तच् छ्रुत्वा स मुनेर् वाक्यं मुनिं नत्वा त्व् अगान् नगम् कैलासं स शुचिर् भूत्वा बालो बालक्रियान्वितः तपसे निश्चयं कृत्वा उवाच स भगीरथः
Hearing the sage’s words, he bowed to the sage and went to Mount Kailāsa. Having purified himself, though a child engaged in childish acts, he firmly resolved to undertake austerity, and that Bhagīratha spoke.
बालो ऽहं बालबुद्धिश् च बालचन्द्रधर प्रभो नाहं किमपि जानामि ततः प्रीतो भव प्रभो
I am a child, with a child’s understanding, O Lord who bears the crescent moon. I know nothing at all; therefore, be pleased, O Lord.
वाग्भिर् मनोभिः कृतिभिः कदाचिन् ममोपकुर्वन्ति हिते रता ये तेभ्यो हितार्थं त्व् इह चामरेश सोमं नमस्यामि सुरादिपूज्यम्
Those who are devoted to my welfare sometimes help me with words, thoughts, or deeds. For their benefit here, O Lord of beings, I bow to Soma, honored by the gods.
उत्पादितो यैर् अभिवर्धितश् च समानगोत्रश् च समानधर्मा तेषाम् अभीष्टानि शिवः करोतु बालेन्दुमौलिं प्रणतो ऽस्मि नित्यम्
By whom I was brought forth and raised, who are of the same lineage and conduct as I am—may Śiva grant their wishes. I always bow to him who wears the crescent moon.
एवं तु ब्रुवतस् तस्य पुरस्ताद् अभवच् छिवः वरेण च्छन्दयानो वै भगीरथम् उवाच ह
As he was thus speaking, Śiva appeared before him and, granting him a boon of his choice, spoke to Bhagīratha.
यन् न साध्यं सुरगणैर् देयं तत् ते मया ध्रुवम् वदस्व निर्भयो भूत्वा भगीरथ महामते
Whatever cannot be accomplished by the hosts of gods, that I shall surely grant you. Speak without fear, O Bhagīratha, wise one.
भगीरथः प्रणम्येशं हृष्टः प्रोवाच शंकरम्
Bhagīratha, bowing to the Lord, joyfully addressed Śaṅkara.
जटास्थितां पितॄणां मे पावनाय सरिद्वराम् ताम् एव देहि देवेश सर्वम् आप्तं ततो भवेत्
O Lord of gods, give me that supreme river, abiding in your matted hair, for the purification of my ancestors. Then all will be accomplished.
महेशो ऽपि विहस्याथ भगीरथम् उवाच ह
Maheśa, smiling, then spoke to Bhagīratha.
दत्ता मयेयं ते पुत्र पुनस् तां स्तुहि सुव्रत
This river has been given to you by me, O son. Now praise her again, O steadfast one.
तद् देववचनं श्रुत्वा तदर्थं तु तपो महत् स्तुतिं चकार गङ्गाया भक्त्या प्रयतमानसः
Hearing the words of the god, he performed great austerity for that purpose, and with a devoted and concentrated mind, he composed a hymn to Gaṅgā.
तस्या अपि प्रसादं च प्राप्य बालो ऽप्य् अबालवत् गङ्गां महेश्वरात् प्राप्ताम् आदायागाद् रसातलम्
Having obtained her favor, though still a child, he, as if not a child, took Gaṅgā, received from Maheśvara, and went to the netherworld.
न्यवेदयत् स मुनये कपिलाय महात्मने यथोदितप्रकारेण गङ्गां संस्थाप्य यत्नतः
He carefully established Gaṅgā as prescribed and reported it to the great-souled sage Kapila.
प्रदक्षिणम् अथावर्त्य कृताञ्जलिपुटो ऽब्रवीत्
Then, having circumambulated with joined palms, he spoke.
देवि मे पितरः शापात् कपिलस्य महामुनेः प्राप्तास् ते विगतिं मातस् तस्मात् तान् पातुम् अर्हसि
O goddess, my ancestors, by the curse of the great sage Kapila, have met their end. Therefore, Mother, you ought to purify them.
