एवम् उक्त्वा च ऋषिभिः सोमं प्राप्य च वज्रिणे तेभ्यो दत्त्वा ततो यज्ञः पूर्णो जातः शतक्रतोः
Having spoken thus and obtained Soma from the sages, they gave it to the wielder of the thunderbolt; then the sacrifice of Shatakratu was completed.
तत् सोमतीर्थम् आख्यातम् आग्नेयं पुरतस् तु तत् अग्निर् इष्ट्वा महायज्ञैर् माम् आराध्य मनीषितम्
That place is called Soma Tirtha; in front of it is Agneya. Having worshipped Agni with great sacrifices and satisfied me as desired,
संप्राप्तवान् मत्प्रसादाद् अहं तत्रैव नित्यशः स्थितो लोकोपकारार्थं तत्र विष्णुः शिवस् तथा
By my grace, I have always remained there, established eternally for the benefit of the world; likewise, Viṣṇu and Śiva are present there.
तस्माद् आग्नेयम् आख्यातम् आदित्यं तदनन्तरम् यत्रादित्यो वेदमयो नित्यम् एति उपासितुम्
Therefore, it is called Āgneya; next comes Āditya, where the sun, composed of the Vedas, is always to be worshipped.
रूपान्तरेण मध्याह्ने द्रष्टुं मां शंकरं हरिम् नमस्कार्यस् तत्र सदा मध्याह्ने सकलो जनः
At midday, in another form, I, Śaṅkara, and Hari are to be seen; thus, at midday, all people should always offer their salutations there.
रूपेण केन सविता समायातीत्य् अनिश्चयात् तस्माद् आदित्यम् आख्यातं बार्हस्पत्यम् अनन्तरम्
Because there is uncertainty about which form Savitṛ arrives in, therefore Āditya is named, and next comes Bārhaspatya.
बृहस्पतिः सुरैः पूजां तस्मात् तीर्थाद् अवाप ह ईजे च यज्ञान् विविधान् बार्हस्पत्यं ततो विदुः
Bṛhaspati received worship from the gods at that tīrtha; he performed various sacrifices, and thus it is known as Bārhaspatya.
तत्तीर्थस्मरणाद् एव ग्रहशान्तिर् भविष्यति तस्माद् अप्य् अपरं तीर्थम् इन्द्रगोपे नगोत्तमे
By merely remembering that tīrtha, the pacification of planets will occur; therefore, another tīrtha is also present at Indragopa in the excellent mountain.
प्रतिष्ठितं महालिङ्गं कस्मिंश्चित् कारणान्तरे हिमालयेन तत् तीर्थम् अद्रितीर्थं तद् उच्यते
A great liṅga was established there by Himālaya for some other reason; that tīrtha is called Adritīrtha.
तत्र स्नानं च दानं च सर्वकामप्रदं शुभम् एवं सा गौतमी गङ्गा ब्रह्माद्रेश् च विनिःसृता
Bathing and giving gifts there bestow all desired results and auspiciousness; thus, the Gautamī Gaṅgā flowed forth from Brahmādri.
यावत् सागरगा देवी तत्र तीर्थानि कानिचित् संक्षेपेण मयोक्तानि रहस्यानि शुभानि च
As long as that divine river flows to the ocean, I have briefly described some tīrthas there, which are secret and auspicious.
वेदे पुराणे ऋषिभिः प्रसिद्धा या गौतमी लोकनमस्कृता च वक्तुं कथं ताम् अतिसुप्रभावाम् अशेषतो नारद कस्य शक्तिः
The Gautamī, renowned in the Vedas, Purāṇas, and by sages, and revered by the world—Nārada, who has the power to fully describe her extraordinary greatness?
भक्त्या प्रवृत्तस्य यथाकथंचिन् नैवापराधो ऽस्ति न संशयो ऽत्र तस्माच् च दिङ्मात्रमतिप्रयासात् संसूचितं लोकहिताय तस्याः
For one who proceeds with devotion, there is certainly no fault, of that there is no doubt; therefore, only a brief indication has been given, for the benefit of the world, without excessive elaboration.
कस् तस्याः प्रतितीर्थं तु प्रभावं वक्तुम् ईश्वरः अपि लक्ष्मीपतिर् विष्णुर् अलं सोमेश्वरः शिवः
Who indeed is capable of describing the power of each of her tīrthas? Even Viṣṇu, the Lord of Lakṣmī, and Śiva, the Lord of Soma, are not sufficient.
क्वचित् कस्मिंश् च तीर्थानि कालयोगे भवन्ति हि गुणवन्ति महाप्राज्ञ गौतमी तु सदा नृणाम्
At certain times and places, tīrthas arise, O wise one, possessing virtues; but the Gautamī is always beneficial for people.
