अतो मधुपुरी श्रेष्ठा यमुना च विशेषतः
Therefore, Madhupurī is the best, and especially the Yamunā.
द्वारावती ततः श्रेष्ठा प्रत्यहं स्नाति केशवः
After that, Dvārāvatī is supreme, where Keśava bathes every day.
द्वारकायां मृत्तिकायास्तिलको येन मस्तके द्वारकास्नानमाहात्म्यं न वक्तुं शक्यते मया
He who marks his forehead with clay from Dvārakā—its greatness as a place of bathing cannot be described by me.
गोविंदार्पितचित्तानां जायते पुण्यभास्करा
For those whose minds are devoted to Govinda, a sun of merit arises.
तस्माद्दशगुणं पुण्यं तीर्थराजेऽत्र जायते
Therefore, tenfold merit is produced here at the king of sacred fords.
कलौ दशसहस्रांऽते विष्णुस्त्यक्ष्यति मेदिनीम्
At the end of ten thousand years in the Kali age, Viṣṇu will leave the earth.
यावत्तिष्ठति गंगाऽत्र तावत्तीर्थानि संति च
As long as the Gaṅgā remains here, so long do the sacred fords exist.
यदैव गंगा नष्टा स्यात्को वा तत्पापमाहरेत् 2.4.4.
When the Gaṅgā is lost, who then can remove that sin?
तस्मान्मुनीश्वराः सर्वे यावत्तिष्ठति जाह्नवी
Therefore, all great sages, as long as the Jāhnavī remains,
समाधिं गृह्य सुदृढां यावत्कृतयुगं भवेत्
Should enter into firm meditation until the age of Kṛta returns.
ततः श्रेष्ठतरा काशी यस्या नाशो न जायते
Then there is Kāśī, the most excellent, whose destruction never occurs.
काशिकाया नैव नाशो ब्रह्मण्यपि मृते सति तस्यां पंचनदं तीर्थं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्
There is never any destruction of Kāśī, not even when Brahmā dies; in her is the Pañcanada tīrtha, renowned in the three worlds.
आगते कार्तिके मासि रौरवं नरकं गताः
When the month of Kārtika arrives, those who have gone to the Raurava hell—
कश्चिद्भाग्यवतां श्रेष्ठो गत्वा पंचनदे शुभे
Someone among the most fortunate, having gone to the auspicious Pañcanada—
तीर्थराजादितीर्थानि प्राप्ते कार्तिकमासके
When the month of Kārtika arrives, all the tīrthas, beginning with Tīrtharāja, are present.
कृत्वा तु लक्षपापानि स्नात्वा पंचनदे शुभे
Even having committed a hundred thousand sins, by bathing in the auspicious Pañcanada—
यैः स्नातं कार्तिके मासि सकृत्पंचनदे शुभे
Those who have bathed even once in the auspicious Pañcanada during the month of Kārtika—
तावता वै विमुक्ताऽघो विष्णुसायुज्यमाप्नुयात् ।। 2.4.4.
By that alone, one is freed from sin and attains union with Viṣṇu.
कावेर्य्याश्चैव माहात्म्यं को वदेत्परमुत्तमम्
Who indeed can tell the supreme and excellent greatness of the Kāverī?
कावेर्या विषये ब्रह्मन्सावधानमनाः शृणु
O Brahman, listen attentively concerning the region of the Kāverī.
गंगा त्रैलोक्यपापघ्नी वर्तते लोकपूजिता
The Gaṅgā, destroyer of the sins of the three worlds, exists, honored by all people.
सर्वलोकाः समागत्य मयि पापं त्यजंति हि
All the worlds, having assembled, indeed cast off their sin in me.
प्रष्टुं जगाम कैलासं गिरिजावल्लभं भवम्
He went to Kailāsa to ask Bhava, the beloved of Girijā.
सर्वे लोकाः समागत्य मयि पापं त्यजंति हि
All the worlds, having assembled, indeed cast off their sin in me.
तत्पापं तु मया सोढुं न शक्यं पार्वतीपते
O Lord of Pārvatī, I am not able to endure that sin.
एवं गंगावचः श्रुत्वा प्रत्याह परमेश्वरः रुद्र उवाच पापनिर्हरणायादौ पद्मनाभांघ्रिपंकजात्
Having heard these words of Gaṅgā, the supreme Lord replied—Rudra spoke: 'For the removal of sin at first, from the lotus feet of Padmanābha—'
प्रादुर्भूताऽसि त्वं देवि किमर्थं तप्यते त्वया
You have appeared, O goddess; why are you afflicted by austerity?
तथाऽपि पापनिर्हार उपायं ते ब्रवीम्यहम् 2.4.4.
Nevertheless, I shall tell you a means for the removal of sin.
सर्वोत्कृष्टा च सर्वेषां हरेर्बलवशात्तु सा
She is the most excellent among all, yet by the power of Hari she is subdued.
कार्तिके मासि कावेर्यां यः स्नानं कुरुते नरः
Whoever bathes in the Kaveri during the month of Kartika,