सीता नाम महा पुण्या नदीनां प्रवरा नदी। सा निकुञ्जनिरुद्धा तु अनेकाभोगगामिनी ।। ४२.
Named Sītā, the most meritorious and foremost among rivers, she is obstructed by groves and flows along many courses.
शीतान्ताशिखराद्भ्रष्टा सुकुञ्जे वरपर्वते। निपपात महाभागा तस्मादपि सुमञ्जसम् ।। ४२.
Falling from the peak of Śītānta, in a beautiful grove on the excellent mountain, the blessed river descended, and from there to Sumañjasa.
तस्मान्माल्यवतं शैलं भावयन्ती वरापगा। वैकङ्कं समनुप्राप्ता वैकङ्कान्मणिपर्वतम्। मणिपर्वतान्महाशैलं ऋषभं नैककन्दरम् ।। ४२.
From there, the excellent river, nourishing the Mālyavat mountain, reached Vaikaṅka, then Maṇiparvata, and from Maṇiparvata to the great mountain Ṛṣabha, with its many caves.
एवं शैलसहस्राणि दारयन्ती महानदी। पतिताऽथ महाशैले जठरे सिद्धसेविते ।। ४२.
Thus, splitting thousands of mountains, the great river fell into the great mountain's hollow, frequented by Siddhas.
तस्मादपि महाशैलं देवकूटं तरङ्गिणी। तस्य कुक्षिसमुद्रान्ता क्रमेण पृथिवीं गता ।। ४२.
Therefore, from that great mountain, Devakūṭa, the river flowed; its waters gradually reached the earth from the depths of its belly.
सैवं स्थलीसहस्राणि शैलराजशतानि च। वनानि च विचित्राणि सरांसि विविधानि च ।। ४२.
Thus, thousands of plains, hundreds of kingly mountains, wondrous forests, and various lakes were traversed.
स्रावयन्ती महाभागा विस्फारेष्ववलीकदा। नदी सहस्रानुगता प्रवृत्ता च महानदी ।। ४२.
The blessed river, accompanied by thousands of streams, poured forth, swelling in its course, and became the great river.
भद्राश्वं सुमहाद्वीपं प्लावयन्ती वरापगा। प्रविष्टा ह्यर्णवं पूर्वं पूर्वे द्वीपे महानदी ।। ४२.
Flooding the vast Bhadrāśva island, the excellent river entered the eastern ocean, having first flowed through the eastern continent.
दक्षिणेऽपि प्रपन्ना या शैलेन्द्रे गन्धमादने। चित्रैः प्रपातैर्विधैर्नैकविस्फालितोदका ।। ४२.
She also reached the southern side, to the lordly mountain Gandhamādana, with many wondrous and diverse waterfalls, her waters bursting forth in many places.
तद्घन्धमादनवनं नन्दनं देवनन्दनम्। प्लावयन्ती महाभागा प्रयाता सा प्रदक्षिणम् ।। ४२.
That Gandhamādana forest, Nandana, the delight of the gods, was flooded by the blessed river, which then proceeded in a clockwise direction.
नाम्ना ह्यलकनन्देति सर्वलोकेषु विश्रुता। प्रविशत्युत्तरसरो मानसं देवमानसम् ।। ४२.
Known everywhere by the name Alakanandā, she entered the northern lake Mānasā, the divine lake of the gods.
मानसाच्छैलराजानं रम्यं त्रिशिखरं गता। त्रिकूटाच्छैलशिखरात् कलिङ्गशिखरं गता ।। ४२.
From Mānasā, she reached the beautiful three-peaked mountain; from Trikūṭa, she went to the peak of Kaliṅga.
कलिङ्गशिखराद्भ्रष्टा रुचके निपपात सा। रुचकान्निषधं प्राप्ता ताम्राभं निषधादपि ।। ४२.
Falling from the peak of Kaliṅga, she descended to Rucaka; from Rucaka, she reached Niṣadha, and from Niṣadha, Tāmrābha.
ताम्राभशिखरार्द्भ्रष्टा गता श्वेतोदरं गिरिम् । तस्मात्सुमूलं शैलेन्द्रं वसुधारञ्च पर्वतम् ।। ४२.
Falling from the peak of Tāmrābha, she went to the mountain Śvetodara; from there, to the root of the lordly mountain, and then to the Vasudhāra mountain.
हेमकूटं गता तस्माद्देवश्रृङ्गे ततो गता। तस्माद्गता महाशैलं ततश्चापि पिशाचकम् ।। ४२.
