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—
अनेकजन्मसंभूतं पुंसः पापं प्रणश्यति
The sin accumulated over many births by a person is destroyed.
अन्यस्थानकृतं पापं गङ्गातीरे विनश्यति
Sin committed elsewhere perishes on the bank of the Ganga.
रात्रौ दिवा च संध्यायां गङ्गायां तु प्रयत्नतः
At night, by day, and at twilight, one should bathe in the Ganga with devotion.
सर्वतीर्थेषु यत्पुण्यं सर्वेष्टायतनेषु च
The merit gained at all sacred waters and in all desired shrines—
महापातकसंयुक्तो युक्तो वा सर्वपातकैः
Even one burdened with great sins, or with all kinds of transgressions,
गङ्गा स्नानात्परं स्नानं न भूतं न भविष्यति
There has never been, nor will there ever be, a bath superior to bathing in the Ganga.
निहत्य कामजान्दोषान्कायवाक्चित्तसंभवान्
Having destroyed faults born of desire, arising from body, speech, and mind,
वर्षं स्नाति च गङ्गायां यो नरो भक्तिसंयुतः
A man who bathes in the Ganga for a year, endowed with devotion,
आमृत्युं स्नाति गङ्गायां यो नरो नित्यमेव च
A man who bathes in the Ganga daily, until death,
समस्तभोगसंयुक्तो विष्णुलोके महीयते
Enjoying all pleasures, he is honored in the realm of Vishnu.