योगजा मानसीसिद्धिर्विष्णुभक्तिः परा स्मृता । य एवं भक्तिमान्देवं विष्णुभक्तिः स उच्यते
The perfection born of yoga in the mind is called supreme devotion to Viṣṇu; whoever is thus devoted to the Lord is said to have devotion to Viṣṇu.
एवं भक्तिः समुद्दिष्टा विविधा नृपनंदन । सात्विकी राजसी चैव तामसीभेदतस्त्विमाः
Thus, O delight of kings, devotion has been described in various forms: these are of the nature of sattva, rajas, and tamas.
नानाप्रकारा विज्ञेया विष्णोरमिततेजसः । यथाग्निः सुसमृद्धार्च्चिः करोत्येधांसि भस्मसात्
The various kinds of devotion to Viṣṇu, of immeasurable splendor, are to be understood; just as fire with well-kindled flames turns fuel to ashes—
पापानि भगवद्भक्तिस्तथा दहति तत्क्षणात्
So too, devotion to the Blessed Lord burns away sins in an instant.
यावज्जनो न शृणुते भुवि विष्णुभक्तिं साक्षात्सुधारसमशेषरसैकसारम् । तावज्जरामरणजन्मशताभिघातदुःखानि तानि लभते बहुदेहजानि
As long as a person does not hear, on earth, of devotion to Viṣṇu—which is like the very essence of nectar and all sweetness—so long does he experience the sufferings of old age, death, and hundreds of births, and the miseries arising from many bodies.
संकीर्तितश्चिंतितकीर्तिरंतः श्रुतानुभावो भगवाननंतः । समंततोऽघविनिहंति मेघं वायुर्यथाभानुरिवांधकारम्
The infinite Lord, whose praise is sung, whose glory is contemplated, who is experienced within through hearing—he destroys sins everywhere, just as the wind disperses clouds, or the sun dispels darkness.
न दान देवार्चन याग तीर्थ स्नान श्रुताचार तपः क्रियाभिः । तथा विशुद्धिं लभतेंऽतरात्मा यथा हृदिस्थे भगवत्यनंते
Not by gifts, worship of gods, sacrifices, bathing at sacred places, study of scriptures, or austerities and rituals, does the inner self attain such purity as when the infinite Lord abides in the heart.
कथा विशुद्धा नरनाथ तथ्यास्ता एव पथ्या हरिनाथ तथ्याः । संकीर्तिता यत्र पवित्रमूर्तेः संश्रूयते च श्रुतसाधुकीर्तिः
O lord of men, pure are those stories, and true indeed, O Lord of Hari, are those beneficial tales; wherever the pure form is praised, and the fame of the good is heard.
धन्योसि धीरधरणीधर धर्मधुर्य्य ध्यानैकतान हृदयः पुरुषोत्तमस्य । यन्नैष्ठिकीमतिरसौ तव सौभगश्रीः श्रीकृष्णनाथसुकृतः श्रवणे प्रवृत्ता
Blessed are you, O steadfast bearer of the earth, upholder of righteousness, whose heart is wholly absorbed in meditation on the Supreme Person; for your unwavering devotion, your good fortune, and your merit have led you to listen to the deeds of Lord Krishna.
अनाराध्य हरिं भक्त्या वरदं विष्णुमव्ययम् । कुतः श्रेयो भवेद्भूप पुरुषस्यात्ममानिनः
Without worshipping Hari, the bestower of boons, the imperishable Vishnu, with devotion, O king, how can there be any true welfare for a person who is proud of his own self?
मायाजनिरमायोऽसौ भक्त्या राजन्नमायया । साध्यते साधुपुरुषः स्वयं जानाति तद्भवान्
He, who is free from illusion though born of illusion, O king, is attained only by devotion, not by illusion; the virtuous person alone achieves this—you yourself know this.
न विद्यते ते नृप धर्मतत्त्वमज्ञातमेतद्विमलं पुनर्माम् । त्वं पृच्छसे तीर्थपदं प्रसंगात्कथारसं वैष्णव गौरवेण
O king, the true essence of righteousness is not known to you; this pure knowledge is again unknown to me. Yet you ask me, out of respect for the Vaishnavas and the delight in their stories, about the sacred path.
नातः परं परमतोषविशेषपोषं पश्यामि पुण्यमुचितं च परस्परेण । संतः प्रसह्य यदनंतगुणाननंतश्रेयोनिधीनधिकभावभुजो भुजंति
I see no greater or more appropriate merit than this, which brings supreme satisfaction: that the virtuous, by force of their devotion, partake of the endless virtues and infinite treasures of well-being, each surpassing the other.
ब्राह्मणाः सुरभी सत्य श्रद्धा याग तपांसि च । श्रुति स्मृति दया दीक्षा शांतयस्तनवो हरेः
Brahmins, the wish-fulfilling cow, truth, faith, sacrifices, austerities, the Vedas, the Smritis, compassion, consecration, and tranquility—these are all forms of Hari.
