heard.
महेश्वरजटास्था या आपो देव्यो महामते तासां च द्विविधो भेद आहर्तुर् द्वयकारणात्
O wise one, the waters that were in Maheśvara’s matted locks are divine; and there is a twofold division of them, due to the two kinds of those who brought them.
एकांशो ब्राह्मणेनात्र व्रतदानसमाधिना गोतमेन शिवं पूज्य आहृतो लोकविश्रुतः
One portion was brought here by the brāhmaṇa Gautama, renowned in the world, through observance, charity, and meditation, after worshipping Śiva.
अपरस् तु महाप्राज्ञ क्षत्रियेण बलीयसा आराध्य शंकरं देवं तपोभिर् नियमैस् तथा
But another portion, O greatly wise one, was brought by the powerful kṣatriya, having worshipped the god Śaṅkara with austerities and disciplines.
भगीरथेन भूपेन आहृतो ऽंशो ऽपरस् तथा एवं द्वैरूप्यम् अभवद् गङ्गाया मुनिसत्तम
A portion was thus brought by King Bhagīratha as well; thus, O best of sages, the Gaṅgā became twofold in form.
महेश्वरजटास्था या हेतुना केन गौतमः आहर्ता क्षत्रियेणापि आहृता केन तद् वद
Tell me, for what reason did Gautama bring down the waters established in Maheśvara’s matted locks, and for what reason did the kṣatriya bring them?
यथानीता पुरा वत्स ब्राह्मणेनेतरेण वा तत् सर्वं विस्तरेणाहं वदिष्ये प्रीतये तव
O dear one, as they were brought in ancient times, whether by a brāhmaṇa or by another, I shall tell you all that in detail for your satisfaction.
यस्मिन् काले सुरेशस्य उमा पत्न्य् अभवत् प्रिया तस्मिन्न् एवाभवद् गङ्गा प्रिया शंभोर् महामते
At the time when Umā became the beloved wife of the lord of the gods, O wise one, Gaṅgā too became the beloved of Śaṃbhu.
मम दोषापनोदाय चिन्तयानः शिवस् तदा उमया सहितः श्रीमान् देवीं प्रेक्ष्य विशेषतः
Desiring to remove my faults, Śiva, together with Umā, especially beheld the goddess at that time.
रसवृत्तौ स्थितो यस्मान् निर्ममे रसम् उत्तमम् रसिकत्वात् प्रियत्वाच् च स्त्रैणत्वात् पावनत्वतः
Because he dwelt in the essence of rasa, he created the supreme rasa, due to his appreciation, affection, inclination toward women, and purity.
सर्वाभ्यो ह्य् अधिकप्रीतिर् गङ्गाभूद् द्विजसत्तम सैवोद्भूता जटामार्गात् कस्मिंश्चित् कारणान्तरे स तु संगोपयाम् आस गङ्गां शंभुर् जटागताम्
O best of twice-born, among all, Ganga became the most beloved; she emerged from the path of the matted locks for some other reason, and Shambhu kept Ganga, who had entered his hair, concealed.
शिरसा च धृतां ज्ञात्वा न शशाक उमा तदा सोढुं ब्रह्मञ् जटाजूटे स्थितां दृष्ट्वा पुनः पुनः
Knowing that she was held upon his head, Uma could not endure, O Brahman, seeing her repeatedly remaining in the matted locks.
अमर्षेण भवं गोरी प्रेरयस्वेत्य् अभाषत नैवासौ प्रैरयच् छंभू रसिको रसम् उत्तमम्
Out of indignation, Gauri said to Bhava, 'Send her forth!' But Shambhu, being a connoisseur of rasa, did not release the supreme rasa.
जटास्व् एव तदा देवीं गोपायन्तं विमृश्य सा विनायकं जयां स्कन्दं रहो वचनम् अब्रवीत्
Reflecting that he was keeping the goddess within his matted locks, she spoke privately to Vinayaka, Jaya, and Skanda.
नैवायं त्रिदशेशानो गङ्गां त्यजति कामुकः सापि प्रिया शिवस्याद्य कथं त्यजति तां प्रियाम्
This lord of the gods, enamored, does not abandon Ganga; and she, being dear to Shiva, how could she forsake her beloved today?
एवं विमृश्य बहुशो गौरी चाह विनायकम्
Thus, having considered much, Gauri spoke to Vinayaka.
न देवैर् नासुरैर् यक्षैर् न सिद्धैर् भवतापि च न राजभिर् अथान्यैर् वा न गङ्गां त्यजति प्रभुः
Neither by gods, nor by asuras, nor by yakshas, nor by siddhas, nor even by you, nor by kings or others, can the Lord be made to abandon Ganga.
पुनस् तप्स्यामि वा गत्वा हिमवन्तं नगोत्तमम् अथवा ब्राह्मणैः पुण्यैस् तपोभिर् हतकल्मषैः
I will again perform austerities, or go to the supreme mountain Himavat; or with pure brahmins, cleansed of sin, I will undertake penance.
तैर् वा जटास्थिता गङ्गा प्रार्थिता भुवम् आप्नुयात्
By them, if they supplicate, Ganga, who abides in the matted locks, might reach the earth.
एतच् छ्रुत्वा मातृवाक्यं मातरं प्राह विघ्नराट् भ्रात्रा स्कन्देन जयया संमन्त्र्येह च युज्यते
Hearing his mother's words, the remover of obstacles spoke to his mother: 'Let me consult with my brother Skanda and Jaya; this is fitting.'
तत् कुर्मो मस्तकाद् गङ्गां यथा त्यजति मे पिता एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे ब्रह्मन्न् अनावृष्टिर् अजायत
Let us act so that my father releases Ganga from his head; meanwhile, O Brahman, a drought arose.
द्विर् द्वादश समा मर्त्ये सर्वप्राणिभयावहा ततो विनष्टम् अभवज् जगत् स्थावरजङ्गमम्
For twice twelve years among mortals, bringing fear to all living beings, then the world of moving and unmoving beings was destroyed.
विना तु गौतमं पुण्यम् आश्रमं सर्वकामदम् स्रष्टुकामः पुरा पुत्र स्थावरं जङ्गमं तथा
Except for the auspicious ashram of Gautama, fulfilling all desires, O son, formerly, wishing to create both stationary and moving beings—
कृतो यज्ञो मया पूर्वं स देवयजनो गिरिः मन्नामा तत्र विख्यातस् ततो ब्रह्मगिरिः सदा
I performed a sacrifice before, that divine sacrifice; the mountain there became renowned by my name, and thus it is always called Brahmagiri.
तम् आश्रित्य नगश्रेष्ठं सर्वदास्ते स गौतमः तस्याश्रमे महापुण्ये श्रेष्ठे ब्रह्मगिरौ शुभे
Residing always upon that best of mountains, Gautama dwells there; in his ashram, supremely holy, on the excellent and auspicious Brahmagiri.
आधयो व्याधयो वापि दुर्भिक्षं वाप्य् अवर्षणम् भयशोकौ च दारिद्र्यं न श्रूयन्ते कदाचन
There, neither afflictions, nor diseases, nor famine, nor drought, nor fear, nor grief, nor poverty are ever heard of.
तदाश्रमं विनान्यत्र हव्यं वा कव्यम् एव च नास्ति पुत्र तथा दाता होता यष्टा तथैव च
Except in that ashram, O son, there is nowhere else offering or ancestral rite, nor is there a giver, a priest, or a sacrificer.