Bhagiratha's Penance for the Ganga

Verse 1 (3.108.1)

स तु राजा महेष्वासश्चक्रवर्ती महारथः । बभूव सर्वलोकस्य मनोनयननन्दनः ॥

sa tu rājā maheṣvāsaścakravartī mahārathaḥ | babhūva sarvalokasya manonayananandanaḥ

That king, a great archer, a universal sovereign and a mighty chariot-warrior, became the delight of the hearts and eyes of all the world.

Note on the text: Corrected सर्वलोकस् → सर्वलोकस्य (misprint in Wikisource with a dropped akshara; critical edition sarvalokasya).

Verse 2 (3.108.2)

स शुश्राव महाबाहुः कपिलेन महात्मना । पितॄणां निधनं घोरमप्राप्तिं त्रिदिवस्य च ॥

sa śuśrāva mahābāhuḥ kapilena mahātmanā | pitṝṇāṃ nidhanaṃ ghoramaprāptiṃ tridivasya ca

The mighty-armed king heard of the terrible death of his forefathers at the hands of the great-souled Kapila, and that they had not reached heaven.

Note on the text: Corrected पितॄणआं → पितॄणां (misprint in Wikisource; critical edition pitṝṇāṃ).

Verse 3 (3.108.3)

स राज्यं सचिवे न्यस्य हृदयेन विदूयता । जगाम हिमवत्पार्श्वं तपस्तप्तुं नरेश्वरः ॥

sa rājyaṃ sacive nyasya hṛdayena vidūyatā | jagāma himavatpārśvaṃ tapastaptuṃ nareśvaraḥ

With an aching heart the lord of men left the kingdom in a minister's charge and went to the flank of the Himalaya to practise austerities.

Verse 4 (3.108.4)

आरिराधयिषुर्गङ्गां तपसा दग्धकिल्विषः । सोऽपश्यत नरश्रेष्ठ हिमवन्तं नगोत्तमम् ॥

ārirādhayiṣurgaṅgāṃ tapasā dagdhakilviṣaḥ | so'paśyata naraśreṣṭha himavantaṃ nagottamam

Seeking to win over the Ganga, his sins burned away by austerity, he beheld, O best of men, the Himalaya, best of mountains,

Note on the text: Corrected नर्रेष्ठ → नरश्रेष्ठ (misprint in Wikisource; critical edition naraśreṣṭha).

Verse 5 (3.108.5)

शृङ्गैर्बहुविधाकारैर्धातुमद्भिरलंकृतम् । पवनालम्बिभिर्मेघैः परिषिक्तं समन्ततः ॥

śṛṅgairbahuvidhākārairdhātumadbhiralaṃkṛtam | pavanālambibhirmeghaiḥ pariṣiktaṃ samantataḥ

adorned with peaks of many shapes, rich in ores, and sprinkled all around by clouds borne on the wind;

Note on the text: Corrected परिपिक्तं → परिषिक्तं (misprint in Wikisource, which often prints प for ष in this stretch; "sprinkled all around"). The critical edition reads pariṣvaktaṃ "embraced", a variant.

Verse 6 (3.108.6)

नदीकुञ्जनितम्बैश्च सोदकैरुपशोभितम् । गुहाकन्दरसंलीनसिंहव्याघ्रनिषेवितम् ॥

nadīkuñjanitambaiśca sodakairupaśobhitam | guhākandarasaṃlīnasiṃhavyāghraniṣevitam

graced with river-groves and well-watered slopes, and haunted by lions and tigers hidden in its caves and grottoes;

Verse 7 (3.108.7)

शकुनैश्च विचित्राङ्गैः कूजद्भिर्विविधा गिरः । भृङ्गराजैस्तथा हंसैर्दात्यूहैर्जलकुक्कुटैः ॥

śakunaiśca vicitrāṅgaiḥ kūjadbhirvividhā giraḥ | bhṛṅgarājaistathā haṃsairdātyūhairjalakukkuṭaiḥ

with birds of bright plumage calling in many voices: bhringaraja birds, swans, gallinules and water-fowl,

Verse 8 (3.108.8)

