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TEXT 9
tathaivalakananda daksinena brahma-sadanad bahuni giri-kutany atikramya hemakutad dhaimakutany ati-rabhasatara-ramhasa luthayanti bharatam abhivarsam daksinasyam disi jaladhim abhipravisati yasyam snanartham cagacchatah pumsah pade pade svamedha-rajasuyadinam phalam na durlabham iti.
SYNONYMS
tatha evasimilarly; alakanandathe branch known as Alakananda; daksinenaby the southern side; brahma-sadanatfrom the city known as Brahmapuri; bahunimany; giri-kutanithe tops of mountains; atikramyacrossing over; hemakutatfrom Hemakuta Mountain; haimakutaniand Himakuta; ati-rabhasataramore fiercely; ramhasawith great force; luthayantiplundering; bharatam abhivarsamon all sides of Bharata-varsa; daksinasyamin the southern; disidirection; jaladhimthe ocean of salt water; abhipravisatienters into; yasyamin which; snana-arthamfor bathing; caand; agacchatahof one who is coming; pumsaha person; pade padeat every step; asvamedha-rajasuya-adinamof great sacrifices like the Asvamedha yajna and Rajasuya yajna; phalamthe result; nanot; durlabhamvery difficult to obtain; itithus.
TRANSLATION
Similarly, the branch of the Ganges known as Alakananda flows from the southern side of Brahmapuri [Brahma-sadana]. Passing over the tops of mountains in various lands, it falls down with fierce force upon the peaks of the mountains Hemakuta and Himakuta. After inundating the tops of those mountains, the Ganges falls down onto the tract of land known as Bharata-varsa, which she also inundates. Then the Ganges flows into the ocean of salt water in the south. Persons who come to bathe in this river are fortunate. It is not very difficult for them to achieve with every step the results of performing great sacrifices like the Rajasuya and Asvamedha yajnas.
PURPORT
The place where the Ganges flows into the salt water of the Bay of Bengal is still known as Ganga-sagara, or the meeting place of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal. On Makara-sankranti, in the month of JanuaryFebruary, thousands of people still go there to bathe, hoping to be liberated. That they can actually be liberated in this way is confirmed herein. For those who bathe in the Ganges at any time, the results of great sacrifices like the Asvamedha and Rajasuya yajnas are not at all difficult to achieve. Most people in India are still inclined to bathe in the Ganges, and there are many places where they can do so. At Prayaga (Allahabad), many thousands of people gather during the month of January to bathe in the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna. Afterward, many of them go to the confluence of the Bay of Bengal and the Ganges to take bath there. Thus it is a special facility for all the people of India that they can bathe in the water of the Ganges at so many places of pilgrimage.
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