The Descent of Ganga

Shloka 1 (bala.43.1)

देवदेवे गते तस्मिन् सोंऽगुष्ठाग्रनिपीडिताम्। कृत्वा वसुमतीं राम वत्सरं समुपासत ॥ १-४३-१ ॥

devadeve gate tasmin soṃ'guṣṭhāgranipīḍitām| kṛtvā vasumatīṃ rāma vatsaraṃ samupāsata || 1-43-1 ||

When that god of gods, Brahma, had departed, Bhagiratha, pressing the earth with the tip of his great toe, remained thus in worship for a year, O Rama.

Shloka 2 (bala.43.2)

अथ संवत्सरे पूर्णे सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः। उमापतिः पशुपती राजानमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ १-४३-२ ॥

atha saṃvatsare pūrṇe sarvalokanamaskṛtaḥ| umāpatiḥ paśupatī rājānamidamabravīt || 1-43-2 ||

Then, when the year was complete, Pashupati, the consort of Uma, revered by all the worlds, spoke thus to the king.

Shloka 3 (bala.43.3)

प्रीतस्तेऽहं नरश्रेष्ठ करिष्यामि तव प्रियम्। शिरसा धारयिष्यामि शैलराजसुतामहम् ॥ १-४३-३ ॥

prītaste'haṃ naraśreṣṭha kariṣyāmi tava priyam| śirasā dhārayiṣyāmi śailarājasutāmaham || 1-43-3 ||

"I am pleased with you, O best of men, and I shall grant your wish. I myself will bear upon my head the daughter of the king of the mountains."

Shloka 4 (bala.43.4)

ततो हैमवती ज्येष्ठा सर्वलोकनमस्कृता। तदा सातिमहद्रूपं कृत्वा वेगं च दुःसहम् ॥ १-४३-४ ॥

tato haimavatī jyeṣṭhā sarvalokanamaskṛtā| tadā sātimahadrūpaṃ kṛtvā vegaṃ ca duḥsaham || 1-43-4 ||

Then she, the eldest daughter of Himavat, revered by all the worlds, assumed a form of immense size and irresistible force —

Shloka 5 (bala.43.5)

आकाशादपतद्राम शिवे शिवशिरस्युत। अचिन्तयच्च सा देवी गङ्गा परमदुर्धरा ॥ १-४३-५ ॥

ākāśādapatadrāma śive śivaśirasyuta| acintayacca sā devī gaṅgā paramadurdharā || 1-43-5 ||

— and plunged, O Rama, from the sky onto Shiva's auspicious head; and she, that goddess Ganga, exceedingly hard to contain, thought to herself —

Shloka 6 (bala.43.6)

विशाम्यहं हि पातालं स्त्रोतसा गृह्य शंकरम्। तस्या वलेपनं ज्ञात्वा क्रुद्धस्तु भगवान् हरः ॥ १-४३-६ ॥

viśāmyahaṃ hi pātālaṃ strotasā gṛhya śaṃkaram| tasyā valepanaṃ jñātvā kruddhastu bhagavān haraḥ || 1-43-6 ||

"I shall sweep Shankara away in my current and plunge straight down into the netherworld." Perceiving her arrogance, the lord Hara grew angry, and —

Shloka 7 (bala.43.7)

तिरोभावयितुं बुद्धिं चक्रे त्रिनयनस्तदा। सा तस्मिन् पतिता पुण्या पुण्ये रुद्रस्य मूर्धनि ॥ १-४३-७ ॥

tirobhāvayituṃ buddhiṃ cakre trinayanastadā| sā tasmin patitā puṇyā puṇye rudrasya mūrdhani || 1-43-7 ||

— the three-eyed god resolved to make her vanish from sight. And she, that sacred river, fell upon Rudra's holy head —

Shloka 8 (bala.43.8)

हिमवत्प्रतिमे राम जटामण्डलगह्वरे। सा कथञ्चिन्महीं गन्तुं नाशक्नोद्यत्नमास्थिता ॥ १-४३-८ ॥

himavatpratime rāma jaṭāmaṇḍalagahvare| sā kathañcinmahīṃ gantuṃ nāśaknodyatnamāsthitā || 1-43-8 ||

— into the cavernous depths of his matted locks, vast as the Himalaya itself, O Rama. Strive as she might, she could find no way at all to reach the earth.

Shloka 9 (bala.43.9)

नैव सा निर्गमं लेभे जटामण्डलमन्ततः। तत्रैवाबंभ्रमद्देवी संवत्सरगणान्बहून् ॥ १-४३-९ ॥

naiva sā nirgamaṃ lebhe jaṭāmaṇḍalamantataḥ| tatraivābaṃbhramaddevī saṃvatsaragaṇānbahūn || 1-43-9 ||

She could find no exit whatsoever from the tangle of those matted locks; there the goddess simply wandered, round and round, for many long years.

