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.
नत्वा विधिं च पप्रच्छ पूतं त्रैलोक्यपावनम्। किं सृष्टं च त्वया तात संमतं शंभुकृष्णयोः
Having bowed to the Creator, he asked the purifier of the three worlds: 'O father, what have you created that is esteemed by Shambhu and Krishna?'
सर्वलोकहितार्थाय भुवःस्थाने समीहितम्। देवी वा देवता का वा सर्वासामुत्तमोत्तमा
'For the welfare of all worlds, what has been established on earth? Is it a goddess or a divinity, who among all is the highest of the high?'
यां समासाद्य देवाश्च दैत्यमानुषपन्नगाः। अंडजाः स्वेदजा वृक्षा ये चान्य उद्भिज्जादयः
'By approaching whom do gods, demons, humans, serpents, birds, those born from sweat, trees, and others born from seeds and so on—'
सर्वे यांति शिवं ब्रह्मन्समग्रं विभवं ध्रुवम्। ब्रह्मोवाच- सृजता च पुरा प्रोक्ता माया प्रकृतिरूपिणी
'—all attain auspiciousness, O Brahmin, complete and certain prosperity?' Brahma said: 'In the beginning, she was called Maya, the one who is nature herself.'
आद्या भव स्वलोकानां त्वत्तो भवं सृजाम्यहम्। एतच्छ्रुत्वा परा सा च सप्तधा चाभवत्तदा
'O primal one, become the worlds; from you, I create the worlds.' Hearing this, she became supreme and then was divided sevenfold.
गायत्रीवाक्च स्वर्लक्ष्मीस्सर्वसस्य वसुप्रदा। ज्ञानविद्या उमादेवी शक्तिबीजा तपस्विनी
Gayatri, Vak, the wealth of heaven, the giver of all crops and riches, knowledge, learning, goddess Uma, the seed of power, and the ascetic one—
वर्णिका धर्मद्रवा च एतास्सप्त प्रकीर्तिताः। गायत्रीप्रभवा वेदा वेदात्सर्वं स्थितं जगत्
Varṇikā and Dharmadravā—these seven are proclaimed; from Gayatri arose the Vedas, and from the Vedas, the whole world is established.
स्वस्ति स्वाहा स्वधा दीक्षा एता गायत्रिजा स्मृताः। उच्चारयेत्सदा यज्ञे गायत्रीं मातृकादिभिः
Svasti, Svaha, Svadha, and Diksha are said to be born from Gayatri; one should always recite Gayatri in sacrifice, along with the mother syllables and others.
क्रतौ देवाः स्वधां प्राप्य भवेयुरजरामराः। ततस्सुधारसं देवा मुमुचुर्धरणीतले
In the sacrifice, the gods, having obtained Svadha, become ageless and immortal; then the gods released the nectar of immortality upon the earth.
अथ सस्यवती पृथ्वी ओषधीनां परा शुभा। फलमूलैरसैर्भक्ष्यैर्जनाः सुस्थतराभवन्
Then the earth, rich with crops, became the supreme source of herbs; by fruits, roots, and edible plants, people became healthier.