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,
अशुभैः कर्मभिर्युक्तान्मज्जमानान्भवार्णवे
Those who are submerged in the ocean of worldly existence, bound by unwholesome deeds,
योजनानां सहस्रेषु गङ्गां स्मरति यो नरः
Whoever remembers the Gaṅgā even from thousands of yojanas away,
स्मरणादेव गङ्गायाः पापसंघातपञ्जरम्
By remembering the Gaṅgā, the cage of accumulated sins,
गच्छंस्तिष्ठन्स्वपन्ध्यायञ्जाग्रद्भुञ्जन् हसन् रुदन्
Whether walking, standing, sleeping, meditating, awake, eating, laughing, or crying,
सहस्रयोजनस्थाश्च गङ्गां भक्त्या स्मरन्ति ये
Those who remember the Gaṅgā with devotion, even from thousands of yojanas away,
ये च स्मरन्ति वै गङ्गां गङ्गाभक्तिपराश्च ये
And those who remember the Gaṅgā, and those who are devoted to the Gaṅgā,
भवनानि विचित्राणि विचित्राभरणाः स्त्रियः
There are splendid dwellings and women adorned with wondrous ornaments.
मनसा संस्मरेद्यस्तु गङ्गां दूरस्थितो नरः
Whoever, though far away, remembers the Ganga in his mind—
गङ्गा गङ्गा जपन्नाम योजनानां शते स्थितः
Or utters the name 'Ganga, Ganga' even while a hundred yojanas distant—
कीर्तनान्मुच्यते पापाद्दर्शनान्मङ्गलं लभेत्
By praising her, one is freed from sin; by seeing her, one attains auspiciousness.
सप्तावपरान्परान्सप्त सप्ताथ परतः परान्
Seven ancestors before and after, and then seven more beyond them—
अश्रद्धयापि गङ्गाया यत्तु नामानुकीर्तनम्
Even if one recites the name of Ganga without faith—
सर्वावस्थां गतो वापि सर्वधर्मविवर्जितः
Whether one is in any condition, or devoid of all righteousness—
ब्रह्महा गुरुहागोघ्नः स्पृष्टो वा सर्वपातकैः
Even a slayer of a Brahmin, a killer of a guru, a destroyer of cows, or one tainted by every sin—
कदा द्रक्ष्यामि तां गङ्गां कदा स्नानं लभे ह्यहम्
When shall I see that Ganga? When indeed shall I obtain her bath?
अथ स्नानफलं देवि गङ्गायाः प्रवदामि ते
Now, O goddess, I shall tell you the fruit of bathing in the Ganga.
स्नातस्य गङ्गासलिले सद्यः पापं प्रणश्यति
For one who has bathed in the waters of the Ganga, sin is instantly destroyed.
स्नातानां शुचिभिस्तोयैर्गाङ्गेयैः प्रयतात्मनाम्
For those who have bathed, with pure Ganga water and a disciplined mind—
अपहत्य तमस्तीव्रं यथा भात्युदये रविः
Their intense darkness is dispelled, just as the sun shines at dawn.
एकेनैवापि विधिना स्नानेन नृपसुन्दरि
With even a single prescribed bath, O beautiful princess—