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.
प्रदक्षिणं प्रकुर्वाणा नानावनविभूषिता। प्रविष्टा पश्विमसरः सितोदं विमलोदकम् ।। ४२.
Circling around, adorned with various forests, she entered the western lake, Sitoda, whose waters are pure and clear.
सा सितोदाद्विनिष्क्रान्ता सुपक्षं पर्व्वतं गता। सुपक्षतस्तु पुण्योदात्ततो देवर्षिसेविता ।। ४२.
Departing from Sitoda, she reached the mountain Supaksha; from Supaksha, she flowed to Punyoda, then to the place attended by divine sages.
सुपक्षकूटतटगा तस्माच्च संशितोदका। निपपात महाभागा रमण्यं शिखिपर्व्वतम् ।। ४२.
From the ridge of Supaksha, her waters purified, she, the most fortunate, descended to the delightful mountain Shikhi.
शिखेश्च पर्वतात् कङ्कं कङ्काद्वैदूर्य्यपर्व्वतम्। वैदूर्य्यात् कपिलं शैलं तस्माच्च गन्धमादनम् ।। ४२.
From the mountain Shikhi, she went to Kanka; from Kanka to the mountain Vaidurya; from Vaidurya to the mountain Kapila, and from there to Gandhamadana.
तस्माद्गिरिवरात् प्राप्ता पिञ्जरं वरपर्व्वतम्। पिञ्जरात् सरसं याता तस्माच्च कुमुदाचलम् ।। ४२.
From that great mountain, she reached Pinjara, the excellent mountain; from Pinjara, she went to the lake, and from there to Kumuda mountain.
मधुमन्तं जनञ्चैव मुकुटञ्च शिलोच्चयम्। मुकुटाच्छैलशिखरात् कृष्णं याता महागिरिम् ।। ४२.
She entered Madhumanta, Janana, Mukuta, and the mountain peaks; from the summit of Mukuta, she went to Krishna, the great mountain.
कृष्णात् श्वेतं महाशैलं महानगनिषेवितम्। श्वेतात् सहस्रशिखरं शैलेन्द्रं पतिता पुनः ।। ४२.
From Krishna, she went to Shveta, the great mountain, attended by many cities; from Shveta, she again descended to Sahasrashikhara, the lord of mountains.
अनेकाभिः स्रवन्तीभिराप्यायितजला शिवा । एवं शैलसहस्राणि सादयन्ती महानदी। पारिजाते महाशैले निपपाताशुगामिनी ।। ४२.
Filled by many streams, her waters pure, she, the auspicious great river, traversed thousands of mountains, and swiftly descended to Parijata, the great mountain.
अनेकनिर्झरनदी गुहासानुषु राजते। तस्य कुक्षिष्वनेकासु भ्रान्ततोया तरङ्गिणी ।। ४२.
With many waterfalls and rivers, she shines on the slopes and caves; in her depths, her waters wander among countless currents.
व्याहन्यमानसंवेगा गण्डशैलैरनेकशः। संविद्यमानसलिला गता च धरणीतले ।। ४२.
Struck repeatedly by many mountain ridges, her waters scattered, she reached the surface of the earth.