त्रयाणाम् उपकारार्थं लोकानां याचितं त्वया आत्मनस् तूपकाराय तद् याचस्वाकुतोभयः
You have requested this for the benefit of the three worlds; now, for your own sake, ask for a boon without fear.
स्तोत्रेणानेन ये भक्तास् त्वां च देवीं स्तुवन्ति वै सर्वकामसमृद्धाः स्युर् एतद् धि वरयाम्य् अहम्
Those devotees who praise you, O Goddess, with this hymn, will attain all desired prosperity—this boon I grant.
एवम् अस्त्व् इति देवेशः परितुष्टो ऽब्रवीद् वचः अन्यान् अपि वरान् मत्तो याचस्व विगतज्वरः
Thus addressed, the Lord of the gods, pleased, spoke: 'Ask for other boons from me, free from anxiety.'
एवम् उक्तस् तु हर्षेण गौतमः प्राह शंकरम्
So addressed, Gautama, filled with joy, spoke to Śaṅkara.
इमां देवीं जटासंस्थां पावनीं लोकपावनीम् तव प्रियां जगन्नाथ उत्सृज ब्रह्मणो गिरौ
O Lord of the universe, release this Goddess, dwelling in your matted locks, purifier of the worlds and your beloved, upon the mountain of Brahmā.
सर्वासां तीर्थभूता तु यावद् गच्छति सागरम् ब्रह्महत्यादिपापानि मनोवाक्कायिकानि च
As long as she, who is the essence of all sacred waters, flows to the ocean, let sins such as brahminicide, whether of mind, speech, or body,
स्नानमात्रेण सर्वाणि विलयं यान्तु शंकर चन्द्रसूर्योपरागे च अयने विषुवे तथा
be destroyed entirely by the mere act of bathing, O Śaṅkara, especially during lunar and solar eclipses, solstices, and equinoxes.
संक्रान्तौ वैधृतौ पुण्यतीर्थेष्व् अन्येषु यत् फलम् अस्यास् तु स्मरणाद् एव तत् पुण्यं जायतां हर
Whatever merit is gained at holy fords during transitions or at other sacred places, may that same merit arise simply by remembering her, O Hara.
श्लाघ्यं कृते तपः प्रोक्तं त्रेतायां यज्ञकर्म च द्वापरे यज्ञदाने च दानम् एव कलौ युगे
In the Kṛta age, austerity is praised; in the Tretā, sacrifice; in the Dvāpara, sacrifice and charity; but in the Kali age, charity alone.
युगधर्माश् च ये सर्वे देशधर्मास् तथैव च देशकालादिसंयोगे यो धर्मो यत्र शस्यते
All the duties of the ages, and likewise those of regions, are established; the duty appropriate to each place and time is to be followed.
यद् अन्यत्र कृतं पुण्यं स्नानदानादिसंयमैः अस्यास् तु स्मरणाद् एव तत् पुण्यं जायतां हर
Whatever merit is gained elsewhere through bathing, charity, and other restraints, may that merit arise here simply by remembering her, O Hara.
यत्र यत्र त्व् इयं याति यावत् सागरगामिनी तत्र तत्र त्वया भाव्यम् एष चास्तु वरो वरः
Wherever this river flows on her way to the ocean, there you must be present; let this be the boon granted.
योजनानां तूपरि तु दश यावच् च संख्यया तदन्तरप्रविष्टानां महापातकिनाम् अपि
For ten yojanas above her, and for all within that distance, even the greatest sinners,
तत् पितॄणां च तेषां च स्नानायागच्छतां शिव स्नाने चाप्य् अन्तरे मृत्योर् मुक्तिभाजो भवन्तु वै
and their ancestors, O Śiva, who come to bathe, and even those who die between baths, may they attain liberation.
एकतः सर्वतीर्थानि स्वर्गमर्त्यरसातले एषा तेभ्यो विशिष्टा तु अलं शंभो नमो ऽस्तु ते
All the sacred fords in heaven, earth, and the netherworld together—this one surpasses them all; enough, O Śambhu, homage to you.
तद् गौतमवचः श्रुत्वा तथास्त्व् इत्य् अब्रवीच् छिवः अस्याः परतरं तीर्थं न भूतं न भविष्यति
Hearing Gautama's words, Śiva replied, 'So be it.' There has never been, nor will there be, a ford greater than this.
