Bhagiratha's Austerity and Brahma's Boon

Shloka 1 (bala.42.1)

कालधर्मं गते राम सगरे प्रकृतीजनाः। राजानं रोचयामासुरंशुमन्तं सुधार्मिकम् ॥ १-४२-१ ॥

kāladharmaṃ gate rāma sagare prakṛtījanāḥ| rājānaṃ rocayāmāsuraṃśumantaṃ sudhārmikam || 1-42-1 ||

When Sagara had passed away by the decree of Time, O Rama, the ministers and the people chose the righteous Amshuman to be their king.

Shloka 2 (bala.42.2)

स राजा सुमहानासीदंशुमान् रघुनंदन। तस्य पुत्रो महानासीद्दिलीप इति विश्रुतः ॥ १-४२-२ ॥

sa rājā sumahānāsīdaṃśumān raghunaṃdana| tasya putro mahānāsīddilīpa iti viśrutaḥ || 1-42-2 ||

That Amshuman became a very great king, O delight of Raghu's line; and to him was born an illustrious son renowned as Dilipa.

Shloka 3 (bala.42.3)

तस्मै राज्यं समादिश्य दिलीपे रघुनंदन। हिमवच्छिखरे रम्ये तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम् ॥ १-४२-३ ॥

tasmai rājyaṃ samādiśya dilīpe raghunaṃdana| himavacchikhare ramye tapastepe sudāruṇam || 1-42-3 ||

Having entrusted the kingdom to Dilipa, O delight of Raghu's line, Amshuman undertook the most severe austerity upon a lovely peak of the Himalaya.

Shloka 4 (bala.42.4)

द्वात्रिंशच्च सहस्राणि वर्षाणि सुमहायशाः। तपोवनगतो राजा स्वर्गं लेभे तपोधनः ॥ १-४२-४ ॥

dvātriṃśacca sahasrāṇi varṣāṇi sumahāyaśāḥ| tapovanagato rājā svargaṃ lebhe tapodhanaḥ || 1-42-4 ||

For thirty-two thousand years that greatly renowned king dwelt in the ascetic groves; and he, whose only wealth was austerity, attained heaven.

Shloka 5 (bala.42.5)

दिलीपस्तु महातेजाः श्रुत्वा पैतामहं वधम्। दुःखोपहतया बुद्ध्या निश्चयं नाध्यगच्छत ॥ १-४२-५ ॥

dilīpastu mahātejāḥ śrutvā paitāmahaṃ vadham| duḥkhopahatayā buddhyā niścayaṃ nādhyagacchata || 1-42-5 ||

Dilipa, of great splendor, hearing of the destruction of his grand-uncles, his mind stricken with grief, could reach no resolve.

Shloka 6 (bala.42.6)

कथं गंगावतरणं कथं तेषां जलक्रिया। तारयेयं कथं चैतानिति चिंतापरोऽभवत् ॥ १-४२-६ ॥

kathaṃ gaṃgāvataraṇaṃ kathaṃ teṣāṃ jalakriyā| tārayeyaṃ kathaṃ caitāniti ciṃtāparo'bhavat || 1-42-6 ||

"How is Ganga's descent to be accomplished? How is their water-rite to be performed? And how am I to deliver them?" — thus he fell into constant, anxious thought.

Shloka 7 (bala.42.7)

तस्य चिंतयतो नित्यं धर्मेण विदितात्मनः। पुत्रो भगीरथो नाम जज्ञे परमधार्मिकः ॥ १-४२-७ ॥

tasya ciṃtayato nityaṃ dharmeṇa viditātmanaḥ| putro bhagīratho nāma jajñe paramadhārmikaḥ || 1-42-7 ||

To him, ever absorbed in this thought, righteous and self-possessed, a most virtuous son was born, named Bhagiratha.

Shloka 8 (bala.42.8)

दिलीपस्तु महातेजा यज्ञैर्बहुभिरिष्टवान्। त्रिंशद्वर्षसहस्राणि राजा राज्यमकारयत् ॥ १-४२-८ ॥

dilīpastu mahātejā yajñairbahubhiriṣṭavān| triṃśadvarṣasahasrāṇi rājā rājyamakārayat || 1-42-8 ||

Dilipa, of great splendor, offered many sacrifices; that king ruled his kingdom for thirty thousand years.

Shloka 9 (bala.42.9)

अगत्वा निश्चयं राजा तेषामुद्धरणं प्रति। व्याधिना नरशार्दूल कालधर्ममुपेयिवान् ॥ १-४२-९ ॥

agatvā niścayaṃ rājā teṣāmuddharaṇaṃ prati| vyādhinā naraśārdūla kāladharmamupeyivān || 1-42-9 ||

Yet reaching no resolve as to their deliverance, O tiger among men, the king fell ill and passed away by the decree of Time.

