गतिर्मनुष्यमात्रस्य गंगैव परमा गतिः। वेदशास्त्रविहीनस्य गुरुनिंदापरस्य च
For every human being, the Ganga is the supreme destination; even for one lacking Vedic scripture, or who reviles the teacher.
समयाचारहीनस्य नास्ति गंगासमा गतिः। किं यज्ञैर्बहुवित्ताढ्यैः किं तपोभिः सुदुष्करैः
For one lacking proper conduct and observance, there is no destination equal to the Ganga; what use are many sacrifices with abundant wealth, or difficult austerities?
स्वर्गमोक्षप्रदा गंगा सुखसौभाग्यपूजिता। नियमैः परमैर्नित्यं किं योगैश्चित्तरोधकैः
The Ganga bestows heaven and liberation, worshipped for happiness and good fortune; what need is there for highest disciplines or yogas that restrain the mind?
भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदा गंगा सुखमोक्षाग्रतः स्थिता। अनेकजन्मसंघात पापं पुंसां विनश्यति
The Ganga grants both enjoyment and liberation, established foremost in happiness and release; the multitude of sins from many births is destroyed for men.
स्नानमात्रेण गंगायां सद्यः स्यात्पुण्यभाङ्नरः। प्रभासे गोसहस्रस्य राहुग्रस्ते दिवाकरे
By merely bathing in the Ganga, a person instantly becomes a sharer in merit; at Prabhasa, during the eclipse of the sun devoured by Rahu, one gains the fruit of giving a thousand cows.
लभते यत्फलं दाने गंगास्नानाद्दिनेदिने। दृष्ट्वा तु हरते पापं स्पृष्ट्वा तु लभते दिवम्
The fruit obtained by giving, is gained daily by bathing in the Ganga; by seeing her, sin is destroyed, by touching her, one attains heaven.
प्रसंगादपि सा गंगा मोक्षदा त्ववगाहिता। सर्वेन्द्रियाणां चापल्यं वासनाशक्तिसंभवम्
Even by mere contact, that Ganga bestows liberation when entered; the restlessness of all the senses arises from the power of latent impressions.
निर्घृणत्वं ततो गंगा दर्शनात्प्रविनश्यति। परद्रव्याभिकांक्षित्वं परदाराभिलाषिता
By the sight of Ganga, cruelty is destroyed; the desire for others’ wealth and longing for others’ spouses vanish.
परधर्मे रुचिश्चैव दर्शनादेव नश्यति। यदृच्छालाभ संतोषस्स्वधर्मेषु प्रवर्तते
Even the inclination toward another’s duty is lost by her sight; contentment with what comes by chance arises in one’s own duty.
सर्वभूतसमत्वं च गङ्गायां मज्जनाद्भवेत्। यस्तु गंगां समाश्रित्य सुखं तिष्ठति मानवः
Equality toward all beings is attained by bathing in Ganga; and the person who abides in Ganga lives happily.
जीवन्मुक्तस्स एवेह सर्वेषामुत्तमोत्तमः। गंगां संश्रित्य यस्तिष्ठेत्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते
He alone is liberated while living, the best of all, who abides in Ganga; for one who remains with Ganga, there is nothing further to be done.
कृतकृत्यस्स वै मुक्तो जीवन्मुक्तश्च मानवः। यज्ञो दानं तपो जप्यं श्राद्धं च सुरपूजनम्
Such a person has fulfilled all duties, is indeed liberated, and liberated while living; sacrifice, charity, austerity, recitation, ancestral rites, and worship of the gods—
गंगायां तु कृतं नित्यं कोटिकोटि गुणं भवेत्। अन्यस्थाने कृतं पापं गंगातीरे विनश्यति
Whatever is performed daily in Ganga yields countless millions of times the merit; and sin committed elsewhere is destroyed on the bank of Ganga.
गंगातीरे कृतं पापं गंगास्नानेन नश्यति। आत्मनो जन्मनक्षत्रे जाह्नवीसंगते दिने
Sin committed on the bank of Ganga is destroyed by bathing in Ganga; on the day when one’s birth star coincides with the union with Jahnavi—
नरः स्नात्वा तु गंगायां स्वकुलं च समुद्धरेत्। आदरेण यथा स्तौति धनवंतं सदा नरः५० 1.62.
A man, having bathed in Ganga on that day, uplifts his entire lineage; just as a man always praises a wealthy person with devotion.
