ततः स्वचक्षुरुन्मील्य पुनश्च तदनुज्ञया । ददर्श कृष्णमेकं च राधावक्षःस्थलस्थितम्
Then, opening his own eyes and with their permission, he saw Krishna alone, resting upon Radha's chest.
स्वपार्षदैः परिवृतं गोपीमण्डलमण्डितम् । पुनः प्रणेमुस्तं दृष्ट्वा तुष्टुवुः परमेश्वरम्
Surrounded by his own attendants and adorned by the circle of gopis, seeing him again, they bowed and praised the Supreme Lord.
तदभिप्रायमाज्ञाय तानुवाच रमेश्वरः । सर्वात्मा स च सर्वज्ञः सर्वेशः सर्वभावनः
Understanding their intention, Rameshvara, the Lord of all, the knower of all, the soul of all, addressed them.
श्रीभगवानुवाच आगच्छ कुशलं ब्रह्मन्नागच्छ कमलापते । इहागच्छ महादेव शश्वत्कुशलमस्तु वः
The Blessed Lord said: Come, O Brahman, come, O Lotus-born; come here, O Mahadeva—may there always be well-being for you.
आगता हि महाभागा गङ्गानयनकारणात् । गङ्गा च चरणाम्भोजे भयेन शरणं गता
You have come, O greatly fortunate ones, for the purpose of bringing Ganga; and Ganga, out of fear, has taken refuge at the lotus feet.
राधेमां पातुमिच्छन्ती दृष्ट्वा मत्सन्निधानतः । दास्यामीमां च भवतां यूयं कुरुत निर्भयाम्
Desiring to protect her, Radha, seeing her in my presence, wishes to make her your servant—so you all make her fearless.
श्रीकृष्णस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सस्मितः कमलोद्भवः । तुष्टाव राधामाराध्यां श्रीकृष्णपरिपूजिताम्
Hearing the words of Shri Krishna, the Lotus-born, smiling, praised Radha, the worshipful one, honored by Shri Krishna.
वक्त्रैश्चतुर्भिः संस्तूय भक्तिनम्रात्मकन्धरः । धाता चतुर्णां वेदानामुवाच चतुराननः
With four mouths he praised her, bowing his head in devotion; the creator of the four Vedas, the four-faced one, spoke.
चतुरानन उवाच गङ्गा त्वदङ्गसम्भूता प्रभोश्च रासमण्डले । युवयोर्द्रवरूपा सा मुग्धयोः शङ्करस्वनात्
The Four-faced One said: Ganga, born from your body and in the circle of the Lord's rasa, is the liquid form of you both, enchanted by the sound of Shiva's drum.
कृष्णांशा च त्वदंशा च त्वत्कन्यासदृशी प्रिया । त्वन्मन्त्रग्रहणं कृत्वा करोतु तव पूजनम्
She is a portion of Krishna and of you, dear one, resembling your daughter; having received your mantra, let her perform your worship.
गोलोकस्था च या गङ्गा सर्वत्रस्था तथाम्बिके । तदम्बिका त्वं देवेशी सर्वदा सा त्वदात्मजा
O Mother, Ganga who resides in Goloka and is present everywhere, that goddess is you, O Lady of the gods; she is always your daughter.
ब्रह्मणो वचनं श्रुत्वा स्वीचकार च सस्मिता । वहिर्बभूव सा कृष्णपादाङ्गुष्ठनखाग्रतः
Hearing the words of Brahma, she, smiling, accepted them; she appeared outside at the tip of Krishna's big toe.
तत्रैव सत्कृता शान्ता तस्थौ तेषां च मध्यतः । उवास तोयादुत्थाय तदधिष्ठातृदेवता
There, honored and peaceful, she stood among them; having arisen from the water, the presiding deity remained.
तत्तोयं ब्रह्मणा किञ्चित्स्थापितं च कमण्डलौ । किञ्चिद्दधार शिरसि चन्द्रार्धकृतशेखरः
Then a little of the water was placed by Brahmā in his water-pot, and a little was held on the head by him whose crest is adorned with the crescent moon.
गङ्गायै राधिकामन्त्रं प्रददौ कमलोद्भवः । तत्स्तोत्रं कवचं पूजां विधानं ध्यानमेव च
To Gaṅgā, Kamalodbhava (Brahmā) gave the Rādhikā-mantra, that hymn, the protective formula, the method of worship, and also the meditation.
