अन्यतीर्थे कृतं पापं गङ्गायां च विनश्यति । गङ्गायां यत्कृतं पापं तत्कुत्रापि न शाम्यते
Sin committed at other holy places is destroyed in Ganga, but sin committed in Ganga is not pacified anywhere.
तस्मात्पापं न कर्तव्यं गङ्गायां शास्त्रकोविदैः । कर्मणा मनसा वाचा कर्तव्यो धर्मसंग्रहः
Therefore, those learned in scripture should not commit sin in Ganga; by deed, thought, and word, one should practice the collection of righteousness.
न ते देशा न ते शैला न च तानि वनानि च । पापविध्वंसिनी यत्र न तिष्ठेत्सुरनिम्नगा
There are no lands, no mountains, nor forests where the divine river does not destroy sin by her presence.
गङ्गातीरं परित्यज्य मुहूर्तमपि जैमिने । न च स्थातव्यमन्यत्र यदि कार्यशतान्यपि
O Jaimini, having left the bank of Ganga, one should not stay elsewhere even for a moment, even if there are hundreds of duties to perform.
भिक्षान्नमपि भुक्त्वा च स्थातव्यं जाह्नवीतटे । न चान्यत्र क्षणमपि प्राप्य भूपालतामपि
Even after eating alms-food, one must remain on the bank of the Ganges; not even for a moment should one go elsewhere, even if one attains kingship.
संत्यज्य देहं गङ्गायां ब्रह्महापि विमुच्यते । अन्यत्र मुक्तये न स्यादश्वमेधसहस्रकृत्
Even a slayer of a Brahmin, abandoning the body in the Ganges, is freed; elsewhere, liberation is not attained, even by performing a thousand horse sacrifices.
गङ्गातीरे वसन्यस्तु हरिपूजापरो भवेत् । जन्मजन्मांतरे येन कदाचिन्नार्चितो हरिः
Whoever dwells on the bank of the Ganges and is devoted to worshipping Hari, even if Hari was never worshipped by him in any birth,
भक्तिर्भवति नैतस्य गङ्गायां लोकमातरि । श्रूयतां मानवाः सर्वे भूयोभूयो ब्रवीम्यहम्
Devotion does not arise in him towards the Ganges, the mother of worlds. Hear, all humans, I declare again and again.
स्नानं विधाय गङ्गायां गम्यतां परमं पदम् । मृत्युकाले भजेद्यस्तु गङ्गागङ्गेति मानवः
After bathing in the Ganges, one attains the supreme state; whoever, at the time of death, chants 'Ganga, Ganga,'
विमुक्तःपातकैः सर्वैर्दिवि देवयुगायुतम् । यस्य गङ्गाकथारम्भो मृत्युकाले भवेद्द्विज
Is freed from all sins and dwells in heaven for tens of thousands of divine ages; for whom the narration of the Ganges begins at the time of death, O twice-born.
स गच्छेद्विष्णुभवनं गलिताखिल कल्मषः । यस्तु स्मरति वै प्राज्ञो मृत्युकाले द्विजोत्तम
He goes to the abode of Vishnu, all impurities having fallen away; whoever, wise at the time of death, remembers, O best of twice-born,
गङ्गेति मुक्तिदं नाम तस्य तुष्टो भवेद्धरिः । मृत्युकाले भवेद्यस्तु गङ्गामृत्पुण्ड्रमुत्तमम्
The name 'Ganga,' which grants liberation, Hari becomes pleased with him; whoever, at the time of death, possesses the excellent Ganga-water mark,
गङ्गास्नायिनमालोक्य त्यजेद्यस्तु कलेवरम् । श्मशानेऽपि द्विजश्रेष्ठ स गङ्गामरणं लभेत्
Who, upon seeing a Ganges-bather, abandons the body—even in the cremation ground, O best of twice-born, he attains death on the Ganges.
तिष्ठंत्यस्थीनि गङ्गायां यावत्कालं शरीरिणः । तावत्कल्पसहस्राणि विष्णुलोके महीयते
As long as the bones remain in the Ganges, so long as the body endures, for thousands of aeons he is honored in the world of Vishnu.
यस्य मज्जन्ति गङ्गायां भस्मास्थीनि नखानि च । शिरोरुहाण्यपि प्राज्ञः स विष्णोर्भुवनं वसेत्
Whose ashes, bones, nails, and even hair sink in the Ganges, O wise one, he dwells in the realm of Vishnu.
