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Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 41: Story of Sagara: Bhagīratha takes up the ancestral task
Summary. Aṃśumat & Dilīpa leave the ancestral task unfinished, Bhagīratha wins permission for Gaṅgā’s descent and learns that Śiva must receive her
Sequence
- The people choose Aṃśumat as King after Sagara's death → he eventually entrusts the Kingdom to his son Dilīpa and practices austerity in the Himālaya for thirty-two thousand years before reaching heaven (1.41.1–4)
- Dilīpa is preoccupied with bringing Gaṅgā down and redeeming the dead, but finds no means → his son Bhagīratha is born (1.41.5–7)
- after many sacrifices and thirty thousand years of rule, Dilīpa installs Bhagīratha and dies of illness, his purpose still unfulfilled. Bhagīratha too is childless (1.41.8–10)
- at Gokarṇa he undertakes prolonged austerity, standing with raised arms amid five fires, eating once a month, and controlling his senses (1.41.11–12)
- after thousands of years Brahmā appears with the Suras and offers a boon (1.41.13–15)
- Bhagīratha asks for Gaṅgā's water to purify Sagara's sons and for descendants to preserve his own line (1.41.16–19)
- Brahmā agrees but explains that the earth cannot withstand Gaṅgā's fall → only Śiva can receive her force → after speaking to the King and Gaṅgā, Brahmā departs. (1.41.20–24)
Verses 1.41.1–24
1.41.1
kāladharmaṃ gate rāma sagare prakṛtījanāḥ
rājānaṃ rocayām āsur aṃśumantaṃ sudhārmikam
When Sagara had gone the way of time (died), O Rāma, the subject people chose as their king the most righteous Aṃśumat.
Words: kāladharmaṃ — the law of time (i.e. death); gate — having gone (loc.); rāma — O Rāma; sagare — Sagara (loc.); prakṛtījanāḥ — the subject people, subjects; rājānaṃ — as king; rocayām āsur — chose, took pleasure in; aṃśumantaṃ — Aṃśumat; sudhārmikam — most righteous
1.41.2
sa rājā sumahān āsīd aṃśumān raghunandana
tasya putro mahān āsīd dilīpa iti viśrutaḥ
That king Aṃśumat was very great, O joy of the Raghus; his son too was great, renowned as Dilīpa.
Words: sa — that; rājā — king; sumahān — very great; āsīd — was; aṃśumān — Aṃśumat; raghunandana — O joy of the Raghus; tasya — his; putro — son; mahān — great; āsīd — was; dilīpa — Dilīpa; iti — so, thus; viśrutaḥ — renowned, famed
1.41.3
tasmin rājyaṃ samāveśya dilīpe raghunandana
himavacchikhare ramye tapas tepe sudāruṇam
Having entrusted the kingdom to Dilīpa, O joy of the Raghus, (Aṃśumat) performed most severe austerity on a lovely peak of Himavat.
Words: tasmin — on him/that (loc.); rājyaṃ — the kingdom; samāveśya — having entrusted, placed; dilīpe — Dilīpa (loc.); raghunandana — O joy of the Raghus; himavacchikhare — on a peak of Himavat; ramye — lovely (loc.); tapas — austerity; tepe — performed, practised; sudāruṇam — most severe, very harsh
1.41.4
dvādtriṃśac ca sahasrāṇi varṣāṇi sumahāyaśāḥ
tapovanagato rājā svargaṃ lebhe tapodhanaḥ
And for thirty-two thousand years the illustrious king, gone to the penance-grove and rich in austerity, dwelt (there and) attained heaven.
Words: dvādtriṃśac — thirty-two; ca — and; sahasrāṇi — thousands; varṣāṇi — years; sumahāyaśāḥ — of very great renown; tapovanagato — gone to the penance-grove; rājā — the king; svargaṃ — heaven; lebhe — attained, obtained; tapodhanaḥ — rich in austerity (whose wealth is penance)
1.41.5
dilīpas tu mahātejāḥ śrutvā paitāmahaṃ vadham
duḥkhopahatayā buddhyā niścayaṃ nādhyagacchata
But the mighty Dilīpa, hearing of the destruction of his forefathers, his mind stricken with grief, could reach no certain means (of redeeming them).
Words: dilīpas — Dilīpa; tu — but; mahātejāḥ — the mighty, of great splendour; śrutvā — having heard; paitāmahaṃ — of his forefathers (ancestral); vadham — the slaying, destruction; duḥkhopahatayā — stricken with grief; buddhyā — with (his) mind; niścayaṃ — certainty, a means; nādhyagacchata — did not attain
1.41.6
kathaṃ gaṅgāvataraṇaṃ kathaṃ teṣāṃ jalakriyā
tārayeyaṃ kathaṃ caitān iti cintā paro 'bhavat
“How is Gaṅgā's descent to be brought about, how the water-rite for them, and how may I deliver these?” — with such thought he became wholly absorbed.
Words: kathaṃ — how; gaṅgāvataraṇaṃ — the descent of Gaṅgā; kathaṃ — how; teṣāṃ — for them, of them; jalakriyā — the water-rite; tārayeyaṃ — may I deliver, carry across; kathaṃ — how; caitān — and these; iti — thus; cintā — thought, anxiety; paro — wholly absorbed (in); 'bhavat — he became
1.41.7
tasya cintayato nityaṃ dharmeṇa viditātmanaḥ
putro bhagīratho nāma jajñe paramadhārmikaḥ
To him, ever pondering, his soul realized through righteousness, a son named Bhagīratha was born, supremely righteous.
