भूतं भावि भवच्चापि संशयं मा वृथा कृथाः
Past, future, and present—do not entertain unnecessary doubt.
पार्वतीनंदन पुनर्द्युनद्याः परितो वद
O son of Pārvatī, tell me again in detail about the celestial river.
स्कंद उवाच शुणु त्रिपथगामिन्या माहात्म्यं पातकापहम्
Skanda said: Hear the greatness of the river that flows in three courses, which removes sins.
त्रिस्रोतसं समासाद्य सकृत्पिंडान्ददाति यः
Whoever, having reached the triple-stream, offers a single ball of food—
यावंतश्च तिला मर्त्यैर्गृहीता पितृकर्मणि
As many sesame seeds as are taken by mortals in the rites for the ancestors—
देवाः सपितरो यस्माद्गंगायां सर्वदा स्थिताः
Because the gods together with the ancestors always dwell in the Ganga—
पितृवंशे मृता ये च मातृवंशे तथैव च 4.1.28.
Those who have died in the paternal line, and likewise in the maternal line,
अजातदंता ये केचिद्ये च गर्भे प्रपीडिताः
Whoever are toothless at birth, and those who were afflicted in the womb,
उद्बंधन मृता ये च पतिता आत्मघातकाः
Those who died at birth, those who fell, and those who took their own lives,
रसविक्रयिणो ये च ये चान्ये पापरोगिणः
Those who sold liquor, and others afflicted by evil diseases,
असिपत्रवने ये च कुंभीपाके च ये गताः
Those who have gone to the sword-leaf forest and to the Kumbhipaka hell,
जात्यंतरसहस्रेषु भ्राम्यंते ये स्वकर्मभिः
Those who wander through thousands of different births because of their own actions,
योनिं गतास्त्वसंख्याताः संख्यातानामशोभनाः
Those who have entered countless wombs, and those whose births are known and inauspicious,
येऽबांधवा बांधवा वा येऽन्यजन्मनि बांधवाः
Those who are without kin, or who are kin, or who were kin in another life,
विषेण च मृता वै ये ये वै शृंगिभिराहताः
Those who have died by poison, and those struck by horned animals,
स्त्री बालघातका ये च ये च विश्वासघातकाः
Those who have killed women or children, and those who have betrayed trust,
अश्वविक्रयिणो ये च परद्रव्यहराश्च ये 4.1.28.
Those who sold horses, and those who have taken the wealth of others,
तर्पिता जाह्नवीतोयैर्नरेण विधिना सकृत्
All these, when satisfied by the waters of Jahnavi by a man, according to the rite, even once,
एतान्मंत्रान्समुच्चार्य यः कुर्यात्पितृतर्पणम्
Whoever, reciting these mantras, performs the ancestral offering—
कामप्रदानि तीर्थानि त्रैलोक्ये यानि कानिचित्
Whatever sacred fords there are in the three worlds that grant desires—
स्वःसिंधुः सर्वतः पुण्या ब्रह्महत्यापहारिणी
The heavenly river is holy everywhere and removes the sin of killing a Brahmin.
गायंति गाथामेतां वै दैवर्षिपितरोगणाः
Indeed, the hosts of gods, sages, and ancestors sing this very verse.
यत्रत्यामृतसंतृप्तास्तापत्रितयवर्जिताः
There, satisfied as if with nectar, they are free from the threefold afflictions.
गंगैव केवला मुक्त्यै निर्णीता परितो हरे
O Hari, only the Ganga has been determined as the sole means of liberation everywhere.
ज्ञात्वा कलियुगं घोरं गंगाभक्तिः सुगोपिता
Knowing the dreadful Kali age, devotion to Ganga has been carefully concealed.
अनेकजन्मनियुतं भ्राम्यमाणस्तु योनिषु
One who wanders through countless thousands of births in various wombs,
नराणामल्पबुद्धीनामेनो विक्षिप्तचेतसाम् 4.1.28.
Among men of little understanding and minds disturbed by sin,
खंडस्फुटितसंस्कारं गंगातीरे करोति यः
Whoever performs the funeral rites, even if incomplete or broken, on the bank of the Ganga,
गंतुमुद्दिश्य यो गंगां परार्थस्वार्थमेव वा
Whoever approaches the Ganga with the intention to go, whether for another or for oneself,
सर्वाणि येषां गांगेयैस्तोयैः कृत्यानि देहिनाम्
For those whose rites for embodied beings are performed with Ganga water,