छद्मना छलितः पूर्वं बलिर्बलवतां वरः। ततः पादद्वयेनैव क्रांतं सर्वं महीतलम्
By means of a disguise, Bali, the foremost of the strong, was previously deceived; then, with just two steps, the entire earth was traversed.
नभः पादश्च ब्रह्माण्डं भित्वा मम पुरः स्थितः। मया संपूजितः पादः कमण्डलुजलेन वै
Piercing the heavens and the cosmic egg, his foot stood before me; I worshipped that foot with water from the water-pot.
प्रक्षाल्यैवार्चितात्पादाद्धेमकूटेऽपतज्जलम्। तत्कूटाच्छंकरं प्राप्य भ्रमते सा जटास्थिता
Having washed and worshipped the foot, the water fell upon the golden peak; from that peak, reaching Śaṃkara, it wandered, held in his matted locks.
ततो भगीरथेनैव समाराध्य शिवं भुवि। आनीयाराधितो नित्यं तपसा गजपुंगवः
Then, by Bhagīratha, having worshipped Śiva on earth, and by constant austerity, the great elephant was brought down and worshipped.
तेन भित्वा नगं वीर्यात्त्रिभिर्दंतैः कृतं बिलम्। ततस्त्रिबिलगा यस्मात्त्रिस्रोता लोकविश्रुता
By his strength, breaking the mountain with his three tusks, a cave was made; therefore, as she flows through three caves, she is famed among the worlds as the Three-streamed.
हरिब्रह्महरयोगात्पूता लोकस्य पावनी। समासाद्य च तां देवीं सर्वधर्मफलं लभेत्
By the union of Hari, Brahmā, and Hara, she became pure, the purifier of the world; approaching that goddess, one obtains the fruit of all righteousness.
पाठयज्ञपरैः सर्वैर्मंत्र होम सुरार्चनैः। सा गतिर्न भवेज्जंतोर्गंगा संसेवया च या
By all who are devoted to recitation, sacrifice, mantra, oblation, and worship of the gods, that goal is not attained except by service to Gaṅgā.
धर्मस्य साधनोपायो ह्यतः परो न विद्यते। त्रैलोक्यपुण्यसंयोगात्तस्मात्तां व्रज नारद
There is no means superior to this for the accomplishment of righteousness; because of the union with the merit of the three worlds, therefore, go to her, O Nārada.
गंगातोयास्थिसंयोगात्सुतास्ते सगरस्य च। स्वर्गताः पितृभिश्चैव स्वपूर्वापरजैः सह
By the union of the waters of the Ganga with their bones, the sons of Sagara, together with their ancestors of former and later generations, attained heaven.
ततो ब्रह्ममुखाच्छ्रुत्वा नारदो मुनिपुंगवः। गंगाद्वारे तपः कृत्वा ब्रह्मणा सदृशोभवत्
Then, having heard this from the mouth of Brahma, the eminent sage Narada performed austerities at the gateway of the Ganga and became equal to Brahma.
सर्वत्र सुलभा गंगा त्रिषुस्थानेषु दुर्लभा। गंगाद्वारे प्रयागे च गंगासागरसंगमे
The Ganga is easily accessible everywhere, but difficult to reach in three places: at the gateway of the Ganga, at Prayaga, and at the confluence of the Ganga and the ocean.
त्रिरात्रेणैकरात्रेण नरो याति परां गतिम्। तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन सद्यो मुक्तिं विचिंतयेत्
In three nights or even in a single night, a person attains the highest state; therefore, with every effort, one should contemplate immediate liberation.
ततो गच्छत धर्मज्ञाः शिवां भागीरथीमिह। अचिरेणैव कालेन स्वर्गं मोक्षं प्रगच्छथ
Therefore, O knowers of righteousness, go to the auspicious Bhagirathi here; in a short time you shall attain heaven and liberation.
विशेषात्कलिकाले च गंगा मोक्षप्रदा नृणां। कृच्छ्राच्च क्षीणसत्वानामनंतः पुण्यसंभवः
Especially in the age of Kali, the Ganga grants liberation to people; and for those whose strength is diminished by hardship, infinite merit arises.
ततस्ते ब्राह्मणा हृष्टाः श्रुत्वा व्यासाद्गिरं शुभाम्। गंगायां तु तपस्तप्त्वा मोक्षमार्गं ययुस्तदा
Then those Brahmins, delighted after hearing the auspicious words from Vyasa, performed austerities at the Ganga and set out on the path of liberation.