सकृद्गंगां तथा स्तुत्वा भवेत्स्वर्गस्य भाजनम्। अश्रद्धयापि गंगायां योसौ नामानुकीर्तनं
By praising Ganga even once in this way, one becomes eligible for heaven; even without faith, whoever utters her name in Ganga—
करोति पुण्यवाहिन्यास्स वै स्वर्गस्य भाजनम्। क्षितौ भावयतो मर्त्यान्नागांस्तारयतेप्यधः
He too becomes a recipient of heaven through the merit-bearing Ganga; while living on earth, he delivers even the serpents below.
दिवि तारयते देवान्गंगा त्रिपथगा स्मृता। ज्ञानतोज्ञानतो वापि कामतोऽकामतोपि वा
In heaven, he delivers the gods; Ganga, known as the three-path river, whether approached with knowledge, or without knowledge, with desire or without desire—
गंगायां च मृतो मर्त्यः स्वर्गं मोक्षं च विंदति। या गतिर्योगयुक्तस्य सत्वस्थस्य मनीषिणः
A mortal who dies in Ganga attains heaven and liberation; the state attained by a yogi established in virtue—
सा गतिस्त्यजतः प्राणान्गंगायां तु शरीरिणः। चांद्रायणसहस्राणि यश्चरेत्कायशोधनम्
That very state is attained by one who gives up the body in Ganga; even if one performs thousands of lunar penances for bodily purification,
पानं कुर्याद्यथेच्छं च गंगांभः स विशिष्यते। तावत्प्रभावस्तीर्थानां देवानां तु विशेषतः
Or drinks as much as one wishes of Ganga’s water, he surpasses all; such is the greatness of the sacred places, especially of the gods.
तावत्प्रभावो वेदानां यावन्नाप्नोति जाह्नवीम्। तिस्रः कोट्योर्धकोटी च तीर्थानां वायुरब्रवीत्
Such is the greatness of the Vedas, until one reaches Jahnavi; three crore and ten crore sacred places, so said Vayu,
दिविभुव्यन्तरिक्षे च तानि ते सन्ति जाह्नवि। विष्णुपादाब्जसंभूते गंगे त्रिपथगामिनि
In heaven, on earth, and in the sky, all those are present in Jahnavi; O Ganga, born from Vishnu’s lotus feet, traversing the three worlds,
धर्मद्रवेति विख्याते पापं मे हर जाह्नवि। विष्णुपादप्रसूतासि वैष्णवी विष्णुपूजिता
Known as the essence of righteousness, O Jahnavi, remove my sin; you are born from Vishnu’s feet, devoted to Vishnu, and worshipped by Vishnu.
त्राहि मामेनसस्तस्मादाजन्ममरणांतिकात्। श्रद्धया धर्मसंपूर्णे श्रीमता रजसा च ते
Rescue me, therefore, from sin, from birth, death, and their aftermath, you whose glory is filled with faith, righteousness, and majesty, and whose essence is pure.
अमृतेन महादेवि भागीरथि पुनीहि मां। त्रिभिः श्लोकवरैरेभिर्यः स्नायाज्जाह्नवी जले
O great goddess, purify me, O Bhagirathi, with your nectar; whoever bathes in the waters of Jahnavi with these three excellent verses—
जन्मकोटिकृतात्पापान्मुच्यते नात्र संशयः। मूलमंत्रं प्रवक्ष्यामि जाह्नव्या हरभाषितम्
—is freed from sins accumulated over millions of births; there is no doubt of this. I will declare the root mantra spoken by Hara to Jahnavi.
सकृज्जपान्नरः पूतो विष्णुदेहे प्रतिष्ठति। मंत्रश्चायं- ॐनमो गंगायै विश्वरूपिण्यै नारायण्यै नमोनमः
A man who recites it even once is purified and attains a place in Vishnu’s abode. The mantra is: 'Om, obeisance to Ganga, who is of universal form, obeisance again and again to Narayani.'
जाह्नवीतीरसंभूतां मृदं मूर्ध्ना बिभर्ति यः। सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो गंगास्नानं विना नरः
Whoever bears on his head the clay born on the banks of Jahnavi is freed from all sins, even without bathing in the Ganga.
गंगाजलोर्मिनिर्धूत पवनं स्पृशते यदि। स पूतः कल्मषाद्घोरात्स्वर्गं चाक्षयमश्नुते
If one touches dust washed by the waves of Ganga water, he is purified from terrible sin and attains imperishable heaven.