Text 5] Manifestation of Brahma from Garbhodakaéayi Visnu 307
svar-dhunyudardrath svajata-kalapair
upasprsantas caranopadhanam
padmam yad arcanty aht-raja-kanyah
sa-prema nana-balibhir vararthah

svah-dhuni-uda—by the water of the Ganges; drdraih—being moistened;
svajata—bunch of hairs; kalapaih—situated on the head; upasprsantah—by
so touching; carana-upadhanam-—the shelter of His feet; padmam-— the lotus
shelter; yal—that which; arcanti— worships; aht-raja—the serpent king:
kanyah—daughters; sa-prema—with great devotion; nana— various; balibhih—
paraphernalia; vara-arthah—being desirous of husbands.

TRANSLATION

The sages came from the highest planets down to the lower region
through the water of the Ganges, and therefore the hair on their heads
was wet. They touched the lotus feet of the Lord, which are worshiped
with various paraphernalia by the daughters of the serpent king when they
desire good husbands.

PURPORT

The Ganges water flows directly from the lotus feet of Visnu, and its
course runs from the highest planet of the universe down to the lowest.
The sages came down from Satyaloka by taking advantage of the flowing
water, a process of transportation made possible by the power of mystic
yoga. Hf a river flows thousands and thousands of miles, a perfect yogi can
al once transport himself from one place to another simply by dipping in
its water. The Ganges is the only celestial river which flows throughout the
universe, and great sages travel all over the universe via this sacred river.
The statement that their hair was wet indicates that it was directly
moistened by the water originating from the lotus feet of Visnu (the
Ganges). Whoever touches the water of the Ganges to his head surely
touches the lotus feet of the Lord directly and can become free from all
effects of sinful acts. If after taking a bath in the Ganges or being washed
of all sins, a man guards himself against committing further sinful acts,
then certainly he is delivered. But if he again takes up sinful activities, his
bath in the Ganges is as good as that of the elephant, who nicely takes his
bath in a river but later spoils the whole thing by covering himself with
dust on the land.
