वपुर्विदलितं यस्य दृश्यते तत्फलं शृणु । दिवि दिव्यांगनापीनप्रोत्तुङ्गरुचिरस्तनैः
whose body is seen torn apart, listen to that result: in heaven, with divine maidens whose full, beautiful breasts
श्लिष्टवक्षाश्च पर्यंके निद्राति नित्यमेव सः । पिपीलिकाभिः कीटैश्च मक्षिकाभिश्च वेष्टितः
he sleeps always embraced on a couch; though surrounded by ants, insects, and flies
गंगायां यस्य दृश्यंते अस्थीनि पतितानि च । तस्याक्षयं फलं विप्र वदतो मे निशामय
whose bones are seen fallen in the Gaṅgā, O Brahmin, listen to me as I speak of his inexhaustible fruit
प्रणमत्त्रिदशव्यूह शिरोमुकुटभूषणैः । हतपादरजाः स्वर्गे स च शक्रायते चिरम्
He is saluted by the hosts of gods, adorned with jeweled crowns; dust from his feet is scattered in heaven, and he becomes like Śakra for a long time
अनिच्छयापि गङ्गायां यद्देहपतनं भवेत् । स विमुक्तोऽखिलैः पापैर्नरो नारायणो भवेत्
Even if a person's body falls into the Ganga against their will, that person is freed from all sins and becomes one with Narayana.
यस्यांगाराश्च दृश्यंते गङ्गायां चलिता जलैः । अङ्गारसङ्ख्यया स्वर्गे तिष्ठेत्कल्पशताधिकम्
Wherever embers are seen in the Ganga, carried along by the waters, a person remains in heaven for hundreds of aeons equal to the number of those embers.
सर्वेषामेव पुण्यानां कदाचित्क्षयमीक्षते । गङ्गायां पतिते देहे भवेत्पुण्यक्षयो न हि
All merits may at times come to an end, but when a body falls into the Ganga, its merit is never exhausted.
बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन निश्चितं कथ्यतेऽधुना । गङ्गायां त्यक्तदेहस्य महिमा ज्ञायते नहि
What more need be said here? Now the settled truth is declared: the greatness of one who gives up the body in the Ganga cannot be fully known.
विषमदुरितराशीनाशि गाङ्गं नरो यः स्पृशति भुवि कदाचिद्भावुको भक्तिभावैः । जगदुदधिजलं विलंघ्य घोरं व्रजति स पारमपारतुष्टि नावा
Whoever, even once on earth, touches the waters of the Ganga with devotion and feeling, which destroy heaps of terrible sins, crosses over the dreadful ocean of worldly existence and reaches the far shore of supreme satisfaction, as if by a boat.
जैमिनिरुवाच- भूय एव गुरो ब्रूहि गङ्गामाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । गङ्गाकथामृतं पातुं माधुर्यात्पुनरिष्यते
Jaimini said: Once again, O teacher, tell me of the supreme glory of the Ganga; the nectar of the Ganga's story is so sweet that I wish to drink it again.
व्यास उवाच- तदप्यहं ब्रवीमि त्वां गङ्गाभक्तो यतो भवान् । तौ पादौ सफलौ नॄणां जाह्नवीतटगामिनौ
Vyasa said: Therefore I will tell you again, since you are devoted to the Ganga; the feet of those who walk along the banks of Jahnavi are truly blessed among people.
गङ्गाकल्लोलनिनदश्राविणौ श्रवणौ च तौ । सा जिह्वा या च जानाति स्वादुभेदं तदंभसः
Those ears that hear the roar of the Ganga's waves, that tongue which knows the sweet taste of her water—these are truly blessed.
ते नेत्रे जाह्नवी चारुतरंगदर्शने च ते । तल्ललाटमिति प्रोक्तं गङ्गामृत्पुण्ड्रधारि यत्
Those eyes that behold the beautiful waves of Jahnavi, that forehead which bears the mark of Ganga's sacred water—these are praised.
तौ हस्तौ जाह्नवी तीरे हरि पूजापरायणौ । शरीरं सफलं तच्च विमले जाह्नवी जले
Those hands which are engaged in worshipping Hari on the banks of Jahnavi, that body which is purified in her clear waters—these are truly fruitful.
