सर्वयज्ञतपोदानयोगस्वाध्यायकर्मभिः
The merit gained by all sacrifices, austerities, gifts, yoga, study, and actions—
यत्पुण्यं सत्यवचनैर्नैष्ठिकब्रह्मचारिणाम्
The merit that comes from truthful speech and from those who are steadfast celibates—
समातृपितृदाराणां कुलकोटिमनन्तकम्
The merit of those who honor mother, father, and wife, and of countless generations of a family—
संतोषः परमैश्वर्यं तत्त्वज्ञानं सुखात्मनाम्
Contentment, supreme prosperity, true knowledge, and happiness of the soul—
कृतकृत्यो भवेन्मर्त्यो गङ्गां प्राप्यैव केवलम्
A mortal becomes fulfilled simply by reaching the Ganga.
भक्त्या तज्जलसंस्पर्शी तज्जलं पिबते च यः
Whoever, with devotion, touches or drinks that water—
दीक्षितः सर्वयज्ञेषु सोमपानं दिने दिने
Is as if initiated in all sacrifices and drinks Soma every day.
देहं त्यक्त्वा नरास्ते तु मोदन्ते शिवसन्निधौ
When they leave the body, those people rejoice in the presence of Shiva.
अमृतान्युपभुञ्जन्ति तथा गङ्गाजलं नराः
They partake of immortality, just as those who drink the water of the Ganga.
अन्नदानैश्च गोदानैः स्वर्णदानादिभिस्तथा
By giving food, by giving cows, and by giving gold and the like—
ततः शतगुणं पुण्यं गङ्गांभश्चुलुकाशनात्
The merit from sipping even a handful of Ganga water is a hundred times greater than that.
ततो ऽधिकफलं गङ्गातोयपानादवाप्यते
Even greater fruit is obtained by drinking the water of the Ganga.
स्वच्छन्दं यः पिबेदंभस्तस्य मुक्तिः करे स्थिता
Whoever freely drinks this water, for him liberation is held in his hand.
नार्मदं दशभिर्मासैर्गाङ्गं वर्षेण जीर्यति
The water of the Narmada loses its potency in ten months, but that of the Ganga in a year.
तदुत्तरफलावाप्तिर्गङ्गायामस्थियोगतः
After that, the fruit is attained by the presence of Ganga water with the bones.
यः पिबेत्तु यथेष्ठं हि गङ्गाम्भः स विशिष्यते
Whoever drinks Ganga water as much as he wishes, he excels.
स स्वर्गं ज्ञानममलं योगं मोक्षं च विन्दति
He attains heaven, pure knowledge, yoga, and liberation.
गोमूत्रयावकाहाराद्गाङ्गपानं विशिष्यते
Drinking Ganga water surpasses subsisting on cow's urine and barley gruel.
यदुक्तं हि पुराणेषु मुनिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः
That which has been spoken in the Purāṇas by sages who perceive the truth,
गङ्गासंदर्शनात्तद्वत्सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
Just as one is freed from all sins by seeing the Gaṅgā,
पुमांस्तारयते गङ्गां वीक्ष्य स्पृष्ट्वावगाह्य च
A person is uplifted by seeing, touching, or bathing in the Gaṅgā,
पुमान्पुनाति पुरुषाञ्छतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः
A person purifies hundreds and thousands of people,
शुभानामाश्रमाणां च गङ्गादर्शनजं फलम्
And the fruit gained from seeing the Gaṅgā in auspicious hermitages,
निर्घृणत्वं च नश्यन्ति गङ्गादर्शन मात्रतः
Even cruelty is destroyed merely by seeing the Gaṅgā,
दांभिकत्वं नृणां गङ्गादर्शनादेव नश्यति
Hypocrisy in people is destroyed solely by seeing the Gaṅgā,
भक्त्या यदिच्छति नरः शाश्वतं पदमव्ययम्
If a person desires, with devotion, the eternal and imperishable state,
अन्यत्र यद्भवेत्पुण्यं तद्गङ्गादर्शनाद्भवेत्
Whatever merit may be found elsewhere, that is obtained by seeing the Gaṅgā,
तद्भवेदेव गङ्गाया दर्शनाद्भक्तिभावतः
That indeed is attained from seeing the Gaṅgā with a devotional attitude,
स्नानात्संस्पर्शना सेव्य यत्फलं लभते नरः
The fruit which a person obtains from bathing, touching, or serving,
अथ ते स्मरणस्यापि गङ्गाया भूपभामिनि
And even from remembering the Gaṅgā, O queen among kings,