सर्वं तत्सामवेदोक्तं पुरश्चर्याक्रमं तथा । गङ्गा तामेव सम्पूज्य वैकुण्ठं प्रययौ सह
All this, as stated in the Sāma Veda, along with the sequence of rites; Gaṅgā, having worshipped her, went to Vaikuṇṭha together.
लक्ष्मीः सरस्वती गङ्गा तुलसी विश्वपावनी । एता नारायणस्यैव चतस्रो योषितो मुने
Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, Gaṅgā, and Tulasī, purifier of the world—these four are the wives of Nārāyaṇa, O sage.
अथ तं सस्मितः कृष्णो ब्रह्माणं समुवाच सः । सर्वकालस्य वृत्तान्तं दुर्बोधमविपश्चितम्
Then Kṛṣṇa, smiling, spoke to Brahmā: the account of all time is difficult to comprehend for those without insight.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच गृहाण गङ्गां हे ब्रह्मन् हे विष्णो हे महेश्वर । शृणु कालस्य वृत्तान्तं मत्तो ब्रह्मन्निशामय
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Take Gaṅgā, O Brahmā, O Viṣṇu, O Maheśvara; listen to the account of time from me, O Brahmā, attend closely.
यूयं च येऽन्ये देवाश्च मुनयो मनवस्तथा । सिद्धा यशस्विनश्चैव ये येऽत्रैव समागताः
You, and the other gods, the sages, the Manus, the perfected beings, the illustrious—all who have assembled here—
एते जीवन्ति गोलोके कालचक्रविवर्जिते । जलाप्लुते सर्वविश्वं जातं कल्पक्षयोऽधुना
These live in Goloka, where the wheel of time does not operate; now, at the end of the kalpa, the entire universe has become submerged in water.
ब्रह्माद्या येऽन्यविश्वस्थास्ते विलीनाधुना मयि । वैकुण्ठं च विना सर्वं जलमग्नं च पद्मज
Those headed by Brahmā, who are in other universes, are now dissolved in me; except for Vaikuṇṭha, everything, O Padmaja, is submerged in water.
गत्वा सृष्टिं कुरु पुनर्ब्रह्मलोकादिकं भवम् । स्वं ब्रह्माण्डं विरचय पश्चाद् गङ्गा प्रयास्यति
Go, create again the world beginning with Brahmaloka; fashion your own universe, and afterward Gaṅgā will proceed.
एवमन्येषु विश्वेषु सृष्टौ ब्रह्मादिकं पुनः । करोम्यहं पुनः सृष्टिं गच्छ शीघ्रं सुरैः सह
Thus, in other universes also, I create again the world beginning with Brahmā; go quickly with the gods and make the creation anew.
गतो बहुतरः कालो युष्माकं च चतुर्मुखाः । गताः कतिविधास्ते च भविष्यन्ति च वेधसः
Much time has passed for you, O Four-faced one; many like you have come and gone, and will be, O Vedhasa.
इत्युक्त्वा राधिकानाथो जगामान्तःपुरे मुने । देवा गत्वा पुनः सृष्टिं चक्रुरेव प्रयत्नतः
Having spoken thus, the Lord of Rādhikā entered the inner chambers, O sage; the gods went and diligently performed creation again.
गोलोके च स्थिता गङ्गा वैकुण्ठे शिवलोकके । ब्रह्मलोके स्थितान्यत्र यत्र यत्र पुरः स्थिता
Gaṅgā remained in Goloka, in Vaikuṇṭha, in Śivaloka, in Brahmaloka, and wherever else she had previously been established.
तत्रैव सा गता गङ्गा चाज्ञया परमात्मनः । निर्गता विष्णुपादाब्जात्तेन विष्णुपदी स्मृता
There, by the command of the Supreme Self, Gaṅgā went forth; emerging from Viṣṇu’s lotus feet, she is known as Viṣṇupadī.
इत्येवं कथितं ब्रह्मन् गङ्गोपाख्यानमुत्तमम् । सुखदं मोक्षदं सारं किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
Thus, O Brahman, the excellent story of Gaṅgā has been told—bestowing happiness, granting liberation, and containing the essence. What more do you wish to hear?
गङ्गायाः कृष्णपत्नीत्ववर्णनम् नारद उवाच लक्ष्मीः सरस्वती गङ्गा तुलसी विश्वपावनी । एता नारायणस्यैव चतस्रश्च प्रिया इति
The narration of Gaṅgā as Kṛṣṇa’s wife.