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा सुरनदी सर्वेषाम् उपकारिका लोकानाम् उपकारार्थं पितॄणां पावनाय च
Saying, 'So be it,' the divine river, benefactress of all, for the welfare of the worlds and the purification of the ancestors, [agreed].
अगस्त्यपीतस्याम्भोधेः पूरणाय विशेषतः स्मरणाद् एव पापानां नाशाय सुरनिम्नगा
For the special purpose of filling the ocean drunk by Agastya, merely remembering the divine river destroys sins.
भगीरथोदितं चक्रे रसातलतले स्थितान् भस्मीभूतान् नृपसुतान् सागरांश् च विशेषतः
Bhagiratha caused the river to flow, especially for the ashes of the princes and the parts of the ocean that lay in the netherworld.
विनिर्दग्धान् अथाप्लाव्य खातपूरम् अथाकरोत् ततो मेरुं समाप्लाव्य स्थितां बालो ऽब्रवीन् नृपः
After purifying those who had been burned, he made a channel; then, having flooded Mount Meru, the child king spoke.
कर्मभूमौ त्वया भाव्यं तथेत्य् आगाद् धिमालयम् हिमवत्पर्वतात् पुण्याद् भारतं वर्षम् अभ्यगात्
You must accomplish this on the field of action; thus, she went to the Himalayas, and from the sacred mountain entered the land of Bharata.
तन्मध्यतः पुण्यनदी प्रायात् पूर्वार्णवं प्रति एवम् एषापि ते प्रोक्ता गङ्गा क्षात्रा महामुने
From its midst, the sacred river proceeded toward the eastern ocean; thus, O great sage, this is the account of the royal Ganga told to you.
माहेश्वरी वैष्णवी च सैव ब्राह्मी च पावनी भागीरथी देवनदी हिमवच्छिखराश्रया
She is the purifier, Maheshvari, Vaishnavi, and also Brahmi; Bhagirathi, the divine river, dwells among the peaks of the Himalayas.
महेश्वरजटावारि एवं द्वैविध्यम् आगतम् विन्ध्यस्य दक्षिणे गङ्गा गौतमी सा निगद्यते उत्तरे सापि विन्ध्यस्य भागीरथ्य् अभिधीयते
The water in Shiva's matted hair thus became twofold: south of the Vindhya she is called Gautami Ganga, and north of the Vindhya she is known as Bhagirathi.
न मनस् तृप्तिम् आधत्ते कथाः शृण्वत् त्वयेरिताः पृथक् तीर्थफलं श्रोतुं प्रवृत्तं मम मानसम्
My mind does not find satisfaction, hearing the stories you have told; it is eager to learn the fruits of the holy places.
क्रमशो ब्राह्मणानीतां गङ्गां मे प्रथमं वद पृथक् तीर्थफलं पुण्यं सेतिहासं यथाक्रमम्
Step by step, tell me first about the Ganga brought by the Brahmins, and separately, the fruits and merits of the holy places, along with their histories, in order.
तीर्थानां च पृथग् भावं फलं माहात्म्यम् एव च सर्वं वक्तुं न शक्नोमि न च त्वं श्रवणे क्षमः
I am unable to speak of the distinct nature, fruits, and greatness of all the holy places, nor are you able to listen to them all.
तथापि किंचिद् वक्ष्यामि शृणु नारद यत्नतः यान्य् उक्तानि च तीर्थानि श्रुतिवाक्यानि यानि च
Still, I will tell you something; listen carefully, O Narada, to the holy places and the statements of scripture that have been spoken.
तानि वक्ष्यामि संक्षेपान् नमस्कृत्वा त्रिलोचनम् यत्रासौ भगवान् आसीत् प्रत्यक्षस् त्र्यम्बको मुने
I will briefly tell you of those, after bowing to the Three-eyed One, where the blessed Lord was manifest, O sage, as Tryambaka.
त्र्यम्बकं नाम तत् तीर्थं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम् वाराहम् अपरं तीर्थं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्
That holy place named Tryambaka grants enjoyment and liberation; another holy place, Varaha, is renowned in the three worlds.
तस्य रूपं प्रवक्ष्यामि नाम विष्णोर् यथाभवत् पुरा देवान् पराभूय यज्ञम् आदाय राक्षसः
I will describe its form and how it was named after Vishnu; once, having defeated the gods, a demon seized the sacrifice.