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.
मर्त्या मर्त्यगताम् एव पश्यन्ति न तलं गताम् नैव स्वर्गगतां मर्त्याः पश्यन्त्य् अज्ञानबुद्धयः
Mortals see only that form of her which is on earth, not the one that has gone to the netherworld; nor do mortals of ignorant mind see her who has gone to heaven.
यावत् सागरगा देवी तावद् देवमयी स्मृता उत्सृष्टा गौतमेनैव प्रायात् पूर्वार्णवं प्रति
As long as the goddess flows to the ocean, she is regarded as divine; released by Gautama, she proceeded toward the eastern ocean.
ततो देवर्षिभिर् जुष्टां मातरं जगतः शुभाम् गौतमो मुनिशार्दूलः प्रदक्षिणम् अथाकरोत्
Then Gautama, tiger among sages, circumambulated the auspicious Mother of the world, who was honored by the divine sages.
त्रिलोचनं सुरेशानं प्रथमं पूज्य गौतमः उभयोस् तीरयोः स्नानं करोमीति दधे मतिम्
First worshipping the three-eyed lord of the gods, Gautama resolved, 'I will bathe at both banks.'
स्मृतमात्रस् तदा तत्राविरासीत् करुणार्णवः तत्र स्नानं कथं सिध्येद् इत्य् एवं शर्वम् अब्रवीत्
At that very moment, as soon as he remembered, the ocean of compassion appeared there. He asked Śarva how bathing could be accomplished there.
कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा भक्तिनम्रस् त्रिलोचनम्
With hands joined in reverence, devoted and bowed in faith, he addressed the three-eyed one.
देवदेव महेशान तीर्थस्नानविधिं मम ब्रूहि सम्यङ् महेशान लोकानां हितकाम्यया
O God of gods, great Lord, tell me in detail the procedure for bathing at the sacred fords, for the welfare of all worlds.
महर्षे शृणु सर्वं च विधिं गोदावरीभवम् पूर्वं नान्दीमुखं कृत्वा देहशुद्धिं विधाय च
O great sage, listen as I explain the entire procedure for the Godāvarī; first, one should perform the nāndīmukha rite and purify the body.
ब्राह्मणान् भोजयित्वा च तेषाम् आज्ञां प्रगृह्य च ब्रह्मचर्येण गच्छन्ति पतितालापवर्जिताः
After feeding the Brāhmaṇas and receiving their permission, one should proceed in celibacy, avoiding contact with the fallen.
यस्य हस्तौ च पादौ च मनश् चैव सुसंयतम् विद्या तपश् च कीर्तिश् च स तीर्थफलम् अश्नुते
He whose hands, feet, and mind are well-controlled, who possesses knowledge, austerity, and fame, attains the full fruit of the sacred ford.