Shloka 10 (bala.42.10)

इन्द्रलोकं गतो राजा स्वार्जितेनैव कर्मणा। राज्ये भगीरथं पुत्रमभिषिच्य नरर्षभः ॥ १-४२-१० ॥

indralokaṃ gato rājā svārjitenaiva karmaṇā| rājye bhagīrathaṃ putramabhiṣicya nararṣabhaḥ || 1-42-10 ||

That king, foremost among men, having anointed his son Bhagiratha in the kingdom, went by his own self-earned merit to the realm of Indra.

Shloka 11 (bala.42.11)

भगीरथस्तु राजर्षिर्धार्मिको रघुनंदन। अनपत्यो महाराजः प्रजाकामः स च प्रजाः ॥ १-४२-११ ॥

bhagīrathastu rājarṣirdhārmiko raghunaṃdana| anapatyo mahārājaḥ prajākāmaḥ sa ca prajāḥ || 1-42-11 ||

But Bhagiratha, the royal sage, righteous, O delight of Raghu's line, was without a son; and that great king, longing for offspring, made over his subjects —

Shloka 12 (bala.42.12)

मंत्रिष्वाधाय तद्राज्यं गङ्गावतरणे रतः। तपो दीर्घं समातिष्ठद्गोकर्णे रघुनंदन ॥ १-४२-१२ ॥

maṃtriṣvādhāya tadrājyaṃ gaṅgāvataraṇe rataḥ| tapo dīrghaṃ samātiṣṭhadgokarṇe raghunaṃdana || 1-42-12 ||

— and that kingdom to his ministers and, intent upon bringing Ganga down to earth, undertook a long austerity at Gokarna, O delight of Raghu's line.

Shloka 13 (bala.42.13)

ऊर्ध्वबाहुः पंचतपा मासाहारो जितेन्द्रियः। तस्य वर्षसहस्राणि घोरे तपसि तिष्ठतः ॥ १-४२-१३ ॥

ūrdhvabāhuḥ paṃcatapā māsāhāro jitendriyaḥ| tasya varṣasahasrāṇi ghore tapasi tiṣṭhataḥ || 1-42-13 ||

With arms upraised, standing amid five fires, taking food but once a month, his senses mastered — while he thus remained fixed in that dread austerity, thousands of years passed —

Shloka 14 (bala.42.14)

अतीतानि महाबहो तस्य राज्ञो महात्मनः। सुप्रीतो भगवान्ब्रह्मा प्रजानां पतिरीश्वरः ॥ १-४२-१४ ॥

atītāni mahābaho tasya rājño mahātmanaḥ| suprīto bhagavānbrahmā prajānāṃ patirīśvaraḥ || 1-42-14 ||

— of that great-souled king, O mighty-armed Rama; and the venerable Brahma, lord and master of all creatures, became greatly pleased with him.

Shloka 15 (bala.42.15)

ततः सुरगणैः सार्धमुपागम्य पितामहः। भगीरथं महात्मानं तप्यमानमथाब्रवीत् ॥ १-४२-१५ ॥

tataḥ suragaṇaiḥ sārdhamupāgamya pitāmahaḥ| bhagīrathaṃ mahātmānaṃ tapyamānamathābravīt || 1-42-15 ||

Then the Grandsire, coming there together with the hosts of gods, spoke thus to the great-souled Bhagiratha, who stood absorbed in his austerity.

Shloka 16 (bala.42.16)

भगीरथ महाराग प्रीतस्तेऽहं जनाधिप। तपसा च सुतप्तेन वरं वरय सुव्रत ॥ १-४२-१६ ॥

bhagīratha mahārāga prītaste'haṃ janādhipa| tapasā ca sutaptena varaṃ varaya suvrata || 1-42-16 ||

"O Bhagiratha, great king, lord of the people, I am pleased with you. By this austerity so perfectly performed, O one of true vows, ask a boon."

Shloka 17 (bala.42.17)

तमुवाच महातेजाः सर्वलोकपितामहम्। भगीरथो महाबाहुः कृतांजलिपुटः स्थितः ॥ १-४२-१७ ॥

tamuvāca mahātejāḥ sarvalokapitāmaham| bhagīratho mahābāhuḥ kṛtāṃjalipuṭaḥ sthitaḥ || 1-42-17 ||

To him, the Grandsire of all the worlds, the greatly splendid and mighty-armed Bhagiratha, standing with joined palms, made reply.

