स्नानात्पानाच्च जाह्नव्यां पितॄणां तर्पणात्तथा। महापातकवृंदानि क्षयं यांति दिनेदिने
By bathing and drinking in the Jahnavi, and by offering libations to the ancestors there, even the greatest clusters of sins are destroyed day by day.
अग्निना दह्यते तूलं तृणं शुष्कं क्षणाद्यथा। तथा गंगाजलस्पर्शात्पुंसां पापं दहेत्क्षणात्
Just as cotton and dry grass are burned instantly by fire, so too is a person's sin burned at once by the touch of Ganga's water.
संप्राप्नोत्यक्षयं स्वर्गं गंगास्नानेन केशवम्। यशो राज्यं लभेत्पुण्यें स्वर्गमंते परां गतिम्
By bathing in the Ganga, one attains imperishable heaven and reaches Keshava; through merit, one gains fame, sovereignty, and at the end of life, the highest state.
पितॄनुद्दिश्य गंगायां यस्तु पिंडं प्रयच्छति। विधिना वाक्यपूर्वेण तस्य पुण्यफलं शृणु
He who, with proper words and ritual, offers a rice-ball for the ancestors in the Ganga—listen to the fruit of merit that comes to him.
अन्नैकेन तु साहस्रं वर्षं पूज्यः सुरालये। तिलेन द्विगुणं विद्धि तथा मेध्यफलेन च
By a single offering of food, he is honored in the abode of the gods for a thousand years; with sesame, know that the result is doubled, and likewise with pure offerings.
गव्येन विधिना विप्राः स्वर्गस्यांतो न विद्यते। एवं पिंडप्रदानेन नित्यं क्रतुशतं भवेत्
By offering cow's milk according to rule, O Brahmins, there is no end to heaven; thus, by giving the rice-ball, it is as if he performs a hundred sacrifices daily.
पितरो निरयस्था ये धन्यास्ते मर्त्यवासिनः। धनपुत्रयुतारोग्यं सुखसंमानपूजिताः
Those ancestors who dwell in hell become fortunate among mortals, endowed with wealth, sons, health, happiness, honor, and respect.
रसातलगता ये च ये च कीटा महीतले। स्थावरे पक्षिसंघादौ ते मर्त्या धनिनो नृपाः
Those who have gone to the netherworld, and those who are insects on earth, among immobile beings and flocks of birds—these mortals become wealthy kings.
तत्तत्पुत्रैश्च पौत्रैश्च गोत्रैर्दौहित्रकैस्तथा। जामातृभागिनेयैश्च सुहृन्मित्रैः प्रियाप्रियैः
By sons, grandsons, kinsmen, daughters' sons, sons-in-law, maternal relatives, friends, and both dear and not dear ones,
प्रदीयते जलं पिंडं यथोपकरणान्वितम्। गंगातोयेषु तीरेषु तेषां स्वर्गोऽक्षयो भवेत्
When water and rice-balls are offered with proper implements on the banks and in the waters of the Ganga, for them, heaven becomes inexhaustible.
पिंडादूर्ध्वं स्थिता ये च पितरो मातृगोत्रजाः। भवंति सुखिनः सर्वे मर्त्याश्शतसहस्रशः
The ancestors who are situated above the rice-ball, and those born of the maternal line, all become happy mortals by the hundreds and thousands.
स्वर्गे तस्य स्थिताः सत्वा अधःस्था मध्यवासिनः। नित्यं वांञ्छंति सद्गंगां गच्छंतु सुरनिम्नगाम्
Those beings who dwell in heaven, those below, and those in the middle realms, all constantly desire to go to the blessed Ganga, the divine river.
एको गच्छति गंगां यः पूयंते तस्य पूरुषाः। एतदेव महापुण्यं तरते तारयत्यपि
When one person goes to the Ganga, his ancestors are purified; this alone is great merit—he crosses over and also causes others to cross.
गंगा कृत्स्नगुणं वक्तुं न शक्तश्चतुराननः। अतः किंचिद्वदाम्यत्र भागीरथ्या द्विजा गुणम्
Even the Four-faced One is not able to speak the full greatness of the Ganga; therefore, O twice-born, I will tell here a little of Bhagirathi's virtue.
मुनयः सिद्धगंधर्वा ये चान्ये सुरसत्तमाः। गंगातीरे तपस्तप्त्वा स्वर्गलोकेऽच्युताभवन्
Sages, perfected beings, Gandharvas, and other excellent gods, having performed austerities on the banks of the Ganga, became unfallen in the heavenly world.
