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.
यावदस्थि मनुष्यस्य गंगातोये प्रतिष्ठति। तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते
For as many years as a man's bones remain in the waters of Ganga, for that many thousands of years he is honored in the world of heaven.
पित्रोर्बंधुजनानां च अनाथानां गुरोरपि। गंगायामस्थिपातेन नरः स्वर्गान्न हीयते
By casting the bones of one's parents, relatives, the destitute, or even a teacher into the Ganga, a man does not fall from heaven.
गंगां प्रतिवहेद्यस्तु पितॄणामस्थिखंडकम्। पदेपदेश्वमेधस्य फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः
Whoever carries the fragments of his ancestors’ bones to the Ganga attains, at every step, the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice.
धन्या जानपदा ये च पशवः पक्षिकीटकाः। स्थावरा जंगमाश्चान्ये गंगातीरसमाश्रिताः
Blessed are the people, cattle, birds, insects, and all other stationary and moving beings who dwell on the banks of the Ganga.
क्रोशांतर मृता ये च जाह्नव्या द्विजसत्तमाः। मानवा देवतास्संति इतरे मानवा भुवि
O best of twice-born, those humans who die within a krosha’s distance from Jahnavi become gods; others remain human on earth.
गंगास्नानाय संगच्छन्पथि संम्रियते यदि। स च स्वर्गमवाप्नोति गंगास्नानफलं लभेत्
If, on the way to bathe in the Ganga, one dies on the path, he attains heaven and receives the fruit of bathing in the Ganga.
गंगाजले प्रयास्यंति ते जीवाः पथि ये मृताः। कीटाः पंतंगाश्शलभाः पादाघातेन गच्छतां
Those creatures who die on the path to the Ganga—whether insects, moths, or grasshoppers trampled by the feet of travelers—will reach the waters of Ganga.
ये वदंति समुद्देशं गंगां प्रति जनं द्विजाः। ते च यांति परं पुण्यं गंगास्नानफलं नराः
Those twice-born who direct others toward the Ganga, indicating her location, also attain supreme merit; men gain the fruit of bathing in the Ganga.
जाह्नवीं ये च निंदंति पाषण्डैर्हतचेतसः। ते यांति नरकं घोरं पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम्
Those who, with minds destroyed by heretics, revile Jahnavi, go to a dreadful hell, from which return is difficult.
दुस्थोवापि स्मरन्नित्यं गंगेति परिकीर्तयन्। पठन्स्वर्गमवाप्नोति किमन्यैर्बहुभाषितैः
Even if unable to go, one who always remembers and recites 'Ganga' attains heaven by reciting; what need is there of many other words?
गंगागंगेति यो ब्रूयाद्योजनानां शतैरपि। मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति
Whoever says 'Ganga, Ganga,' even from hundreds of yojanas away, is freed from all sins and goes to Vishnu’s world.
अंधाश्च पंगवस्ते च वृथाभव समुद्भवाः। गर्भपाताद्विपद्यंते ये गंगां न गता नराः
The blind, the lame, and those born in vain, as well as those who die from miscarriage—these are the people who have not reached the Ganga.
न कीर्तयंति ये गंगां जडतुल्या नराधमाः। परान्नोपदिशंति स्म वातूलाश्चित्तविभ्रमाः
Those who do not praise the Ganga are like dull-witted fools, the lowest of men; they are unstable, confused in mind, and are said to eat others’ food.
न पठंति जना ये च तेषां शास्त्रं विनिष्फलम्। गंगापुण्यफलं विप्राः कुधियः पतिताधमाः
Those people who do not recite (her praise), for them, the scripture is fruitless; O Brahmins, those of wicked intellect and fallen nature do not obtain the merit of the Ganga.
पाठयंति जना ये च श्रद्धया निपठंति च। गच्छंति ते दिवं धीरास्तारयंति पितॄन्गुरून्
But those who recite and study with faith, those steadfast ones go to heaven and deliver their ancestors and teachers.
पाथेयकं गच्छतां यो वसु शक्त्या प्रयच्छति। भागीरथ्या लभेत्स्नानं यः परान्नेन गच्छति
Whoever, to the best of his ability, gives provisions to travelers, or who goes to the Bhagirathi (Ganga) with food received from others, attains the merit of bathing in her.
कर्तुः स्नानफलं विद्याद्द्विगुणं प्रेरकस्य च। इच्छयानिच्छया चापि प्रेरणेनान्यसेवया
One should know that the fruit of bathing accrues to the doer, and is doubled for the one who encourages others, whether by will or unwillingly, by urging or by service to another.
जाह्नवीं यो गतः पुण्यां स गच्छेन्निर्जरालयम्। द्विजा ऊचुः- गंगायाः कीर्तनं व्यास श्रुतं त्वत्तो विनिर्मलम्
Whoever goes to the holy Jahnavi (Ganga) attains the abode of the immortals; the twice-born said: 'Vyasa, we have heard from you the pure praise of the Ganga.'
गंगा कस्मात्किमाकारा कुतः सा ह्यतिपावनी। व्यास उवाच- शृणुध्वं कथयाम्यद्य कथां पुण्यां पुरातनीं
'Why is the Ganga so supremely pure, what is her form, and from where does she come?' Vyasa said: 'Listen, I will now tell you an ancient, holy story.'
यां श्रुत्वा मोक्षमार्गं च प्राप्नोति नरसत्तमः। ब्रह्मलोकं पुरा गत्वा नारदो मुनिपुंगवः
Hearing which, O best of men, one attains the path of liberation; once, the great sage Narada went to Brahmaloka.