गुणास् त्रयश् च पुरुषास् त्रयो देवाः सनातनाः वेदाश् च स्मृतिभिर् युक्ताश् चत्वारस् ते प्रकीर्तिताः
There are three qualities, three kinds of people, eternal gods, and four Vedas joined with the Smṛtis; these four are proclaimed.
पुरुषार्थाश् च चत्वारो वाणी चापि चतुर्विधा गुणा ह्य् अपि तु चत्वारः समत्वेनेति नारद
There are four aims of life, and speech is also of four kinds; likewise, O Nārada, the qualities are four and equal in nature.
सर्वत्र धर्मः सामान्यो यतो धर्मः सनातनः साध्यसाधनभावेन स एव बहुधा मतः
Dharma is universal everywhere, for dharma is eternal; by the distinction of means and ends, it is regarded as manifold.
तस्याश्रयश् च द्विविधो देशः कालश् च सर्वदा कालाश्रयश् च यो धर्मो हीयते वर्धते सदा
Its basis is twofold: place and time, always; the dharma based on time is diminished or increased continually.
युगानाम् अनुरूपेण पादः पादो ऽस्य हीयते धर्मस्येति महाप्राज्ञ देशापेक्षा तथोभयम्
According to the ages, a quarter of dharma is diminished, O wise one; likewise, both depend on place.
कालेन चाश्रितो धर्मो देशे नित्यं प्रतिष्ठितः युगेषु क्षीयमाणेषु न देशेषु स हीयते
Dharma based on time is always established in place; when the ages decline, it is not diminished in places.
उभयत्र विहीने च धर्मस्य स्याद् अभावता तस्माद् देशाश्रितो धर्मश् चतुष्पात् सुप्रतिष्ठितः
When both are lacking, dharma ceases to exist; therefore, dharma based on place is firmly established in its fourfold form.
स चापि धर्मो देशेषु तीर्थरूपेण तिष्ठति कृते देशं च कालं च धर्मो ऽवष्टभ्य तिष्ठति
And that dharma, in places, remains in the form of pilgrimage; in the Krita age, dharma stands firmly, holding both place and time.
त्रेतायां पादहीनेन स तु पादः प्रदेशतः द्वापरे चार्धतः काले धर्मो देशे समास्थितः
In the Treta age, Dharma stands with one foot less, and that foot is diminished by a measure; in Dvapara, Dharma remains in the land with half its strength.
कलौ पादेन चैकेन धर्मश् चलति संकटम् एवंविधं तु यो धर्मं वेत्ति तस्य न हीयते
In Kali, Dharma moves precariously with only one foot; yet, one who knows such Dharma does not suffer loss.
युगानाम् अनुभावेन जातिभेदाश् च संस्थिताः गुणेभ्यो गुणकर्तृभ्यो विचित्रा धर्मसंस्थितिः
Through the influence of the ages, differences among castes are established; from qualities and their agents arises a diverse foundation of Dharma.
गुणानाम् अनुभावेन उद्भवाभिभवौ तथा तीर्थानाम् अपि वर्णानां वेदानां स्वर्गमोक्षयोः
By the influence of qualities, there is both emergence and overcoming; so too for holy places, castes, Vedas, and for heaven and liberation.
तादृग्रूपप्रवृत्त्या तु तद् एव च विशिष्यते कालो ऽभिव्यञ्जकः प्रोक्तो देशो ऽभिव्यङ्ग्य उच्यते
Through such forms and activities, distinction arises; time is said to be the revealer, and place is called the revealed.
यदा यदा अभिव्यक्तिं कालो धत्ते तदा तदा तद् एव व्यञ्जनं ब्रह्मंस् तस्मान् नास्त्य् अत्र संशयः
Whenever time brings forth manifestation, then that very manifestation occurs, O Brahman; therefore, there is no doubt in this.
युगानुरूपा मूर्तिः स्याद् देवानां वैदिकी तथा कर्मणाम् अपि तीर्थानां जातीनाम् आश्रमस्य तु
The form of the gods, according to the age, is Vedic; likewise for actions, holy places, castes, and the order of life.
