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.
भावदुष्टिं परित्यज्य स्वधर्मपरिनिष्ठितः श्रान्तसंवाहनं कुर्वन् दद्याद् अन्नं यथोचितम्
Abandoning evil intent and established in one's own duty, one should offer proper food and massage the weary.
अकिंचनेभ्यः साधुभ्यो दद्याद् वस्त्राणि कम्बलान् शृण्वन् हरिकथां दिव्यां तथा गङ्गासमुद्भवाम् अनेन विधिना गच्छन् सम्यक् तीर्थफलं लभेत्
One should give clothes and blankets to the poor and virtuous, listen to divine tales of Hari and the origin of Gaṅgā; by proceeding in this way, one attains the full fruit of the sacred ford.
त्र्यम्बकश् च इति प्राह गौतमं मुनिभिर् वृतम्
Tryambaka thus spoke to Gautama, who was surrounded by sages.
द्विहस्तमात्रे तीर्थानि संभविष्यन्ति गौतम सर्वत्राहं संनिहितः सर्वकामप्रदस् तथा
O Gautama, sacred fords will arise at every two arm-lengths; I am present everywhere, granting all desires.
नर्मदा तु सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा पर्वते ऽमरकण्टके यमुना संगता तत्र प्रभासे तु सरस्वती
The Narmadā, best of rivers, is on the Amarakantaka mountain; the Yamunā joins there, and at Prabhāsa, the Sarasvatī.
कृष्णा भीमरथी चैव तुङ्गभद्रा तु नारद तिसृणां संगमो यत्र तत् तीर्थं मुक्तिदं नृणाम्
The Kṛṣṇā, Bhīmarathī, and also the Tuṅgabhadrā, O Nārada—where these three meet, that ford grants liberation to men.
पयोउष्णी संगता यत्र तत्रत्या तच् च मुक्तिदम् इयं तु गौतमी वत्स यत्र क्वापि ममाज्ञया
Where the Payoṣṇī joins, that place too grants liberation; but this Gautamī, dear child, is wherever I command.
सर्वेषां सर्वदा नॄणां स्नानान् मुक्तिं प्रदास्यति किंचित्काले पुण्यतमं किंचित्तीर्थं सुरागमे
For all people at all times, bathing here will grant liberation; at certain times, some fords are most holy, some during the coming of the gods.
सर्वेषां सर्वदा तीर्थं गौतमी नात्र संशयः तिस्रः कोट्यो ऽर्धकोटी च योजनानां शतद्वये
For all people at all times, Gautamī is the sacred ford—there is no doubt; it extends three crores and half a crore, two hundred yojanas.
तीर्थानि मुनिशार्दूल संभविष्यन्ति गौतम इयं माहेश्वरी गङ्गा गौतमी वैष्णवीति च
O best of sages, sacred fords will arise here, O Gautama; this is the Maheśvarī Gaṅgā, also called Gautamī and Vaiṣṇavī.