सुवर्णमणिमुक्ताढ्ये कुले भवति रूपवान् । ततो भोगवतीं गत्वा वासुकेरुत्तरेण तु
He is born in a family rich in gold, jewels, and pearls, possessing beauty; then, going to the city of enjoyments, north of Vasuki—
दशाश्वमेधकं तत्र तीर्थं तत्रापरं भवेत् । कृत्वाभिषेकं तु नरः सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्
There is another sacred place, equal to ten horse sacrifices; by performing ablution there, a man obtains the fruit of an Ashvamedha.
धनाढ्यो रूपवान्दक्षो दाता भवति धार्मिकः । चतुर्वेदेषु यत्पुण्यं सत्यवादिषु यत्फलम्
He becomes wealthy, handsome, skilled, generous, and righteous; whatever merit is in the four Vedas, whatever fruit is in truthfulness—
अहिंसायां तु यो धर्म्मो गमनादेव तद्भवेत् । कुरुक्षेत्रसमा गंगा यत्रतत्रावगाह्यते
The merit of non-violence is obtained merely by going there; wherever the Ganga is entered, it is equal to Kurukshetra.
कुरुक्षेत्राद्दशगुणा यत्र सिंध्वा समागता । यत्र गंगा महाभागा बहुतीर्थतपोधना
Where the Sindhu joins, it is ten times greater than Kurukshetra; there the blessed Ganga, rich in many sacred places and austerities—
सिद्धक्षेत्रं हि तज्ज्ञेयं नात्र कार्या विचारणा । क्षितौ तारयते मर्त्यान्नागांस्तारयतेऽप्यधः
That is to be known as a field of perfection; there is no need for doubt here. It delivers mortals on earth and even the serpents below.
दिवि तारयते देवांस्तेन सा त्रिपथा स्मृता । यावदस्थीनि गंगायां तिष्ठंति तस्य देहिनः
In heaven, it delivers the gods; therefore, it is called the triple-path. As long as the bones of a person remain in the Ganga—
तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । तीर्थानां तु परं तीर्थं नदीनामुत्तमा नदी
For that many thousands of years, he is honored in heaven. Among sacred places, it is the supreme; among rivers, the best river.
मोक्षदा सर्वभूतानां महापातकिनामपि । सर्वत्र सुलभा गंगा त्रिषु स्थानेषु दुर्लभा
It grants liberation to all beings, even to great sinners. The Ganga is easily accessible everywhere, but difficult in three places.
गंगाद्वारे प्रयागे च गंगासागरसंगमे । तत्र स्नात्वा दिवं यांति ये मृतास्तेऽपुनर्भवाः
At Gangadvara, at Prayaga, and at the confluence of Ganga and the ocean—those who bathe there ascend to heaven; those who die there do not return to birth.
सर्वेषां चैव भूतानां पापोपहतचेतसाम् । गतिमन्वेषमाणानां नास्ति गंगासमा गतिः
For all beings whose minds are afflicted by sin, seeking a path, there is no path equal to the Ganga.
पवित्राणां पवित्रं या मंगलानां च मंगलम् । महेश्वरशिरोभ्रष्टा सर्वपापहरा शुभा
She is the purifier of the pure, the auspicious among the auspicious, fallen from the head of Maheshvara, auspicious and remover of all sins.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रयागस्य माहात्म्यं पुनरेव तु । यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
Markandeya said: O King, listen once again to the greatness of Prayaga; by hearing this, one is freed from all sins—of this there is no doubt.
मानसं नाम तत्तीर्थं गंगायामुत्तरे तटे । त्रिरात्रोपोषितो भूत्वा सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्
There is a sacred place called Manasa on the northern bank of the Ganga; one who fasts there for three nights attains all desires.
गोभूहिरण्यदानेन यत्फलं प्राप्नुयान्नरः । एतत्फलमवाप्नोति तत्तीर्थं स्मरते पुनः
Whatever merit a man gains by giving cows, land, or gold, he obtains that same merit by remembering that sacred place.