Shloka 10 (bala.43.10)

तामपश्यन् पुनस्तत्र तपः परममास्थितः। स तेन तोषितश्चासीदत्यन्तं रघुनंदन ॥ १-४३-१० ॥

tāmapaśyan punastatra tapaḥ paramamāsthitaḥ| sa tena toṣitaścāsīdatyantaṃ raghunaṃdana || 1-43-10 ||

When Bhagiratha saw no sign of her release, he took up the most rigorous austerity once again; and by it, O delight of Raghu's line, Shiva became greatly pleased.

Shloka 11 (bala.43.11)

विससर्ज ततो गङ्गां हरो बिन्दुसरः प्रति। तस्यां विसृज्यमानायां सप्त स्रोतंसि जज्ञिरे ॥ १-४३-११ ॥

visasarja tato gaṅgāṃ haro bindusaraḥ prati| tasyāṃ visṛjyamānāyāṃ sapta srotaṃsi jajñire || 1-43-11 ||

Thereupon Hara released Ganga toward Lake Bindu; and as she was released, seven streams sprang forth from her.

Shloka 12 (bala.43.12)

ह्लादिनी पावनी चैव नलिनी च तथैव च। तिस्रः प्राचीं दिशं जग्मुर्गंगाः शिवजलाः शुभाः ॥ १-४३-१२ ॥

hlādinī pāvanī caiva nalinī ca tathaiva ca| tisraḥ prācīṃ diśaṃ jagmurgaṃgāḥ śivajalāḥ śubhāḥ || 1-43-12 ||

Hladini, Pavani, and Nalini — these three, holy and blessed with Shiva's own water, flowed away toward the east.

Shloka 13 (bala.43.13)

सुचक्षुश्चैव सीता च सिन्धुश्चैव महानदी। तिस्रस्त्वेता दिशं जग्मुः प्रतीचीं तु शुभोदकाः ॥ १-४३-१३ ॥

sucakṣuścaiva sītā ca sindhuścaiva mahānadī| tisrastvetā diśaṃ jagmuḥ pratīcīṃ tu śubhodakāḥ || 1-43-13 ||

Sucakshu, Sita, and the great river Sindhu — these three, their waters blessed, flowed away toward the west.

Shloka 14 (bala.43.14)

सप्तमी चान्वगात्तासां भगीरथरथं तदा। भगीरथोऽपि रजर्षिर्दिव्यं स्यंदनमास्थितः ॥ १-४३-१४ ॥

saptamī cānvagāttāsāṃ bhagīratharathaṃ tadā| bhagīratho'pi rajarṣirdivyaṃ syaṃdanamāsthitaḥ || 1-43-14 ||

And the seventh of these streams then followed after Bhagiratha's chariot; and Bhagiratha, the royal sage, mounted on his divine chariot —

Shloka 15 (bala.43.15)

प्रायादग्रे महातेजा गङ्गा तं चाप्यनुव्रजत्। गगनाच्छङ्करशिरस्ततो धरणिमागता ॥ १-४३-१५ ॥

prāyādagre mahātejā gaṅgā taṃ cāpyanuvrajat| gaganācchaṅkaraśirastato dharaṇimāgatā || 1-43-15 ||

— drove on before her in splendor, and Ganga followed close behind him. Thus she came from the sky onto Shankara's head, and from there down onto the earth.

Shloka 16 (bala.43.16)

व्यसर्पत जलं तत्र तीव्रशब्दपुरस्कृतम्। मत्स्यकच्छपसंघैश्च शिंशुमारगणैस्तथा ॥ १-४३-१६ ॥

vyasarpata jalaṃ tatra tīvraśabdapuraskṛtam| matsyakacchapasaṃghaiśca śiṃśumāragaṇaistathā || 1-43-16 ||

There her waters surged forth with a tremendous roar, teeming with shoals of fish and tortoises and troops of porpoises —

Shloka 17 (bala.43.17)

पतद्भिः पतितैश्चैव व्यरोचत वसुंधरा। ततो देवर्षिगंधर्वा यक्षा सिद्धगणास्तथा ॥ १-४३-१७ ॥

patadbhiḥ patitaiścaiva vyarocata vasuṃdharā| tato devarṣigaṃdharvā yakṣā siddhagaṇāstathā || 1-43-17 ||

— both falling still and already fallen, so that the earth shone resplendent with them. Then the gods, the divine sages, gandharvas, yakshas, and the hosts of siddhas —

Shloka 18 (bala.43.18)

व्यलोकयन्त ते तत्र गगनाद्गां गतां तदा। विमानैर्नगराकारैर्हयैर्गजवरैस्तथा ॥ १-४३-१८ ॥

vyalokayanta te tatra gaganādgāṃ gatāṃ tadā| vimānairnagarākārairhayairgajavaraistathā || 1-43-18 ||

— looked on there as she came down then from the sky to earth — some arriving in aerial chariots shaped like cities, some on horses, and some on the finest of elephants.