आदित्यश्चंद्रमा वायुर्भूमिरापोंऽबरं दिशः । ब्रह्माविष्णुश्च रुद्रश्च सर्वभूतमयो विभुः
The sun, the moon, the wind, the earth, the waters, the sky, the directions, Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra—He, the all-pervading Lord, is present in all beings.
विश्वरूपः स्वयं चक्रे जगदेतच्चराचरम् । स्वयं ब्राह्मणमाविश्य सदान्नमुपभुंजते
Assuming the form of the universe, He Himself created this world, both moving and unmoving; entering into the Brahmin, He Himself partakes of the food offered.
ततस्तु तीर्थास्पदपादरेणून्धराधरात्मालय भूमिदेवान् । परात्मनः पूजय पुण्यलक्ष्मी सर्वस्वभूतानखिलात्मभूतान्
Therefore, worship with devotion the dust of the feet of holy places, the mountains, the earth-gods, and all beings as manifestations of the Supreme Soul, the source of all merit, who dwells in all.
ब्राह्मणं विष्णुबुद्ध्य्या यो विद्वांसं साधु पश्यति । स एव वैष्णवो यश्च स्वस्वकर्मैकनिष्ठितः
He who sees the Brahmin, endowed with knowledge, as Vishnu Himself, and who is steadfast in his own duties—that person alone is truly a Vaishnava.
किंचिदेतन्मयाप्रोक्तं रहस्यं समयो हि मे । स्नातुं गंतुं च गंगायां न कथावसरोऽधिकः
I have spoken a little of this secret; for now, my time is set to go and bathe in the Ganga—there is no further occasion for discourse.
प्राप्तोऽयं माधवो मासः पुण्यो माधववल्लभः । तस्यापि सप्तमी शुक्ला गंगायामतिदुर्ल्लभा
Now has come the month of Madhava, sacred and dear to Madhava; and in this month, the bright seventh day is most rare on the Ganga.
वैशाख शुक्ल सप्तम्यां जाह्नवी जह्नुना पुरा । क्रोधात्पीता पुनस्त्यक्ता कर्णरंध्रात्तु दक्षिणात्
On the bright seventh day of Vaishakha, long ago, Jahnu, out of anger, drank up the Ganga, and then released her again from his right ear.
तस्यां समर्चयेद्देवीं गंगां गगनमेखलाम् । स्नात्वा सम्यग्विधानेन स धन्यः सुकृती नरः
On that day, one should worship the goddess Ganga, adorned with the girdle of the sky; whoever bathes properly according to the rules is truly blessed and meritorious.
तस्यां यस्तर्पयेद्देवान्पितॄन्मर्त्यो यथाविधि । साक्षात्पश्यति तं गंगा स्नातकं गतपापकम्
Whoever, according to the proper rites, offers oblations to the gods and ancestors in her, the mortal Ganga, sees directly the Ganga herself, purified from all sin.
न माधव समो मासो न गंगा सदृशी नदी । दुर्ल्लभः खलु योगोऽयं हरिभक्त्यैव लभ्यते
There is no month equal to Madhava, nor any river like the Ganga; this rare conjunction is attained only through devotion to Hari.
विष्णुपादोदकोद्भूता ब्रह्मलोकादुपागता । त्रिभिः स्रोतोभिरश्रांता या पुनाति जगत्त्रयम्
Born from the water at Vishnu’s feet, come down from the world of Brahma, she flows tirelessly in three streams, purifying the three worlds.
स्वर्गारोहणनिःश्रेणी सततानंदकारिणी । अनेकदुरितोद्गारहारिणी दुर्गतारिणी
She is the ladder to ascent to heaven, the constant bringer of joy, the remover of countless sins, and the savior from misfortune.
श्रीमहेशजटाजूटवासिनी दुःखनाशिनी । भजमानजनस्वांतकान्तकेलि विनाशिनी
She who dwells in the matted locks of the glorious Mahesha, destroyer of suffering, who ends the playful delights of those devoted to her.
सगरान्वयनिर्वाणकारिणी धर्मधारिणी । त्रिमार्गचारिणी देवी लोकालंकृतिकारिणी
She brings liberation to the lineage of Sagara, upholds righteousness, moves through the three paths, the goddess who adorns the worlds.
दर्शन स्पर्शन स्नान कीर्त्तन ध्यान सेवनैः । पुण्यानपुण्यान्पुरुषान्पावयंती सहस्रशः
By sight, touch, bathing, praise, meditation, and service, she purifies thousands of people, both virtuous and sinful.
गंगा गंगेति गंगेति यैस्त्रिसंध्यमितीरितम् । सुदूरस्थैश्च तत्पापं हंति जन्मत्रयार्जितम्
Those who utter 'Ganga, Ganga' at the three junctions of the day, even from afar, she destroys the sins accumulated over three lifetimes.