मयूरैः शतपत्रैश्च जीवंजीवककोकिलैः । चकोरैरसितापाङ्गैस्तथा पुत्रप्रियैरपि ॥

mayūraiḥ śatapatraiśca jīvaṃjīvakakokilaiḥ | cakorairasitāpāṅgaistathā putrapriyairapi

peacocks, shatapatra birds, jivamjivaka birds and cuckoos, chakora birds with dark-cornered eyes, and putrapriya birds as well;

Verse 9 (3.108.9)

जलस्थानेषु रम्येषु पद्मिनीभिश्च संकुलम् । सारसानां च मधुरैर्व्याहृतैः समलंकृतम् ॥

jalasthāneṣu ramyeṣu padminībhiśca saṃkulam | sārasānāṃ ca madhurairvyāhṛtaiḥ samalaṃkṛtam

crowded with lotus ponds in its lovely watering places and adorned with the sweet cries of cranes;

Verse 10 (3.108.10)

किन्नरैरप्सरोभिश्च निषेवितशिलातलम् । दिग्वारणविषाणाग्रैः समन्ताद्घृष्टपादपम् ॥

kinnarairapsarobhiśca niṣevitaśilātalam | digvāraṇaviṣāṇāgraiḥ samantādghṛṣṭapādapam

its rock-slabs frequented by Kinnaras and Apsarases, its trees scraped all around by the tusk-tips of the elephants of the quarters;

Note on the text: Corrected समन्ताद्धृष्टपादपम् → समन्ताद्घृष्टपादपम् (misprint in Wikisource, ध for घ; trees "scraped" by the elephants' tusks, critical edition ghṛṣṭapādapam).

Verse 11 (3.108.11)

विद्याधरानुचरितं नानारत्नसमाकुलम् । विषोल्वणैर्भुजङ्गैश्च दीप्तजिह्वैर्निषेवितम् ॥

vidyādharānucaritaṃ nānāratnasamākulam | viṣolvaṇairbhujaṅgaiśca dīptajihvairniṣevitam

roamed by Vidyadharas, filled with jewels of many kinds, and haunted by serpents with flaming tongues, swollen with venom.

Note on the text: Corrected दीप्ताजिह्वैर् → दीप्तजिह्वैर् (misprint in Wikisource; critical edition dīptajihvair).

Verse 12 (3.108.12)

क्वचित्कनकसंकाशं क्वचिद्रजतसंनिभम् । क्वचिदञ्जनपुञ्जाभं हिमवन्तमुपागमत् ॥

kvacitkanakasaṃkāśaṃ kvacidrajatasaṃnibham | kvacidañjanapuñjābhaṃ himavantamupāgamat

In places it gleamed like gold, in places like silver, in places like a heap of collyrium: such was the Himalaya he came to.

Note on the text: Corrected हिमवनतम् → हिमवन्तम् (misprint in Wikisource; critical edition himavantam).

Verse 13 (3.108.13)

स तु तत्र नरश्रेष्ठस्तपो घोरं समाश्रितः । फलमूलाम्बुसंभक्षः सहस्रपरिवत्सरान् ॥

sa tu tatra naraśreṣṭhastapo ghoraṃ samāśritaḥ | phalamūlāmbusaṃbhakṣaḥ sahasraparivatsarān

There that best of men gave himself to fierce austerity, living on fruit, roots and water for a thousand years.

Note on the text: Corrected तत्रनरश्रेष्ठस् → तत्र नरश्रेष्ठस् (missing word space in Wikisource).

Verse 14 (3.108.14)

संवत्सरसहस्रे तु गते दिव्ये महानदी । दर्शयामास तं गङ्गा तदा मूर्तिमती स्वयम् ॥

saṃvatsarasahasre tu gate divye mahānadī | darśayāmāsa taṃ gaṅgā tadā mūrtimatī svayam

When a thousand years of the gods had passed, the great river Ganga showed herself to him in bodily form.

Verse 15 (3.108.15)

किमिच्छसि महाराज मत्तः किंच ददानि ते । तद्ब्रवीहि नरश्रेष्ठ करिष्यामि वचस्तव ॥

kimicchasi mahārāja mattaḥ kiṃca dadāni te | tadbravīhi naraśreṣṭha kariṣyāmi vacastava

What do you want of me, great king, and what shall I give you? Tell me, best of men; I will do as you say.