सर्वत्र सर्वदा पुण्या को न्व् अस्या गुणकीर्तनम् वक्तुं शक्तस् ततस् तस्यै नम इत्य् एव युज्यते
She is holy everywhere and at all times—who indeed is able to recount her virtues? Therefore, it is fitting simply to offer salutations to her.
त्रिदैवत्यां सुरेशान गङ्गां ब्रूषे सुरेश्वर ब्राह्मणेनाहृतां पुण्यां जगतः पावनीं शुभाम्
O Lord of the gods, tell me about Gaṅgā, the sacred river of the three deities, brought by a brāhmaṇa, purifying and auspicious for the world.
आदिमध्यावसाने च उभयोस् तीरयोर् अपि या व्याप्ता विष्णुनेशेन त्वया च सुरसत्तम पुनः संक्षेपतो ब्रूहि न मे तृप्तिः प्रजायते
She pervades both banks at the beginning, middle, and end, by the power of Viṣṇu, Īśa, and you, O best of the gods; again, tell me briefly, for I am not yet satisfied.
कमण्डलुस्थिता पूर्वं ततो विष्णुपदानुगा महेश्वरजटाजूटे स्थिता सैव नमस्कृता
Formerly, she was contained in a water pot, then followed the footsteps of Viṣṇu, and, having been honored, resided in the matted locks of Maheśvara.
ब्रह्मतेजःप्रभावेण शिवम् आराध्य यत्नतः ततः प्राप्ता गिरिं पुण्यं ततः पूर्वार्णवं प्रति
By the power of Brahmā's splendor, she diligently worshipped Śiva; then she reached the sacred mountain, and from there proceeded towards the eastern ocean.
आगत्य संगता देवी सर्वतीर्थमयी नृणाम् ईप्सितानां तथा दात्री प्रभावो ऽस्या विशिष्यते
Having arrived, the goddess, composed of all sacred waters, grants to people their desired wishes; her power is especially distinguished.
एतस्या नाधिकं मन्ये किंचित् तीर्थं जगत्त्रये अस्याश् चैव प्रभावेण भाव्यं यच् च मनःस्थितम्
I do not consider any other pilgrimage in the three worlds to be greater than this; whatever is conceived in the mind is accomplished by her power.
अद्याप्य् अस्या हि माहात्म्यं वक्तुं कैश्चिन् न शक्यते भक्तितो वक्ष्यते नित्यं या ब्रह्म परमार्थतः
Even today, her greatness cannot be fully spoken by anyone; it is always declared with devotion, for she is truly the supreme Brahman.
तस्याः परतरं तीर्थं न स्याद् इति मतिर् मम अन्यतीर्थेन साधर्म्यं न युज्येत कथंचन
My conviction is that there is no pilgrimage higher than hers; it can never be equated in any way with other pilgrimages.
श्रुत्वा मद्वाक्यपीयूषैर् गङ्गाया गुणकीर्तनम् सर्वेषां न मतिः कस्मात् तत्रैवोपरतिं गता इति भाति विचित्रं मे मुने खलु जगत्त्रये
Hearing the praise of Ganga’s virtues, sweet as nectar, from my words, it is strange to me, O sage, that in all three worlds, everyone’s mind ceases only there.
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां त्वं वेत्ता चोपदेशकः छन्दांसि सरहस्यानि पुराणस्मृतयो ऽपि च
You are the knower and instructor of dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation; you know the Vedas, their secrets, and the Purāṇas and Smṛtis as well.
धर्मशास्त्राणि यच् चान्यत् तव वाक्ये प्रतिष्ठितम् तीर्थानाम् अथ दानानां यज्ञानां तपसां तथा
Whatever other dharma scriptures are established in your words, and likewise those concerning pilgrimages, gifts, sacrifices, and austerities.
देवतामन्त्रसेवानाम् अधिकं किं वद प्रभो यद् ब्रूषे भगवन् भक्त्या तथा भाव्यं न चान्यथा
Tell me, O lord, what is superior among the worship of deities, mantras, and services; whatever you declare, O blessed one, should be practiced with devotion and not otherwise.
एतं मे संशयं ब्रह्मन् वाक्यात् त्वं छेत्तुम् अर्हसि इष्टं मनोगतं श्रुत्वा तस्माद् विस्मयम् आगतः
O Brahman, you ought to resolve this doubt of mine by your words; having heard what is desired and held in my mind, I have become amazed.
शृणु नारद वक्ष्यामि रहस्यं धर्मम् उत्तमम् चतुर्विधानि तीर्थानि तावन्त्य् एव युगानि च
Listen, O Nārada, I will declare the supreme secret of dharma; there are four kinds of pilgrimages, and just so many ages.