From there, she reached Hemakūṭa, then Devashṛṅga; from there, the great mountain, and then Piśācaka.
पिशाचकाच्छैलवरात् पञ्चकूटङ्गता पुनः। पञ्चकूटात्तु कैलासं देवावासं शिलोच्चयम् ।। ४२.
From Piśācaka, she went to the mountain called Pañcakūṭa; from Pañcakūṭa, she reached Kailāsa, the abode of the gods, the lofty peak.
तस्य कुक्षिषु विभ्रान्ता नैककन्दरसानुषु। हिमवत्युत्तमनदी निपपाताचलोत्तमे ।। ४२.
Wandering through its hollows and many caves, the excellent river descended upon the highest peak of Himavat.
सैवं शैलसहस्राणि दारयन्ती महानदी। स्थलीशतान्यनेकानि प्लावयन्त्याशुगाणिनी ।। ४२.
Thus, the great river split thousands of mountains, flooded countless plains, and swiftly flowed onward.
वनानाञ्च सहस्राणि कन्दराणां शतानि च । स्रावयन्ती महाभागा प्रयाता दक्षिणोदधिम् ।। ४२.
She flooded thousands of forests and hundreds of caves, the blessed river, and proceeded to the southern ocean.
रम्या योजनविस्तीर्णा शैलकुक्षिषु संवृता। याधृता देवदेवेन शङ्करेण महात्मना ।। ४२.
Beautiful and wide as a yojana, enclosed within mountain hollows, she was held by the great-souled god Śaṅkara.
पावनी द्विजशार्दूल घोराणामपि पाप्मनाम्। शङ्करस्याङ्कसंस्पर्शान्महादेवस्य धीमतः। द्विगुणं पवित्रसलिला सर्वलोके महानदी ।। ४२.
O best of twice-born, purifying even the most terrible sins, by touching the body of wise Mahādeva Śaṅkara, the river's waters became twice as pure throughout the world.
अनुशैलं समन्ताच्च निर्गता बहुभिर्मुखैः। अथोऽन्येनाभिधानेन ख्याता नद्यः सहस्रशः ।। ४२.
Emerging from all sides of the mountains, with many mouths, the river became famous by many other names, and thousands of streams.
तस्माद्धिमवतो गङ्गा गता सा तु महानदी। एवं गङ्गेति नाम्नादिप्रकाशा सिद्धसेविता ।। ४२.
Therefore, the Ganga, that great river, departed from the Himalayas; thus, she is manifest by the name 'Ganga', revered by accomplished beings.
धन्यास्ते सत्तमा देशा यत्र गङ्गा महानदी। रुद्रसाद्ध्यानिलादित्यैर्जुष्टतोया यशस्वती ।। ४२.
Blessed are those noble lands where the Ganga, the great river, flows; her waters are honored by Rudra, Siddhas, Anila, and Aditya, and she is renowned.
महापादं प्रवक्ष्यामि मेरोरपि हि पश्चिमम्। नानारत्नाकारं पुण्यं पुण्यकृद्भिर्निषेवितम् ।। ४२.
I shall now describe the great region to the west of Meru, rich with various gems, sacred, and frequented by the virtuous.
विपुलं शैलराजानं विपुलोदरकन्दरम् । नितम्बकुञ्ज कटकैर्विमलैर्म्मण्डितोदरम् ।। ४२.
The vast mountain king, with broad caves and valleys, adorned with pure groves and clear slopes, displays a splendid expanse.
अपि या त्र्यम्बकस्यैषा त्रिदशैः सेवितोदका। वायुवेगा गताभोगा लतेव भ्रामिता पुनः ।। ४२.
This river, whose waters are served by the gods and by Tryambaka, moved by the force of the wind, circles like a vine, again whirling onward.
मेरुकूटतटाद्भ्रष्टा प्रहतैः स्वादितोदका। विस्तीर्य्यमाणसलिला निर्म्मलांशुकसन्निभा ।। ४२.
Falling from the ridge of Meru, her waters struck and tasted, she spreads out, her stream pure and shining like a spotless garment.
तस्य कूटेऽम्बरनदी सिद्धचारणसेविता । प्रदक्षिणमथावृत्य पतिता सा तु गामिनी ।। ४२.
On that peak, the celestial river, attended by Siddhas and Charanas, after circling around, descended as a flowing stream.
देवभ्राजं महाभ्राजं सवैभ्राजं महावनम्। प्लावयन्ती महाभागा नानापुष्पफलोदका ।। ४२.
Flooding the radiant, great, and Vaibhraja forests, she, the most fortunate, waters with diverse flowers, fruits, and streams.