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?'
श्रमैरिति वदेद्यस्तु संपूर्णं तत्फलं नहि । क्व पर्यंङ्कः क्व मे पत्नी क्व च मे च सुहृद्गृहम्
But whoever complains of fatigue in this way does not obtain the full fruit: 'Where is my bed, where is my wife, and where is my dear home?'
स्वपामि प्रांतरे भूमौ कथं वाहं समागतः । धनधान्यादिवस्तूनां का गतिर्वा गृहे मम
'I sleep on the ground in the wilderness; how have I come here? What is the fate of my wealth, grain, and other possessions at home?'
कियद्भिर्दिवसैर्भूयो गमिष्याम्यहमालयम् । इति चिंताकुला ये च पथि गच्छंति मानवाः
'In how many days will I return home again?'—those people who are troubled by such thoughts as they travel on the path,
गंगास्नानफलं तेषां संपूर्णं न भवेद्द्विज । गङ्गे गंतुं प्रतीतीरे यात्रेयं विहिता तव
do not attain the full fruit of bathing in the Ganga, O twice-born. This journey to the Ganga is prescribed for you to reach her bank.
निर्विघ्नां सिद्धिमाप्नोमि त्वत्प्रसादात्सरिद्वरे । इमं मंत्रं समुच्चार्य यात्राकाले विशेषतः
By your grace, O best of rivers, may I attain success without obstacles; especially at the time of the journey, one should recite this mantra.
हर्षितो निलयाद्गच्छेद्वैष्णवैः सह जैमिने । नातिवेगेन गंतव्यं न तथा च शनैः शनैः
Jaimini, one should go forth joyfully from home together with Vaishnavas; one should not go too quickly, nor too slowly.
गङ्गायात्रासु कर्त्तव्यं नान्यत्कर्म विचक्षणैः । गंगातीरे प्रयागे तु वाणिज्यप्रमुखानि च
During journeys to the Ganga, the wise should perform no other acts; at Prayaga on the bank of the Ganga, even business and similar activities,
कार्याणि कुरुते यस्तु तत्पुण्यार्द्धं विनश्यति । जन्मजन्मार्जितं पापं स्वल्पं वा यदि वा बहु
if one engages in them, half of his merit is lost; whatever sin has been accumulated over many births, whether small or great,
गंगादेवीप्रसादेन सर्वं मे यास्यति क्षयम् । इत्युक्त्वा परमप्रीतः प्राज्ञो गङ्गातटं व्रजेत्
by the grace of goddess Ganga, all of it will be destroyed for me. Having said this, the wise man, supremely pleased, should proceed to the bank of the Ganga.
दृष्ट्वा च मातरं गङ्गामिमं मंत्रमुदीरयेत् । अद्य मे सफलं जन्म जीवितं च सुजीवितम्
And upon seeing mother Ganga, he should recite this mantra: 'Today my birth is fruitful, and my life has been well lived.'