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.
बर्हिणं स्वं समारुह्य त्वभिषेकः कृतः क्षणात्। पितरौ प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा लंबोदरधरस्सुधीः
Mounting his own peacock, he was anointed in an instant; after circumambulating his parents, the wise one, bearer of a pot belly, stood there.
तत एव मुदायुक्तः पित्रोरेवाग्रत स्थितः। पुरतश्च तथा स्कंदो मे देहीति ब्रुवन्स्थितः
Then, filled with joy, he stood before his parents; and likewise, Skanda stood before me, saying, 'Give me a body.'
ततस्तु तौ समीक्ष्याथ पार्वती विस्मिताब्रवीत्। सर्वतीर्थाभिषेकैस्तु सर्वदेवैर्न तैस्तथा
Then, seeing this, Parvati, astonished, spoke: 'Even with all the ablutions at sacred places by all the gods, it was not so.'
सर्वयज्ञव्रतैर्मंत्रैर्योगैरन्यैर्यमैस्तथा। पित्रोरर्चाकृतः कोपि कलां नार्हति षोडशीम्
By all sacrifices, vows, mantras, other yogas, and disciplines, no one who worships the parents attains even a sixteenth part.
तस्मात्सुतशतादेषोऽधिकः शतगुणैरपि। अतो ददामि हेरम्बे मोदकं देवनिर्मितम्
Therefore, he is superior to a hundred sons, even by a hundredfold; thus, I give to Heramba the modaka made by the gods.
अस्यैव कारणादस्य अग्रे पूजा मखेषु च। वेदशास्त्रस्तवादौ च नित्यं पूजाविधासु च
Because of this, in all rituals and sacrifices, in the beginning of Vedic hymns and scriptural praises, and in daily worship procedures, he is to be worshipped first.
पार्वत्या सह भूतेशो ददौ तस्मै वरं महत्। अस्यैव पूजनादग्रे देवास्तुष्टा भवंतु च
Along with Parvati, the Lord of beings granted him a great boon: by worshipping him first, may the gods be pleased.
सर्वासामपि देवीनां पितॄणां च समंततः। तपो भवतु नित्यं च पूजितेऽग्रे गणेश्वरे
For all goddesses and ancestors alike, may austerity always prevail when Ganesha is worshipped first.
ततः सर्वेषु यज्ञेषु पूजयेद्गणपं द्विजः। कोटिकोटिगुणं तेषु देवदेवी वचो यथा
Therefore, in all sacrifices, the twice-born should worship Ganesha; in those, the words of the gods and goddesses are multiplied a hundred million times.
दत्वा सर्वगुणं पुण्यं देवदेव्या तथा मुदा। कृतं गणाधिपत्यं च सर्वदेवाग्रतस्तदा
Having given all virtues and merit with joy to the goddess, Ganesha's lordship over the hosts was established before all the gods.