Text 41
mahattvaṁ gaṅgāyāḥ satatam idam ābhāti nitarāṁ
yad eṣā śrī-viṣṇoś caraṇa-kamalotpatti-subhagā
dvitīya-śrī-lakṣmīr iva sura-narair arcya-caraṇā
bhavānī-bhartur yā śirasi vibhavaty adbhuta-guṇā
mahattvam — greatness; gaṅgāyāḥ — of mother Ganges; satatam — always; idam — this; ābhāti — shines; nitarām — without comparison; yat — because; eṣā — she; śrī-viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; caraṇa — feet; kamala — lotus flower; utpatti — generation; subhagā — fortunate; dvitīya — second; śrī — beautiful; lakṣmīḥ — goddess of fortune; iva — like; sura-naraiḥ — by demigods and human beings; arcya — worshipable; caraṇā — feet; bhavānī — of goddess Durgā; bhartuḥ — of the husband; yā — she; śirasi — on the head; vibhavati — flourishes; adbhuta — wonderful; guṇā — qualities.
“ ‘The greatness of mother Ganges always brilliantly exists. She is the most fortunate because she emanated from the lotus feet of Śrī Viṣṇu, the Personality of Godhead. She is a second goddess of fortune, and therefore she is always worshiped both by demigods and by humanity. endowed with all wonderful qualities, she flourishes on the head of Lord Śiva.’ ”