Shloka 19 (bala.43.19)

पारिप्लवगताश्चापि देवतास्तत्र विष्ठिताः। तदद्भुततमं लोके गंगापतनमुत्तमम् ॥ १-४३-१९ ॥

pāriplavagatāścāpi devatāstatra viṣṭhitāḥ| tadadbhutatamaṃ loke gaṃgāpatanamuttamam || 1-43-19 ||

The gods, thronging restlessly there, gazed upon that most wondrous and supreme descent of Ganga upon the world —

Shloka 20 (bala.43.20)

दिदृक्षवो देवगणाः समीयुरमितौजसः। संपतद्भिः सुरगणैस्तेषां चाभरणौजसा ॥ १-४३-२० ॥

didṛkṣavo devagaṇāḥ samīyuramitaujasaḥ| saṃpatadbhiḥ suragaṇaisteṣāṃ cābharaṇaujasā || 1-43-20 ||

— eager for the sight, the hosts of gods, boundless in their power, gathered together; and with those gods swooping down, and with the brilliance of their ornaments —

Shloka 21 (bala.43.21)

शतादित्यमिवाभाति गगनं गततोयदम्। शिंशुमारोरगगणैर्मीनैरपि च चंचलैः ॥ १-४३-२१ ॥

śatādityamivābhāti gaganaṃ gatatoyadam| śiṃśumāroragagaṇairmīnairapi ca caṃcalaiḥ || 1-43-21 ||

— the cloudless sky blazed as if with a hundred suns. And with the shoals of porpoises and water-serpents, and the darting fish besides —

Shloka 22 (bala.43.22)

विद्युद्भिरिव विक्षिप्तैराकाशमभवत्तदा। पाण्डुरैः सलिलोत्पीडैः कीर्यमाणैः सहस्रधा ॥ १-४३-२२ ॥

vidyudbhiriva vikṣiptairākāśamabhavattadā| pāṇḍuraiḥ salilotpīḍaiḥ kīryamāṇaiḥ sahasradhā || 1-43-22 ||

— leaping about, the sky seemed then as though strewn with flashes of lightning. And, scattered a thousandfold with the pale, upward-leaping spray of the waters —

Shloka 23 (bala.43.23)

शारदाभ्रैरिवाकीर्णं गगनं हंससंप्लवैः। क्वचिद् द्रुततरं याति कुटिलं क्वचिदायतम् ॥ १-४३-२३ ॥

śāradābhrairivākīrṇaṃ gaganaṃ haṃsasaṃplavaiḥ| kvacid drutataraṃ yāti kuṭilaṃ kvacidāyatam || 1-43-23 ||

— the sky, dotted with flights of swans, seemed as though strewn with the white clouds of autumn. Now the river rushed on swiftly, now wound sinuously, now ran straight;

Shloka 24 (bala.43.24)

विनतं क्वचिदुद्धूतं क्वचिद्याति शनैः शनैः। सलिलेनैव सलिलं क्वचिदभ्याहतं पुनः ॥ १-४३-२४ ॥

vinataṃ kvaciduddhūtaṃ kvacidyāti śanaiḥ śanaiḥ| salilenaiva salilaṃ kvacidabhyāhataṃ punaḥ || 1-43-24 ||

— somewhere it flowed low, somewhere it surged upward, somewhere it crept along slowly and gently; and somewhere its waters, crashing upon their own waters again —

Shloka 25 (bala.43.25)

मुहुरूर्ध्वपथं गत्वा पपात वसुधां पुनः। तच्छङ्करशिरोभ्रष्टं भ्रष्टं भूमितले पुनः ॥ १-४३-२५ ॥

muhurūrdhvapathaṃ gatvā papāta vasudhāṃ punaḥ| tacchaṅkaraśirobhraṣṭaṃ bhraṣṭaṃ bhūmitale punaḥ || 1-43-25 ||

— would leap up again and again, only to fall back to earth once more. That water, having descended from Shankara's head and come to rest upon the earth's surface —