Note on the text: Corrected म्तः → मत्तः (misprint in Wikisource; "from me", critical edition mattaḥ).

Verse 16 (3.108.16)

एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच राजा हैमवतीं नदीम् । तदा भगीरथो राजन्प्रणिपत्य कृताञ्जलिः । पितामहा मे वरदे कपिलेन महानदि ॥

evamuktaḥ pratyuvāca rājā haimavatīṃ nadīm | tadā bhagīratho rājanpraṇipatya kṛtāñjaliḥ | pitāmahā me varade kapilena mahānadi

Thus addressed, the king replied to the river, the daughter of the Himalaya. Bowing low with joined palms, O king, Bhagiratha said: O granter of boons, great river, my grandfathers, through Kapila,

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (` and ') around the middle line. The first and last lines are CE 3.107.16ab and 16cd; the middle line is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as 3.107.16b*0530). Speaker corrected: the input carried Ganga's heading over, but this verse is Lomasha's narration leading into Bhagiratha's reply (the critical edition heads it "lomaśa uvāca").

Verse 17 (3.108.17)

अन्वेषमाणास्तुरगं नीता वैवस्वतक्षयम् । षष्टिस्तानि सहस्राणि सागराणां महात्मनाम् ॥

anveṣamāṇāsturagaṃ nītā vaivasvatakṣayam | ṣaṣṭistāni sahasrāṇi sāgarāṇāṃ mahātmanām

while searching for the horse, were sent to the abode of Yama: those sixty thousand great-souled sons of Sagara.

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.107.16ef + 3.107.17ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently).

Verse 18 (3.108.18)

कपिलं देवमासाद्य क्षणेन निधनं गताः । तेषामेवं विनष्टानां स्वर्गे वासो न विद्यते ॥

kapilaṃ devamāsādya kṣaṇena nidhanaṃ gatāḥ | teṣāmevaṃ vinaṣṭānāṃ svarge vāso na vidyate

Coming upon the divine Kapila, they perished in an instant. Destroyed in this way, they have no dwelling in heaven.

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.107.17cd + 3.107.18ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently).

Verse 19 (3.108.19)

यावत्तानि शरीराणि त्वं जलैर्नाभिषिञ्चसि । तावत्तेषां गतिर्नास्ति सागराणां महानदि ॥

yāvattāni śarīrāṇi tvaṃ jalairnābhiṣiñcasi | tāvatteṣāṃ gatirnāsti sāgarāṇāṃ mahānadi

As long as you do not sprinkle those bodies with your waters, great river, so long can the sons of Sagara find no path onward.

Note on the text: The first line is CE 3.107.18cd; the second is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as 3.107.18d*0532).

Verse 20 (3.108.20)

स्वर्गं नय महाभागे मत्पितॄन्सगरात्मजान् । तेषामर्थेऽभियाचामि त्वामहं वै महानदि ॥

svargaṃ naya mahābhāge matpitṝnsagarātmajān | teṣāmarthe'bhiyācāmi tvāmahaṃ vai mahānadi

Lead my forefathers, the sons of Sagara, to heaven, blessed one. It is for their sake that I entreat you, great river.

Verse 21 (3.108.21)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो राज्ञो गङ्गा लोकनमस्कृता । भगीरथमिदं वाक्यं सुप्रीता समभाषत ॥

etacchrutvā vaco rājño gaṅgā lokanamaskṛtā | bhagīrathamidaṃ vākyaṃ suprītā samabhāṣata

Hearing the king's words, Ganga, revered by the worlds, was well pleased and spoke these words to Bhagiratha:

Verse 22 (3.108.22)

करिष्यामि महाराज वचस्ते नात्र संशयः । वेगं तु मम दुर्धार्यं पतन्त्या गगनाच्च्युतम् ॥

kariṣyāmi mahārāja vacaste nātra saṃśayaḥ | vegaṃ tu mama durdhāryaṃ patantyā gaganāccyutam

I will do as you say, great king; of that there is no doubt. But the force of my fall, as I drop from the sky, is hard to withstand.

