← 1.34.19 · Bāla Kāṇḍa 34: Story of Gaṅgā & Umā: Himavat’s two daughters · 1.34.21 →
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.34.20
Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 34: Story of Gaṅgā & Umā: Himavat’s two daughters. Himavat gives Gaṅgā to the Devas for the worlds’ welfare, while Umā undertakes austerity and marries Śiva
In the sequence: Umā undertook severe austerities and was given in marriage to Rudra → Viśvāmitra concludes this first account of the sisters and Gaṅgā's heavenly departure.
1.34.20
ete te śaila rājasya sute lokanamaskṛte
gaṅgā ca saritāṃ śreṣṭhā umā devī ca rāghava
These, as I have told you, are the two daughters of the mountain-king, honoured by the world: Gaṅgā, best of rivers, and the goddess Umā, O Rāghava.
Words: ete — these; te — to you; śaila rājasya — of the mountain-king; sute — the two daughters (dual); lokanamaskṛte — honoured by the world (dual); gaṅgā — Gaṅgā; ca — and; saritāṃ — of rivers; śreṣṭhā — the best; umā — Umā; devī — the goddess; ca — and; rāghava — O Rāghava
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.