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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.36.12

Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 36: Story of Gaṅgā & Umā: Kārttikeya’s birth and six nurses. Gaṅgā releases Agni’s unbearable embryo onto the mountain, its radiance produces minerals and six Kṛttikās nurse the child who becomes the Devas’ commander

In the sequence: Agni asks her to bear the embryo → she assumes a divine form, and he pours himself into her, filling all her channels

1.36.12

devatānāṃ pratijñāya gaṅgām abhyetya pāvakaḥ
garbhaṃ dhāraya vai devi devatānām idaṃ priyam

Having given his promise to the gods, Agni the purifier approached Gaṅgā: “Bear this embryo, O goddess; this is dear to the gods.”

Words: devatānāṃ — to the gods; pratijñāya — having promised, given his word; gaṅgām — Gaṅgā; abhyetya — having approached; pāvakaḥ — the purifier (Agni); garbhaṃ — the embryo; dhāraya — bear, hold; vai — indeed; devi — O goddess; devatānām — of/to the gods; idaṃ — this; priyam — dear, pleasing

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.