पतितं तद्द्विजश्रेष्ठ चतुर्वर्गफलप्रदम् । स्वर्गस्थाः पितरः सर्वे गच्छंतो जाह्नवीतटे
O best of twice-born, the body that falls there grants the fruits of the four aims of life; all ancestors dwelling in heaven come to the bank of Jahnavi.
संदृश्य हृष्टाः शंसंति वदंत इति जैमिने । तत्पुण्यं कृतमस्माभिः सद्गतिप्राप्तये पुरा
Seeing this, they rejoice and say, 'We performed this merit in the past to attain a good destination.'
भविष्यत्यक्षयं तच्च यतः पुत्रोऽयमीदृशः । अनेन गाङ्गैः सलिलैर्वयं संप्रति तर्पिताः
'This will become inexhaustible, for our son is such as this; by these Ganga waters we are now satisfied.'
यास्यामः परमं धाम दुर्ल्लभं यत्सुरैरपि । गङ्गायां यानि द्रव्याणि दास्यत्यस्माकमात्मजः
'We shall attain the supreme abode, which even the gods find hard to reach, by whatever offerings our son gives us in the Ganga.'
अस्मभ्यं तानि सर्वाणि भविष्यंत्यक्षयाणि वै । नरकस्थाश्च पितरः सर्वदुःखसमन्विताः
'All those offerings will become inexhaustible for us; and the ancestors who are in hell, afflicted by all sufferings—'
वदंतीति सुतं दृष्ट्वा गच्छंतं जाह्नवीतटम् । कृतानि यानि पापानि नरकक्लेशदानि वै
They say this when they see their son going to the bank of Jahnavi: 'Whatever sins we committed that cause the torments of hell—'
यास्यंति संक्षयं तानि पुत्रस्यापि प्रसादतः । विमुक्ता नरकक्लेशैर्वयं सर्वे सुदुःसहैः
'All those will be destroyed by the grace of our son; we shall all be freed from the unbearable torments of hell.'
अथ पुत्रप्रसादेन यास्यामः परमां गतिम् । यात्रां विधाय यो मर्त्यो गृहं मोहान्निवर्तते
Then, by the grace of the son, we shall attain the highest state; but if a mortal, after setting out, returns home out of delusion—
निराशाः पितरस्तस्य यांति सर्वे यथा गताः । आमिषं मैथुनं चैव दोलामश्वं गजं तथा
All his ancestors become hopeless, just as those who have departed, if he brings offerings, engages in sexual union, or rides on a swing, a horse, or an elephant.
उपानहं चातपत्रं गंगायात्रासु वर्जयेत् । अध्वश्रमोद्भवं दुःखं दुष्करं न हि मन्यते
One should avoid wearing shoes and carrying an umbrella during journeys to the Ganga; he should not consider the hardship and suffering from the fatigue of the road as difficult.
गृहे पद्मसुखं तत्र गङ्गास्नाने स्मरेन्न च । असत्यभाषणं चैव पाखंडसंगमेव च
He should not think of the comfort of his home or of bathing in the Ganga there; nor should he speak falsehoods or associate with heretics.
द्विर्भोजनं च कलहं गंगायात्रासु वर्जयेत् । परनिंदां च लोभं च गर्वं च क्रोधमत्सरौ
He should avoid eating twice, quarrelling, slandering others, greed, pride, anger, and envy during journeys to the Ganga.
अत्यंतहास्यशोकं च गंगायात्रासु वर्जयेत् । मंचसुप्तमिवात्मानं चिंतयेद्भूमिशायिनम्
He should avoid excessive laughter and sorrow during journeys to the Ganga; he should imagine himself as one sleeping on a cot, lying on the ground.
गंगानाम सुनामानि वदेद्गच्छञ्जनः पथि । माहात्म्यं जाह्नवी देव्याः सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्
While traveling on the path, a person should recite the auspicious names of the Ganga, and the greatness of goddess Jahnavi, the destroyer of all sins.
सुखदं मोक्षदं चैव कथयन्पथि गच्छति । गङ्गे देवि जगन्मातर्देहि संदर्शनं मम
As he goes along the path, he should speak of her as the giver of happiness and liberation: 'O Ganga, goddess, mother of the world, grant me your vision.'
वचोभिः कोमलैरेभिः कुर्याच्छ्रमनिवारणम् । हा कथं सदनं त्यक्तमागतं वा कथं मया
With gentle words like these, he should dispel his fatigue: 'Alas, how have I left my home, or how have I come here?'