य इदं शृणुयान्मर्त्यः पुण्याख्यानमनुत्तमम्। सर्वं तरति दुःखौघ गंगास्नानफलं लभेत्
Whoever among mortals hears this most excellent sacred narrative crosses over all floods of sorrow and obtains the fruit of bathing in the Ganga.
सकृदुच्चारिते चैव सर्वयज्ञफलं लभेत्। दानं जप्यं तथा ध्यानं स्तोत्रं मंत्रं सुरार्चनम्
By reciting it even once, one obtains the fruit of all sacrifices, as well as of giving, recitation, meditation, hymns, mantras, and worship of the gods.
तत्रैव कारयेद्यस्तु स चानंतफलं लभेत्। तस्मात्तत्रैव कर्त्तव्यं जपहोमादिकं नरैः
Whoever causes these to be performed there obtains infinite fruit; therefore, acts such as recitation and oblation should be performed there by people.
अनंतं च फलं प्रोक्तं जन्मजन्मसु लभ्यते
It is said that the infinite fruit is obtained in birth after birth.
पुलस्त्य उवाच- एतस्मिन्नंतरे पूर्वं व्यासशिष्यो महामुनिः। नमस्कृत्य गुरुं भीष्म संजयः परिपृच्छति
Pulastya said: At that time, the great sage Sanjaya, disciple of Vyasa, after bowing to his teacher Bhishma, asked him:
देवानां पूजनोपायं क्रमं ब्रूहि सुनिश्चितम्। अग्रे पूज्यतमः कोसौ को मध्यो नित्यपूजने
Tell me the certain method and order of worshipping the gods: who is to be worshipped first, who is central in daily worship?
अंते च पूजा कस्यैव कस्य को वा प्रभावकः। किंवा कं च फलं ब्रह्मन्पूजयित्वा लभेन्नरः
And at the end, whose worship is to be performed, and who possesses what power? O Brahman, what fruit does a person obtain by worshipping whom?
व्यास उवाच- गणेशं पूजयेदग्रे त्वविघ्नार्थं परे त्विह। विनायकत्वमाप्नोति यथा गौरीसुतो हि सः
Vyasa said: One should worship Ganesha first, for the removal of obstacles; thus, one attains the state of Vinayaka, for he is the son of Gauri.
पार्वत्यजनयत्पूर्वं सुतौ महेश्वरादिमौ। सर्वलोकधरौ शूरौ देवौ स्कंदगणाधिपौ
Formerly, Parvati gave birth to two sons: the foremost Maheshvara, upholder of all worlds, heroic gods, Skanda and Ganapati, lords of hosts.
तौ च दृष्ट्वा नगसुता सिध्यर्थं पर्यभाषत। इदं तु मोदकं पुत्रौ देवैर्दत्तं मुदान्वितैः
Seeing them, the daughter of the mountain spoke for the sake of their success: 'This sweetmeat, my sons, was given by the gods, filled with joy.'
महाबुद्धीति विख्यातं सुधया परिनिर्मितम्। गुणं चास्य प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणुतं तु समाहितौ
'It is renowned as Mahabuddhi, fashioned from nectar. I will declare its quality; listen attentively, both of you.'
अस्यैवाघ्राणमात्रेण अमरत्वं लभेद्ध्रुवम्। सर्वशास्त्रार्थतत्त्वज्ञः सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रकोविदः
By merely smelling this, one surely attains immortality; one becomes a knower of the essence of all scriptures and an expert in all weapons and arms.
निपुणः सर्वतंत्रेषु लेखकश्चित्रकृत्सुधीः। ज्ञानविज्ञानतत्त्वज्ञः सर्वज्ञो नात्र संशयः
He becomes skilled in all systems, a wise scribe and artist, a knower of knowledge and its essence, and omniscient—there is no doubt about this.
पुत्रौ धर्मादधिकतां प्राप्य सिद्धिशतं व्रजेत्। यस्तस्य वै प्रदास्यामि पितुस्ते संमतं त्विदम्
The two sons, having surpassed dharma, attain a hundredfold accomplishment; whoever gives this, I shall grant him what is approved by his father.
श्रुत्वा मातृमुखादेवं वचः परमकोविदः। स्कंदस्तीर्थं ययौ सद्यः सर्वं त्रिभुवनस्थितं
Having heard these words from his mother's mouth, the supremely wise Skanda immediately went to the sacred place, along with everything in the three worlds.