अथ ज्येष्ठां सुराः सर्वे देवकार्यचिकीर्षया। शैलेन्द्र वरयामासुर्गङ्गां त्रिपथगां नदीम्॥ ददौ धर्मेण हिमवांस्तनयां लोकपावनीम्। स्वच्छन्दपथगां गङ्गां त्रैलोक्यहितकाम्यया॥ प्रतिगृह्य त्रिलोकार्थं त्रिलोकहितकाङ्क्षिणः। गङ्गामादाय तेऽगच्छन् कृतार्थेनान्तरात्मना॥
atha jyeṣṭhāṃ surāḥ sarve devakāryacikīrṣayā| śailendra varayāmāsurgaṅgāṃ tripathagāṃ nadīm|| dadau dharmeṇa himavāṃstanayāṃ lokapāvanīm| svacchandapathagāṃ gaṅgāṃ trailokyahitakāmyayā|| pratigṛhya trilokārthaṃ trilokahitakāṅkṣiṇaḥ| gaṅgāmādāya te'gacchan kṛtārthenāntarātmanā||
English Meaning
And it came to pass that once upon a time, the deities, with the view of accomplishing some work appertaining to them as divine beings, in a body besought that foremost of mountains for that river flowing in three worlds, Himavat in obedience to duty, conferred upon them his daughter flowing everywhere at will, and sanctifying all creatures. Thereat in the interests of the three worlds, accepting her, those having the welfare of the three worlds, at heart, went away with Ganga, considering themselves as having attained their desire.
— M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)