दिव्येन वपुषा सर्वे कामगेन रथेन च। अद्यापि न निवर्तंते रत्नपूर्णक्षयेषु वै
All of them, with divine bodies and wish-fulfilling chariots, even now do not return from the mansions filled with jewels.
प्रासादा यत्र सौवर्णास्सर्वलोकोर्ध्वगाश्शिवाः। इष्टद्रव्यैः सुसंपूर्णाः स्त्रियो यत्र मनोरमाः
There, the golden palaces are auspicious and rise above all worlds, filled with desired treasures, and the women there are charming.
पारिजातः समाः पुष्पवृक्षाः कल्पद्रुमोपमाः। गंगातीरे तपस्तप्त्वा तत्रैश्वर्यं लभंति हि
The flowering trees there are like Parijata and resemble wish-fulfilling trees; by performing austerities on the banks of the Ganga, they attain such sovereignty.
तपोभिर्बहुभिर्यज्ञैर्व्रतैर्नानाविधैस्तथा। पुरुदानैर्गतिर्या च गंगां संसेवतां च सा
The result attained by many austerities, sacrifices, and various vows, as well as abundant gifts, is also gained by those who serve the Ganga.
जारजं पतितं दुष्टमंत्यजं गुरुघातिनम्। सर्वद्रोहेण संयुक्तं सर्वपातकसंयुतम्
One who is born of adultery, fallen, wicked, an outcaste, a killer of a teacher, joined with all kinds of treachery, and associated with every sin—
त्यजंति पितरं पुत्राः प्रियं पत्न्यः सुहृद्गणाः। अन्ये च बांधवाः सर्वे गंगा तु न परित्यजेत्
Sons abandon their father, beloved wives and groups of friends do so, and all other relatives as well; but the Ganga never abandons anyone.
यथा माता स्वयं जन्ममलशौचं च कारयेत्। क्रोडीकृत्य तथा तेषां गंगा प्रक्षालयेन्मलम्
Just as a mother herself cleanses the impurity of birth, embracing her child, so does the Ganga wash away their impurity.
भवंति ते सुविख्याता भोग्यालंकारपूजिताः। दर्शने क्रियते गंगा सकृद्भक्त्या नरैस्तु यैः
They become widely renowned, honored with enjoyments and adornments, those who, even once, worship the Ganga with devotion.
तेषां कुलानां लक्षं तु भवात्तारयते शिवा। स्मृतार्ति हर्त्री यैर्ध्याता संस्तुता साधुमोदिता
The auspicious Ganga delivers a hundred thousand families of those who remember her, who meditate upon her, praise her, and rejoice in her.
गंगा तारयते नॄणामुभौ वंशौ भवार्णवात्। संक्रांतिषु व्यतीपाते ग्रहणे चंद्रसूर्ययोः
The Ganga delivers both lineages of men from the ocean of worldly existence, during transitions, eclipses of the moon and sun.
पुण्ये स्नात्वा तु गंगायां कुलकोटिं समुद्धरेत्। शुक्लपक्षे दिवामर्त्या गंगायामुत्तरायणे
By bathing in the Ganga at auspicious times, one uplifts a crore of one's lineage; during the bright fortnight, in daylight, and when the sun moves northward in the Ganga.
धन्या देहं विमुंचंति हृदिस्थे च जनार्दने। अनेन विधिना यस्तु भागीरथ्या जले शुभे
Blessed are those who relinquish their bodies with Janardana abiding in their hearts; by this method, whoever in the pure waters of Bhagirathi—
प्राणांस्त्यक्त्वा व्रजेत्स्वर्गं पुनरावृत्तिवर्जितम्। यो गंगानुगतो नित्यं सर्वदेवानुगो हि सः
Having abandoned their life-breath, they go to heaven, never to return; whoever follows the Ganga always, indeed follows all the gods.
सर्वदेवमयो विष्णुर्गंगा विष्णुमयी यतः। गंगायां पिंडदानेन पितॄणां वै तिलोदकैः
Vishnu is composed of all the gods, and the Ganga is composed of Vishnu; by offering rice-balls and sesame-water to ancestors in the Ganga—
नरकस्था दिवं यांति स्वर्गस्था मोक्षमाप्नुयुः। परदारपरद्रव्य बाधा द्रोहपरस्य च
Those dwelling in hell attain heaven, those in heaven gain liberation; even for those who harm another's wife or property, or are hostile to others.