स्थितेष्वस्थिषु गङ्गायां यत्कर्म लभते नरः । ब्रवीमि तत्फलं सर्वं शृणु नान्यमना द्विज
While the bones remain in the Ganges, whatever action a man performs, I declare its entire fruit—listen, O twice-born, with undistracted mind.
एकदा भगवाञ्छक्रो नानालंकारभूषितः । क्रीडागृहं ययौ कामी युवत्या पद्मगंधया
Once, the blessed Shakra, adorned with various ornaments, desiring pleasure, went to the playhouse with a young woman fragrant with lotus.
पद्मगंधा रसज्ञा सा संप्राप्त नवयौवना । नानारसप्रदानेन चकार सुरसं प्रति
She, fragrant with lotus and skilled in taste, having attained fresh youth, by offering various pleasures, delighted the lord of the gods.
सपत्न्याः स्वर्णपर्यंके तस्याः शिशुमृगीदृशः । प्रीतः पादतले जिष्णुरुवास स्मरमोहितः
On the golden couch of his co-wife, he, pleased and overcome by passion, dwelt at her feet, whose eyes were like those of a fawn.
अथ तस्यै स्वयं शक्रो निर्माय स्वर्णवीटिकाम् । ददाति परमप्रीतस्तद्गुणाकृष्टमानसः
Then Shakra himself, exceedingly pleased and his mind attracted by her qualities, fashioned a golden box and gave it to her.
एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु पौलोमी वरसुन्दरी । भूषणैर्भूषिता सर्वैः स्वयं तद्गृहमाययौ
At that very moment, Paulomi, the most beautiful, adorned with all ornaments, herself came to that house.
दृष्ट्वा तथाविधं शक्रं सर्वदेवाधिपं प्रभुम् । भृशं चुकोप पौलोमी प्राहेति च सुलक्षणा
Seeing Shakra thus, lord of all gods, master, Paulomi became greatly angry and, being well-featured, spoke.
शच्युवाच- देव किं कुरुषे कांत त्वं समस्तसुराधिप । मम दासीस्वरूपायै ददासि स्वर्णवीटिकाम्
Śacī said: O god, what are you doing, beloved, you who are lord of all the gods? You give a golden betel box to a woman who is but a servant to me.
स्पृशंति त्रिदशाः सर्वे शिरसा चरणौ तव । त्वं कथं पद्मगन्धाया दास्याः पादतले प्रभोः
All the gods bow their heads and touch your feet, yet how can you, O lord, touch the feet of Padmagandhā, a mere servant?
याचितश्च सुगन्धित्वाद्भृंगः स्यानचतद्यशः । सुंदरी कोटिभर्त्ता त्वं समस्तरसवित्प्रभो
Even a bee, when asked, would become fragrant but lose its fame; you, who are the husband of countless beauties and lord of all radiance, O master—
कथमेवंविधं कर्म करोष्यत्यंतकुत्सितम् । निर्गुणे पद्मगन्धेहे दासिदूरं परिव्रज
How can you perform such an utterly disgraceful act? Leave far behind the servant Padmagandhā, who is devoid of qualities.
त्वमीश्वरी च पर्यंके शक्रः पादतले तव । व्यास उवाच- तया निर्भर्त्सिता साध्वी पौलोम्या बहुधा ततः
You are the queen upon the couch, while Śakra is at your feet. Vyāsa said: Thus, that virtuous lady, Paulomī, rebuked her in many ways.
उवाच पद्मगन्धा सा क्रोधादिति वरांगना । पद्मगंधोवाच- गुणं च मम दोषं च स्वयं स्वाम्येव वेत्ति वै
Padmagandhā, that noble woman, spoke in anger: Padmagandhā said: Only the master knows my virtues and faults himself.
केनाधिकारेणागत्य त्वं मां निंदसि निर्गुणे । अन्ये नेत्रद्वयेनापि पश्यंति गुणदोषकौ
By what authority do you come and insult me, who is without qualities? Others, even with two eyes, see both virtues and faults.
सहस्रनेत्रैरप्येष न पश्येत्किं दुराशये । यथा दोषो हि लोकानां प्रचरेन्न गुणं तथा
Even with a thousand eyes, one with evil intent does not see; just as the faults of people spread, not their virtues.