Shloka 26 (bala.43.26)

व्यरोचत तदा तोयं निर्मलं गतकल्मषम्। तत्रर्षिगणगन्धर्वा वसुधातलवासिनः ॥ १-४३-२६ ॥

vyarocata tadā toyaṃ nirmalaṃ gatakalmaṣam| tatrarṣigaṇagandharvā vasudhātalavāsinaḥ || 1-43-26 ||

— shone forth then, pure and stainless; and there the assemblies of sages and gandharvas, and those who dwell upon the earth —

Shloka 27 (bala.43.27)

भवाङ्गपतितं तोयं पवित्रमिति पस्पृशुः। शापात् प्रपतिता ये च गगनाद्वसुधातलम् ॥ १-४३-२७ ॥

bhavāṅgapatitaṃ toyaṃ pavitramiti paspṛśuḥ| śāpāt prapatitā ye ca gaganādvasudhātalam || 1-43-27 ||

— touched that water, declaring, "It is sacred, for it has fallen from the very body of Shiva." And those who, under a curse, had fallen from the heavens down to the earth,

Shloka 28 (bala.43.28)

कृत्वा तत्राभिषेकं ते बभूवुर्गतकल्मषाः। धूतपापाः पुनस्तेन तोयेनाथ शुभान्विता ॥ १-४३-२८ ॥

kṛtvā tatrābhiṣekaṃ te babhūvurgatakalmaṣāḥ| dhūtapāpāḥ punastena toyenātha śubhānvitā || 1-43-28 ||

— having bathed there, became free of their taint; and, their sins washed away by that water, were restored once more to purity and grace.

Shloka 29 (bala.43.29)

पुनराकाशमाविश्य स्वान् लोकान् प्रतिपेदिरे। मुमुदे मुदितो लोकस्तेन तोयेन भास्वता ॥ १-४३-२९ ॥

punarākāśamāviśya svān lokān pratipedire| mumude mudito lokastena toyena bhāsvatā || 1-43-29 ||

— rising once more into the sky, they returned to their own worlds. And the world, filled with joy, delighted in that radiant water;

Shloka 30 (bala.43.30)

कृताभिषेको गंगायां बभूव विगतक्लमः। भगीरथोऽपि राजर्षिर्दिव्यं स्यंदनमास्थितः ॥ १-४३-३० ॥

kṛtābhiṣeko gaṃgāyāṃ babhūva vigataklamaḥ| bhagīratho'pi rājarṣirdivyaṃ syaṃdanamāsthitaḥ || 1-43-30 ||

— whoever bathed in the Ganga was freed from all weariness and affliction. And Bhagiratha, the royal sage, still mounted on his divine chariot —

Shloka 31 (bala.43.31)

प्रायादग्रे महातेजास्तं गंगा पृष्ठतोऽन्वगात्। देवाः सर्षिगणाः सर्वे दैत्यदानवराक्षसाः ॥ १-४३-३१ ॥

prāyādagre mahātejāstaṃ gaṃgā pṛṣṭhato'nvagāt| devāḥ sarṣigaṇāḥ sarve daityadānavarākṣasāḥ || 1-43-31 ||

— drove on ahead in splendor, and Ganga followed close behind him. All the gods, together with the hosts of sages, and the daityas, danavas, and rakshasas,

Shloka 32 (bala.43.32)

गन्धर्वयक्षप्रवराः सकिंनरमहोरगाः। सर्पाश्चाप्सरसो राम भगीरथरथानुगाः ॥ १-४३-३२ ॥

gandharvayakṣapravarāḥ sakiṃnaramahoragāḥ| sarpāścāpsaraso rāma bhagīratharathānugāḥ || 1-43-32 ||

the noblest of gandharvas and yakshas, together with kinnaras and the great serpents, and the sarpas and the apsarases, O Rama — all followed close behind Bhagiratha's chariot.

Shloka 33 (bala.43.33)

गंगामन्वगमन् प्रीताः सर्वे जलचराश्च ये। यतो भगीरथो राजा ततो गंगा यशस्विनी ॥ १-४३-३३ ॥

gaṃgāmanvagaman prītāḥ sarve jalacarāśca ye| yato bhagīratho rājā tato gaṃgā yaśasvinī || 1-43-33 ||

And all the creatures that dwell in the waters, rejoicing, followed Ganga as well. Wherever King Bhagiratha went, there the glorious Ganga went also.

