चतुर्मास्यां पौर्णमास्यामनंतं पुण्यमेव च
On the full moon of the four-month period, the merit is infinite.
असंख्यपुण्यफलदमेतेषु स्नानदानकम्
On these occasions, bathing and giving yield immeasurable fruits of merit.
मन्वतराद्यायां तिथौ युगाद्यायां तथैव च
On the day marking the beginning of a Manu's reign, and likewise at the start of an age,
अथाप्यशोकाष्टम्यां च नवम्यां च तथा हरेः
Also on Ashoka Ashtami and Navami, as well as on the day of Hari,
दशहरादशम्यां तु युगाद्यादिसमं फलम्
On Dashahara and Dashami, the result is equal to that of the beginning of an age.
ततश्चतुर्गुणं पुण्यं द्विमहत्पूर्वके सति
Then, if preceded by two great occasions, the merit is fourfold.
चंद्रोपरागसमये सूर्ये दशगुणं ततः
At the time of a lunar eclipse, and for the sun, the merit is tenfold.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा देवेशो विरराम तयोः पुरः
Having thus spoken, the Lord of the gods ceased before them.
गंगोवाच तवाज्ञया च राजेंद्र तपसा चैव सांप्रतम्
Ganga said: By your command, O King, and through my austerities, now—
दास्यंति पापिनो मह्यं पापानि यानि कानि च 9.11.
—the sinners, whatever sins they have, will become my servants.
कतिकालं परिमितं स्थितिर्मे तत्र भारते
For how long, and for what fixed period, will my stay be in Bharata?
ममान्यद्वाछितं यद्यत्सर्वं जानासि सर्ववित्
Whatever other desires I may have, you know them all, O all-knowing one.
श्रीभगवानुवाच पतिस्ते द्रवरूपाया लवणोदो भविष्यति
The Blessed Lord said: Your husband, the ocean of salt water, will be yours.
स ममांश स्वरूपश्च त्वं च लक्ष्मीस्वरूपिणी
He is a portion of myself, and you are the embodiment of Lakshmi.
यावत्यः संति नद्यश्च भारत्याद्याश्च भारते
As many rivers as there are, beginning with Bharati, in Bharata—
अद्यप्रभृति देवेशि कलेः पंचसहस्रकम्
From today, O goddess, for five thousand years of the Kali age—
नित्यं त्वमब्धिना सार्थं करिष्यसि रहो रतिम्
You will always enjoy secret union with the ocean.
त्वां स्तोष्यन्ति च स्तोत्रेण भगीरथकृतेन च
You will be praised with the hymn composed by Bhagiratha.
कण्वशाखोक्त ध्यानेन ध्यात्वा त्वां पूजयिष्यति
By meditating on you as taught in the Kanva branch, one will worship you.
गंगा गंगेति यो ब्रूयाद्योजनानां शतैरपि 9.11.
Whoever says 'Ganga, Ganga,' even from hundreds of yojanas away—
सहस्रपापिनां स्नानाद्यत्पापं ते भविष्यति
—will obtain the merit of bathing in you, even if they are a thousandfold sinner.
पापिनां तु सहस्राणां शवस्पर्शेन यत्त्वयि
Whatever sin comes to you from the touch of corpses by thousands of sinners—
तत्रैव त्वमधिष्ठानं करिष्यस्यघमोचनम्
There itself you will establish a place for the removal of sin.
तत्तु तीर्थं भवेत्सद्यो यत्र तद्गुणकीर्तनम्
That place becomes a sacred ford immediately, wherever your virtues are praised.
रेणुप्रमाणवर्षं च देवेलोके वसेद् धुवम्
One who stays there for the time it takes a particle of dust to fall will surely dwell in the world of the gods.
समुत्सृजंति प्राणांश्च ते गच्छन्ति हरेः पदम्
Those who give up their lives there go to the abode of Hari.
लयं प्राकृतिकं ते च द्रक्ष्यंति चाप्य संख्यकम्
They will witness the dissolution of the elements, as well as the dissolution according to enumeration.
प्रयाति स च वैकुण्ठं यावदह्नः स्थितिस्त्वयि
He proceeds to Vaikuntha and remains there until the end of the day of Brahma.
तस्मै ददामि सारूप्यं करोमि तं च पार्षदम्
To him I grant resemblance in form, and I make him an attendant.
तस्मै ददामि सालोक्यं करोमि तं च पार्षदम् 9.11.
To him I grant residence in my world, and I make him an attendant.