सत्यं सत्यं पुनः सत्यं वेदे च परिनिष्ठितम् सर्वेषां गौतमी पुण्या इत्य् उक्त्वान्तरधीयत
Truly, truly, and again truly, as established in the Veda, the Gautamī is the most sacred of all—so saying, he vanished.
ततो गते भगवति लोकपूजिते तदाज्ञया पूर्णबलः स गौतमः जटां समादाय सरिद्वरां तां सुरैर् वृतो ब्रह्मगिरिं विवेश
Then, when the revered one worshipped by the worlds had departed, by her command, Gautama, full of power, took up the sacred river from the matted locks and, surrounded by the gods, entered Brahmagiri.
ततस् तु गौतमे प्राप्ते जटाम् आदाय नारद पुष्पवृष्टिर् अभूत् तत्र समाजग्मुः सुरेश्वराः
Then, when Gautama arrived and Nārada had taken up his matted locks, a shower of flowers fell there, and the lords of the gods assembled.
ऋषयश् च महाभागा ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रियास् तथा जयशब्देन तं विप्रं पूजयन्तो मुदान्विताः
The great and fortunate sages, as well as Brāhmaṇas and Kṣatriyas, honored that Brāhmaṇa with joyful cries of victory.
महेश्वरजटाजुटाद् गङ्गाम् आदाय गौतमः आगत्य ब्रह्मणः पुण्ये ततः किम् अकरोद् गिरौ
Having taken Gaṅgā from the matted locks of Maheśvara, Gautama came to the sacred place of Brahmā—then, what did he do on the mountain?
आदाय गौतमो गङ्गां शुचिः प्रयतमानसः पूजितो देवगन्धर्वैस् तथा गिरिनिवासिभिः
Taking Gaṅgā, pure and with concentrated mind, Gautama was worshipped by the gods, Gandharvas, and also by those dwelling on the mountain.
गिरेर् मूर्ध्नि जटां स्थाप्य स्मरन् देवं त्रिलोचनम् उवाच प्राञ्जलिर् भूत्वा गङ्गां स द्विजसत्तमः
Placing the matted locks on the summit of the mountain, remembering the three-eyed god, that best of twice-born spoke to Gaṅgā with joined palms.
त्रिलोचनजटोद्भूते सर्वकामप्रदायिनि क्षमस्व मातः शान्तासि सुखं याहि हितं कुरु
O giver of all desires, born from the matted locks of the three-eyed one, forgive, O Mother! You are peaceful—go happily, do what is beneficial.
एवम् उक्ता गौतमेन गङ्गा प्रोवाच गौतमम् दिव्यरूपधरा देवी दिव्यस्रगनुलेपना
Thus addressed by Gautama, Gaṅgā, the goddess assuming a divine form, adorned with heavenly garlands and unguents, spoke to Gautama.
गच्छेयं देवसदनम् अथवापि कमण्डलुम् रसातलं वा गच्छेयं जातस् त्वं सत्यवाग् असि
Should I go to the abode of the gods, or into the water-pot, or should I descend to the netherworld? You have been born; you are one who speaks the truth.
त्रयाणाम् उपकारार्थं लोकानां याचिता मया शंभुना च तथा दत्ता देवि तन् नान्यथा भवेत्
For the benefit of the three worlds, I was requested by Śaṃbhu and thus given, O goddess—let it not be otherwise.
तद् गौतमवचः श्रुत्वा गङ्गा मेने द्विजेरितम् त्रेधात्मानं विभज्याथ स्वर्गमर्त्यरसातले
Hearing Gautama’s words, Gaṅgā accepted the statement of the twice-born, and dividing herself threefold, she went to heaven, earth, and the netherworld.
स्वर्गे चतुर्धा व्यगमत् सप्तधा मर्त्यमण्डले रसातले चतुर्धैव सैवं पञ्चदशाकृतिः
In heaven she became fourfold, on earth sevenfold, and in the netherworld fourfold; thus she assumed fifteen forms.
सर्वत्र सर्वभूतैव सर्वपापविनाशिनी सर्वकामप्रदा नित्यं सैव वेदे प्रगीयते
Everywhere, she is the essence of all beings, the destroyer of all sins, the giver of all desires, eternal—thus she is praised in the Veda.