Shloka 18 (bala.42.18)

यदि मे भगवान्प्रीतो यद्यस्ति तपसः फलम्। सगरस्यात्मजाः सर्वे मत्तः सलिलस्याप्नुयुः ॥ १-४२-१८ ॥

yadi me bhagavānprīto yadyasti tapasaḥ phalam| sagarasyātmajāḥ sarve mattaḥ salilasyāpnuyuḥ || 1-42-18 ||

"If the Lord is pleased with me, and if there is any fruit to my austerity, then let all the sons of Sagara obtain the redeeming water through me."

Shloka 19 (bala.42.19)

गङ्गायाः सलिलक्लिन्ने भस्मन्येषां महात्मनाम्। स्वर्गं गच्छेयुरत्यन्तं सर्वे मे प्रपितामहाः ॥ १-४२-१९ ॥

gaṅgāyāḥ salilaklinne bhasmanyeṣāṃ mahātmanām| svargaṃ gaccheyuratyantaṃ sarve me prapitāmahāḥ || 1-42-19 ||

"When the ashes of these great souls are drenched by the waters of Ganga, let all my forefathers go, at last, to heaven everlastingly."

Shloka 20 (bala.42.20)

देव याचे ह संतत्यै नावसीदेत्कुलं च नः। इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले देव एष मेऽस्तु वरः परः ॥ १-४२-२० ॥

deva yāce ha saṃtatyai nāvasīdetkulaṃ ca naḥ| ikṣvākūṇāṃ kule deva eṣa me'stu varaḥ paraḥ || 1-42-20 ||

"O god, I pray also for offspring, that our line may not perish; O god, let this be the further boon granted to me, in the Ikshvaku line."

Shloka 21 (bala.42.21)

उक्तवाक्यं तु राजानं सर्वलोकपितामहः। प्रत्युवाच शुभां वाणीं मधुरं मधुराक्षराम् ॥ १-४२-२१ ॥

uktavākyaṃ tu rājānaṃ sarvalokapitāmahaḥ| pratyuvāca śubhāṃ vāṇīṃ madhuraṃ madhurākṣarām || 1-42-21 ||

To the king who had spoken thus, the Grandsire of all the worlds made answer, in a voice auspicious, sweet, and sweetly worded.

Shloka 22 (bala.42.22)

मनोरथो महानेष भगीरथ महारथ। एवं भवतु भद्रं ते इक्ष्वाकुकुलवर्धन ॥ १-४२-२२ ॥

manoratho mahāneṣa bhagīratha mahāratha| evaṃ bhavatu bhadraṃ te ikṣvākukulavardhana || 1-42-22 ||

"This aspiration of yours is a lofty one, O Bhagiratha, mighty charioteer; so be it — may good befall you, O increaser of the Ikshvaku race."

Shloka 23 (bala.42.23)

इयं हैमवती ज्येष्ठा गंगा हिमवतः सुता। तां वै धारयितुं राजन् हरस्तत्र नियुज्यताम् ॥ १-४२-२३ ॥

iyaṃ haimavatī jyeṣṭhā gaṃgā himavataḥ sutā| tāṃ vai dhārayituṃ rājan harastatra niyujyatām || 1-42-23 ||

"This Ganga, born of the Himalaya, is the eldest daughter of Himavat. To bear her descent, O king, let Hara be enjoined to that task."

Shloka 24 (bala.42.24)

गंगायाः पतनं राजन् पृथिवी न सहिष्यते। तां वै धारयितुं राजन् नान्यं पश्यामि शूलिनः ॥ १-४२-२४ ॥

gaṃgāyāḥ patanaṃ rājan pṛthivī na sahiṣyate| tāṃ vai dhārayituṃ rājan nānyaṃ paśyāmi śūlinaḥ || 1-42-24 ||

"The earth, O king, cannot bear the fall of Ganga; and to sustain her, O king, I see none other than the wielder of the trident."

Shloka 25 (bala.42.25)

तमेवमुक्त्वा राजानं गङ्गां चाभाष्य लोककृत्। जगाम त्रिदिवं देवैः सह सर्वैर्मरुद्गणैः ॥ १-४२-२५ ॥

tamevamuktvā rājānaṃ gaṅgāṃ cābhāṣya lokakṛt| jagāma tridivaṃ devaiḥ saha sarvairmarudgaṇaiḥ || 1-42-25 ||

Having spoken thus to the king, and having addressed Ganga as well, the Maker of the worlds departed for the third heaven, together with all the gods and the hosts of the Maruts.