Note on the text: Corrected माहाराज → महाराज (misprint in Wikisource; critical edition mahārāja). Speaker: Ganga's reply has no printed heading but fills this and the next three verses.

Verse 23 (3.108.23)

न शक्तस्त्रिषु लोकेषु कश्चिद्धारयितुं नृप । अन्यत्र विबुधश्रेष्ठान्नीलकण्ठान्महेश्वरात् ॥

na śaktastriṣu lokeṣu kaściddhārayituṃ nṛpa | anyatra vibudhaśreṣṭhānnīlakaṇṭhānmaheśvarāt

No one in the three worlds can bear it, O king, except Maheshvara, the blue-throated, best of the gods.

Verse 24 (3.108.24)

तं तोषय महाबाहो तपसा वरदं हरम् । स तु मां प्रच्युतां देवः शिरसा धारयिष्यति ॥

taṃ toṣaya mahābāho tapasā varadaṃ haram | sa tu māṃ pracyutāṃ devaḥ śirasā dhārayiṣyati

Win over Hara, the granter of boons, by austerity, mighty-armed one. That god will bear me on his head as I fall,

Note on the text: Corrected रमहाबाहो → महाबाहो (misprint in Wikisource; a stray र). This verse is CE 3.107.23ab–cd.

Verse 25 (3.108.25)

स करिष्यति ते कामं पितॄणां हितकाम्यया । तपसाऽऽराधितः शंभुर्भगवाँल्लोकभावनः ॥

sa kariṣyati te kāmaṃ pitṝṇāṃ hitakāmyayā | tapasā''rādhitaḥ śaṃbhurbhagavām̐llokabhāvanaḥ

and, won over by austerity, Shambhu, the blessed lord who sustains the worlds, will fulfil your wish for the good of your forefathers.

Note on the text: Corrected ते रकामं → ते कामं and भगर्वाँल्लोकभावनः → भगवाँल्लोकभावनः (misprints in Wikisource; a stray र and a stray repha; critical edition te kāmaṃ … bhagavāṃl lokabhāvanaḥ); removed stray wiki marks (` and ') around the second line. The first line is CE 3.107.23ef; the second is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as 3.107.23f*0533).

Verse 26 (3.108.26)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा ततो राजन्महाराजो भगीरथः । कैलासं पर्वतं गत्वा तोषयामास शंकरम् ॥

etacchrutvā tato rājanmahārājo bhagīrathaḥ | kailāsaṃ parvataṃ gatvā toṣayāmāsa śaṃkaram

Hearing this, O king, the great king Bhagiratha went to Mount Kailasa and pleased Shankara.

Verse 27 (3.108.27)

ततस्तेन समागम्य कालयोगेन केनचित् । गङ्गावतरणं राजन्नयाचत महीपतिः ॥

tatastena samāgamya kālayogena kenacit | gaṅgāvataraṇaṃ rājannayācata mahīpatiḥ

Then, after some time had passed, the lord of the earth met with him and asked for the descent of the Ganga, O king.

Note on the text: Corrected गह्गावतरणं → गङ्गावतरणं (misprint in Wikisource; ह for ङ) and removed a stray wiki mark (`) before the second line. The first line is CE 3.107.25ab; the second is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as 3.107.25b*0534).

Verse 28 (3.108.28)

अगृह्णाच्च वरं तस्माद्गङ्गाया धारणे नृप । स्वर्गे वासं समुद्दिश्य पितॄणां स नरोत्तमः ॥

agṛhṇācca varaṃ tasmādgaṅgāyā dhāraṇe nṛpa | svarge vāsaṃ samuddiśya pitṝṇāṃ sa narottamaḥ

And from him that best of men received the boon that he would bear the Ganga, O king, so that his forefathers might dwell in heaven.

Note on the text: Corrected समुद्दिश् → समुद्दिश्य (misprint in Wikisource with a dropped akshara; critical edition samuddiśya). This verse is CE 3.107.25cd–ef (Wikisource divides the lines differently).