त्रिदैवत्यं सत्ययुगे तीर्थं लोकेषु पूज्यते द्विदैवत्यं युगे ऽन्यस्मिन् द्वापरे चैकदैविकम्
In the Satya age, holy places are revered in the world with three deities; in another age, with two deities; in Dvapara, with one deity.
कलौ न किंचिद् विज्ञेयम् अथान्यद् अपि तच् छृणु दैवं कृतयुगे तीर्थं त्रेतायाम् आसुरं विदुः
In Kali, nothing is to be known, and now hear something else; in Krita, the holy place is divine, in Treta, it is known as asuric.
आर्षं च द्वापरे प्रोक्तं कलौ मानुषम् उच्यते अथान्यद् अपि वक्ष्यामि शृणु नारद कारणम्
In Dvapara, it is said to be rishi-like; in Kali, it is called human. Now I will tell you something else, listen, O Narada, to the reason.
गौतम्यां यत् त्वया पृष्टं तत् ते वक्ष्यामि विस्तरात् यदा चेयं हरशिरः प्राप्ता गङ्गा महामुने
What you asked about the Gautami, I will explain to you in detail; when the Ganga, having received Shiva's head, arrived, O great sage.
तदा प्रभृति सा गङ्गा शंभोः प्रियतराभवत् तद् देवस्य मतं ज्ञात्वा गजवक्त्रम् उवाच सा
From that time, the Ganga became dearest to Shambhu; knowing the mind of the god, she spoke to the elephant-faced one.
उमा लोकत्रयेशाना माता च जगतो हिता शान्ता श्रुतिर् इति ख्याता भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायिनी
Uma, the ruler of the three worlds, mother and benefactor of the universe, peaceful and famed as Shruti, bestower of enjoyment and liberation.
तन् मातुर् वचनं श्रुत्वा गजवक्त्रो ऽभ्यभाषत
Hearing the words of the mother, the elephant-faced one spoke.
किं कृत्यं शाधि मां मातस् तत्कर्ताहम् असंशयम्
Mother, instruct me what should be done; I will accomplish it without doubt.
उमा सुतम् उवाचेदं महेश्वरजटास्थिता त्वयावतार्यतां गङ्गा सत्यम् ईशप्रिया सती
Uma spoke to her son, who dwells in Maheshvara's matted locks: 'Let the Ganga be brought down by you; truly, she is beloved of the Lord.'
पुनश् चेशस् तत्र चित्रम् अध्यास्ते सर्वदा सुत शिवो यत्र सुरास् तत्र तत्र वेदाः सनातनाः
Again, the Lord always dwells there in wondrous form, O son; wherever Shiva is, there the eternal Vedas are found.
तत्रैव ऋषयः सर्वे मनुष्याः पितरस् तथा तस्मान् निवर्तयेशानं देवदेवं महेश्वरम्
There too are all the sages, humans, and ancestors; therefore, turn back the Lord, the god of gods, Maheshvara.
तस्या निवर्तिते देवे गङ्गायाः सर्व एव हि निवृत्तास् ते भविष्यन्ति शृणु चेदं वचो मम निवर्तय ततस् तस्याः सर्वभावेन शंकरम्
When that goddess Ganga withdraws, all the others will indeed withdraw as well. Hear now my words: with all your being, turn her away from Shankara.
मातुस् तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा पुनर् आह गणेश्वरः
Hearing his mother's words, the Lord of the Ganas spoke again.
नैव शक्यः शिवो देवो मया तस्या निवर्तितुम् अनिवृत्ते शिवे तस्या देवा अपि निवर्तितुम्
The god Shiva cannot be turned away by me, nor can she be withdrawn while Shiva himself remains; even the gods cannot withdraw her.
न शक्या जगतां मातर् अथान्यच् चापि कारणम् गङ्गावतारिता पूर्वं गौतमेन महात्मना
Nor can the Mother of the Worlds be turned away, and there is another reason too: Ganga was brought down before by the great-souled Gautama.