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.'
साक्षाद्ब्रह्मस्वरूपां त्वामपश्यमिति चक्षुषा । देवि त्वद्दर्शनादेव महापातकिनो मम
I beheld you directly as the embodiment of Brahman with my own eyes, O Goddess; by your vision alone, my great sins have been destroyed.
विनष्टमभवत्पापं जन्मकोटिसमुद्भवम् । इत्युक्त्वा सकलं देहं निपात्य पृथिवीतले
The sin arising from millions of births was annihilated; having spoken thus, he cast his entire body upon the earth.
प्रणमेज्जाह्नवीं देवीं भक्तिभावसमन्वितः । ततः स्रोतःसमीपे च बद्धाञ्जलिरिमं पुनः
He bowed to the Goddess Jahnavi, filled with devotion; then, near the stream, with hands joined, he again
पठेन्मंत्रं भक्तिभावैः सुप्रीतो द्विजसत्तम । गंगे देवि जगद्धात्रि पादाभ्यां सलिलं तव
Recited the mantra with devotion, greatly pleased, O best of twice-born; 'O Ganga, Goddess, Mother of the world, with your feet's water'
स्पृशामीत्यपराधं मे प्रसन्ना क्षंतुमर्हसि । स्वर्गारोहणसोपानं त्वदीयमुदकं शुभे
'I touch, so may you kindly forgive my offense; your pure water, O auspicious one, is the stairway to ascent to heaven.'
अतः स्पृशामि पादाभ्यां गंगे देवि नमो नमः । ततस्तु मस्तके धृत्वा गांगेयं वारि भक्तितः
'Therefore I touch your feet, O Ganga, Goddess, obeisance to you again and again.' Then, with devotion, he placed Ganga's water upon his head.
स्नानार्थं प्रविशेत्स्रोतः प्राज्ञो गंगेति कीर्तयन् । त्वत्कर्दमैरतिस्निग्धैः सर्वपापप्रणाशनैः
For the purpose of bathing, the wise one enters the stream, chanting 'Ganga'; with your exceedingly smooth mud, which destroys all sins,
मया संलिप्यते गात्रं मातर्मे हर पातकम् । गङ्गाकर्दमलिप्ताङ्गो गङ्गागङ्गेति कीर्तयन्
My body is smeared, O Mother, remove my sin; smeared with Ganga's mud, chanting 'Ganga, Ganga,'
सर्वकल्मषनाशिन्यां गङ्गायां स्नानमाचरेत् । भूयः पूर्वोक्तमन्त्रेण गृहीत्वा मृत्तिकां ततः
He should bathe in Ganga, which destroys all impurities; then, as previously instructed, he should take clay.
वक्ष्यमाणेन मन्त्रेण गृहीत्वा मृत्तिकां पुनः । वक्ष्यमाणेन मंत्रेण भक्तितः स्नानमाचरेत्
Taking clay again with the mantra to be spoken, he should bathe with devotion, using the prescribed mantra.
ब्रह्मस्वरूपे हे गङ्गे स्नानमाचर्यते मया । त्वदीये निर्मले तोये यथोक्तफलदा भव
O Ganga, embodiment of Brahman, I perform the bath; in your pure water, grant the fruit as declared.
ततो निजेच्छया विप्र गङ्गायां लोकमातरि । स्नानं समाचरेत्प्राज्ञो गङ्गानारायणं स्मरन्
Then, by his own will, O Brahmin, the wise one should bathe in Ganga, Mother of the world, remembering Ganga-Narayana.
एवं स्नात्वा तु गङ्गायां गात्रं वस्त्रेण मार्जयेत् । परिधेयांबरांबूनि गङ्गास्रोतसि न त्यजेत्
Having thus bathed in Ganga, he should wipe his body with cloth; garments and water used for bathing should not be left in Ganga's stream.
न दंतधावनं कुर्याद्गङ्गागर्भे विचक्षणः । कुर्याच्चेन्मोहतः पुण्यं न गङ्गास्नानजं लभेत्
One should not brush the teeth within Ganga's waters, O wise one; if done out of ignorance, the merit of Ganga-bathing is not obtained.
प्रभातेऽन्यत्र तां कृत्वा दंतकाष्ठादिकक्रियाम् । रात्रिवासं परित्यज्य गङ्गायां स्नानमाचरेत्
In the morning, one should perform tooth-brushing and similar acts elsewhere; abandoning the night's dwelling, one should bathe in Ganga.
बाह्यभूमिमगत्वा यो गङ्गायां स्नानमाचरेत् । गङ्गास्नानफलं सोऽपि संपूर्णं च लभेन्नहि
One who bathes in Ganga without stepping onto external ground does not attain the full fruit of Ganga-bathing.
स्नात्वा च गङ्गामृत्पुंड्रं स्थाने स्थाने नयेद्बुधः । ततः स्थिरमनाः कुर्याद्विधिना तर्पणादिकम्
Having bathed, the wise one should apply Ganga clay at various places on the body; then, with steady mind, he should perform tarpan and other rites according to the rule.
गाङ्गेयैरुदकैर्यस्तु कुरुते पितृतर्पणम् । पितरस्तस्य तृप्यंति वर्षकोटिशतावधि
He who offers tarpan to the ancestors with Ganga water, his ancestors are satisfied for hundreds of millions of years.
गङ्गायां कुरुते यस्तु पितृश्राद्धं द्विजोत्तम । पितरस्तस्य तिष्ठंति संतुष्टास्त्रिदशालयम् ५० 7.9.
Whoever, O best of twice-born, performs ancestral rites for their forefathers on the Ganga, their ancestors remain content in the abode of the gods.
समाप्य स्नानकर्माणि गङ्गायां समुपोषितः । दानं देवार्चनं चैव जयोऽन्याश्च क्रियास्तथा । कृतास्तु यास्तु गङ्गायां क्षयस्तासां न विद्यते
Having completed the bathing rituals in the Ganga and observed a fast, acts of charity, worship of the gods, victory, and other rites performed there never perish.