अकामो वा सकामो वा गंगायां यो विपद्यते । मृतस्तु भवति स्वर्गे नरकं न च पश्यति
Whether desiring or without desire, whoever dies in the Ganga, after death, attains heaven and does not see hell.
अप्सरोगणसंगीतैः सुप्तोऽसौ प्रतिबुध्यते । हंससारसयुक्तेन विमानेन स गच्छति
He awakens to the music of groups of apsaras and departs in a celestial chariot adorned with swans and cranes.
बहुवर्षाणि राजेन्द्र षट्सहस्राणि भुंजते । ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टः क्षीणकर्मा दिवश्च्युतः
O King, for many years—six thousand—he enjoys in heaven; then, fallen from heaven when his merit is exhausted, he descends from the sky.
सुवर्णमणिमुक्ताढ्ये जायते स महाकुले । षष्टितीर्थसहस्राणि षष्टितीर्थशतानि च
He is born in a great family, endowed with gold, jewels, and pearls; sixty thousand sacred places and sixty hundred holy sites—
माघेमासि गमिष्यंति गंगायमुनसंगमे । गवां शतसहस्रस्य सम्यग्दत्तस्य यत्फलम्
In the month of Magha, they go to the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna; the merit of properly giving a hundred thousand cows—
प्रयागे माघमासे तु त्र्यहंस्नानस्य तत्फलम् । गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये पंचाग्निं यस्तु साधयेत्
At Prayaga, in the month of Magha, the fruit of bathing for three days is as follows: whoever performs the five-fire rite between the Ganga and Yamuna—
अहीनांगो ह्यरोगश्च पंचेन्द्रियसमन्वितः । यावंति रोमकूपाणि तस्य गात्रस्य देहिनः
He becomes free from defects and disease, endowed with all five senses; as many hair follicles as are on his body—
तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो जंबूद्वीपपतिर्भवेत्
For that many thousands of years, he is honored in heaven; then, fallen from heaven, he becomes a lord of Jambudvipa.
स भुक्त्वा विपुलान्भोगांस्तत्तीर्थं भजते नरः । जलप्रवेशं यः कुर्यात्संगमे लोकविश्रुते
Having enjoyed great pleasures, the man worships that sacred place; whoever enters the water at the renowned confluence—
राहुग्रस्तो यथा सोमो विमुक्तः सर्वपातकैः । सोमलोकमवाप्नोति सोमेन सह मोदते
Just as the moon, seized by Rahu, is released from all stains, so he attains the world of Soma and delights there with Soma.
षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि षष्टिवर्षशतानि च । स्वर्गलोकमवाप्नोति ऋषिगंधर्वसेवितः
For sixty thousand and sixty hundred years, he attains the world of heaven, attended by sages and gandharvas.
परिभ्रष्टस्तु राजेंद्र समृद्धे जायते कुले । अधःशिरास्तु यो ज्वालामूर्ध्वपादः पिबेन्नरः
But when he falls, O King, he is born in a prosperous family; one who drinks with his head downward, feet upward, in fire—
शतं वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । परिभ्रष्टस्तु राजेंद्र अग्निहोत्री भवेन्नरः
For a hundred thousand years, he is honored in heaven; but when he falls, O King, he becomes a performer of the Agnihotra sacrifice.
भुक्त्वा तु विपुलान्भोगांस्तत्तीर्थं भजते नरः । यस्तु देहं विकर्तित्वा शकुनिभ्यः प्रयच्छति
Having enjoyed great pleasures, the man worships that sacred place; but one who, after cutting his body, gives it to the birds—
विहंगैरुपभुक्तस्य शृणु तस्यापि यत्फलम् । शतं वर्षसहस्राणां सोमलोके महीयते
Hear also the fruit for one whose body is consumed by birds: for a hundred thousand years, he is honored in the world of Soma.