Shloka 34 (bala.43.34)

जगाम सरितां श्रेष्ठा सर्वपापप्रणाशिनी। ततो हि यजमानस्य जह्नोरद्भुतकर्मणः ॥ १-४३-३४ ॥

jagāma saritāṃ śreṣṭhā sarvapāpapraṇāśinī| tato hi yajamānasya jahnoradbhutakarmaṇaḥ || 1-43-34 ||

That foremost of rivers, destroyer of all sin, moved onward — until she came to the sacrificial ground of Jahnu, of wondrous deeds, who was then acting as officiant —

Shloka 35 (bala.43.35)

गङ्गा संप्लावयामास यज्ञवाटं महत्मनः। तस्यावलेपनं ज्ञात्वा क्रुद्धो जह्नुश्च राघव ॥ १-४३-३५ ॥

gaṅgā saṃplāvayāmāsa yajñavāṭaṃ mahatmanaḥ| tasyāvalepanaṃ jñātvā kruddho jahnuśca rāghava || 1-43-35 ||

— of a sacrifice, and flooded that great-souled sage's sacrificial enclosure. Discerning her arrogance, O Raghava, Jahnu grew angry,

Shloka 36 (bala.43.36)

अपिबत्तु जलं सर्वं गङ्गायाः परमाद्भुतम्। ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वा ऋषयश्च सुविस्मिताः ॥ १-४३-३६ ॥

apibattu jalaṃ sarvaṃ gaṅgāyāḥ paramādbhutam| tato devāḥ sagandharvā ṛṣayaśca suvismitāḥ || 1-43-36 ||

— and, in a feat of wonder, drank up the whole of Ganga's water. Then the gods, together with the gandharvas and the sages, filled with astonishment —

Shloka 37 (bala.43.37)

पूजयन्ति महात्मानं जह्नुं पुरुषसत्तमम्। गङ्गां चापि नयन्ति स्म दुहितृत्वे महात्मनः ॥ १-४३-३७ ॥

pūjayanti mahātmānaṃ jahnuṃ puruṣasattamam| gaṅgāṃ cāpi nayanti sma duhitṛtve mahātmanaḥ || 1-43-37 ||

— began to worship that great-souled Jahnu, noblest among men; and they also came to reckon Ganga thenceforth as the daughter of that great soul.

Shloka 38 (bala.43.38)

ततस्तुष्टो महातेजाः श्रोत्राभ्यामसृजत् प्रभुः। तस्माज्जह्नुसुता गङ्गा प्रोच्यते जाह्नवीति च ॥ १-४३-३८ ॥

tatastuṣṭo mahātejāḥ śrotrābhyāmasṛjat prabhuḥ| tasmājjahnusutā gaṅgā procyate jāhnavīti ca || 1-43-38 ||

Then, being satisfied, that mighty and glorious lord released her again from his two ears; and for this reason Ganga, daughter of Jahnu, is also known as Jahnavi.

Shloka 39 (bala.43.39)

जगाम च पुनर्गङ्गा भगीरथरथानुगा। सागरं चापि संप्राप्ता सा सरित्प्रवरा तदा ॥ १-४३-३९ ॥

jagāma ca punargaṅgā bhagīratharathānugā| sāgaraṃ cāpi saṃprāptā sā saritpravarā tadā || 1-43-39 ||

And Ganga flowed on once more, following Bhagiratha's chariot; and that foremost of rivers then reached the ocean as well.

Shloka 40 (bala.43.40)

रसातलमुपागच्छत् सिद्ध्यर्थं तस्य कर्मणः। भगीरथोऽपि रजार्षिर्गङ्गामादाय यत्नतः ॥ १-४३-४० ॥

rasātalamupāgacchat siddhyarthaṃ tasya karmaṇaḥ| bhagīratho'pi rajārṣirgaṅgāmādāya yatnataḥ || 1-43-40 ||

She then went down into Rasatala, the netherworld, so that his task might be accomplished; and Bhagiratha, the royal sage, having with great effort brought Ganga down to that place —

Shloka 41 (bala.43.41)

पितामहान् भस्मकृतानपश्यद्गतचेतनः। अथ तद्भस्मनां राशिं गङ्गासलिलमुत्तमम्। प्लावयत् पूतपाप्मानः स्वर्गं प्रप्ता रघूत्तम ॥ १-४३-४१ ॥

pitāmahān bhasmakṛtānapaśyadgatacetanaḥ| atha tadbhasmanāṃ rāśiṃ gaṅgāsalilamuttamam| plāvayat pūtapāpmānaḥ svargaṃ praptā raghūttama || 1-43-41 ||

— beheld his ancestors reduced to ashes, and his spirit failed him with grief. Then that most excellent water of Ganga flooded over that heap of ashes; and, their sins washed away, they attained heaven, O best of Raghu's line.