She leads creatures very quickly to heaven. She bears away a large
volume of water. She bestows great fame on all. She is the protectress of
the universe.[245] She is identical with every form. She is very much
coveted by persons crowned with success. Verily, Ganga is the path to
Heaven of those that have bathed in her current.[246] The Brahmanas hold
Ganga as equalling the Earth in forgiveness, and in the protection and
upholding of those that live by her; further, as equalling Fire and Surya
in energy and splendour; and, lastly, as always equalling Guha himself in
the matter of showing favours unto the regenerate class.[247] Those men
who, in this life, even mentally seek with their whole souls that sacred
stream which is praised by the Rishis, which has issued out of the feet
of Vishnu, which is very ancient, and which is exceedingly sacred,
succeed in repairing to the regions of Brahman. Fully convinced that
children and other possessions, as also regions possessed by every kind
of felicity, are transitory or liable to destruction, men of subdued
souls, who are desirous of attaining to that everlasting station which is
identical with Brahma, always pay their adorations to Ganga with that
reverence and love which are due from a son to mother. The men of
cleansed soul who is desirous of achieving success should seek the
protection of Ganga who is like a cow that yields Amrita instead of
ordinary milk, who is prosperity's self, who is possessed of omniscience,
who exists for the entire universe of creatures, who is the source of all
kinds of food, who is the mother of all mountains, who is the refuge of
all righteous persons, who is immeasurable in puissance and energy, and
who charms the heart of Brahma himself. Having, with austere penances,
gratified all the deities with the Supreme Lord (Vishnu), Bhagiratha
brought Ganga down on the Earth. Repairing unto her, men always succeed
in freeing themselves from every kind of fear both here and hereafter.
Observing with the aid of intelligence, I have mentioned to thee only a
small part of the merits of Ganga. My power, however, is inadequate to
speak of all the merits of the sacred river, or, indeed, to measure her
puissance and sanctity. One may, by putting forth one's best powers,
count the stones that occur in the mountains of Meru or measure the
waters that occur in the ocean, but one cannot count all the merits which
belong to the waters of Ganga. Hence, having listened