Words: tasya — to him, his; cintayato — pondering; nityaṃ — ever, constantly; dharmeṇa — through righteousness, by dharma; viditātmanaḥ — whose self is realized; putro — son; bhagīratho — Bhagīratha; nāma — by name; jajñe — was born; paramadhārmikaḥ — supremely righteous
1.41.8
dilīpas tu mahātejā yajñair bahubhir iṣṭavān
triṃśadvarṣasahasrāṇi rājā rājyam akārayat
The mighty Dilīpa offered many sacrifices, and the king ruled the kingdom for thirty thousand years.
Words: dilīpas — Dilīpa; tu — and, but; mahātejā — the mighty, of great splendour; yajñair — with sacrifices; bahubhir — many; iṣṭavān — offered, sacrificed; triṃśadvarṣasahasrāṇi — thirty thousand years; rājā — the king; rājyam — the kingdom; akārayat — ruled, governed
1.41.9
agatvā niścayaṃ rājā teṣām uddharaṇaṃ prati
vyādhinā naraśārdūla kāladharmam upeyivān
Not having reached any certainty regarding their deliverance, the king, O tiger among men, met the law of time (death) through illness.
Words: agatvā — not having reached; niścayaṃ — certainty; rājā — the king; teṣām — of them, their; uddharaṇaṃ — deliverance, rescue; prati — concerning, with regard to; vyādhinā — by illness, disease; naraśārdūla — O tiger among men; kāladharmam — the law of time (death); upeyivān — went to, met, attained
1.41.10
indralokaṃ gato rājā svārjitenaiva karmaṇā
ramye bhagīrathaṃ putram abhiṣicya nararṣabhaḥ
That bull among men, having consecrated his son Bhagīratha (to the throne), went, by his own well-earned deeds, to the lovely world of Indra.
Words: indralokaṃ — to the world of Indra; gato — went; rājā — the king; svārjitenaiva — by his very own earned (deeds); karmaṇā — by deed, action; ramye — lovely (loc.); bhagīrathaṃ — Bhagīratha; putram — son; abhiṣicya — having consecrated, anointed; nararṣabhaḥ — the bull among men
1.41.11
bhagīrathas tu rājarṣir dhārmiko raghunandana
anapatyo mahātejāḥ prajākāmaḥ sa cāprajaḥ
But Bhagīratha, a righteous royal seer, O joy of the Raghus, was without offspring; mighty and longing for progeny, he was yet childless.
Words: bhagīrathas — Bhagīratha; tu — but; rājarṣir — a royal seer; dhārmiko — righteous; raghunandana — O joy of the Raghus; anapatyo — without offspring; mahātejāḥ — mighty, of great splendour; prajākāmaḥ — longing for progeny; sa — he; cāprajaḥ — and childless
1.41.12
sa tapo dīrgham ātiṣṭhad gokarṇe raghunandana
ūrdhvabāhuḥ pañcatapā māsāhāro jitendriyaḥ
He undertook long austerity at Gokarṇa, O joy of the Raghus — arms upraised, amid the five fires, eating but once a month, his senses subdued.
Words: sa — he; tapo — austerity; dīrgham — long; ātiṣṭhad — undertook, stood in; gokarṇe — at Gokarṇa (loc.); raghunandana — O joy of the Raghus; ūrdhvabāhuḥ — with arms upraised; pañcatapā — practising the five fires; māsāhāro — eating (only) once a month; jitendriyaḥ — with senses subdued
1.41.13
tasya varṣasahasrāṇi ghore tapasi tiṣṭhataḥ
suprīto bhagavān brahmā prajānāṃ patir īśvaraḥ
As he stood at his dreadful austerities for thousands of years, the venerable lord Brahmā, lord of creatures, was well pleased with him.
Words: tasya — with him, his; varṣasahasrāṇi — for thousands of years; ghore — dreadful, terrible (loc.); tapasi — in austerity (loc.); tiṣṭhataḥ — standing, abiding; suprīto — well pleased; bhagavān — the venerable one; brahmā — Brahmā; prajānāṃ — of creatures; patir — lord; īśvaraḥ — lord, master
1.41.14
tataḥ suragaṇaiḥ sārdham upāgamya pitāmahaḥ
bhagīrathaṃ mahātmānaṃ tapyamānam athābravīt
Then the Grandsire, coming together with the hosts of gods, said to the great-souled Bhagīratha as he performed his austerities:
Words: tataḥ — then; suragaṇaiḥ — with the hosts of gods; sārdham — together with; upāgamya — having approached, come near; pitāmahaḥ — the Grandsire; bhagīrathaṃ — Bhagīratha; mahātmānaṃ — the great-souled; tapyamānam — performing austerity; athābravīt — then said
1.41.15
bhagīratha mahābhāga prītas te 'haṃ janeśvara
tapasā ca sutaptena varaṃ varaya suvrata
“Bhagīratha, O illustrious one, I am pleased with you, O lord of men; by your well-performed austerity — choose a boon, O firm in vows.”
Words: bhagīratha — O Bhagīratha; mahābhāga — O illustrious one; prītas — pleased; te — with you; 'haṃ — I; janeśvara — O lord of men; tapasā — by austerity; ca — and; sutaptena — well-performed (well-heated); varaṃ — a boon; varaya — choose; suvrata — O firm in vows
1.41.16
tam uvāca mahātejāḥ sarvalokapitāmaham
bhagīratho mahābhāgaḥ kṛtāñjalir avasthitaḥ
The mighty and illustrious Bhagīratha, standing with palms joined, said to him, the Grandsire of all the worlds:
Words: tam — him; uvāca — said; mahātejāḥ — mighty, of great splendour; sarvalokapitāmaham — the Grandsire of all worlds; bhagīratho — Bhagīratha; mahābhāgaḥ — the illustrious; kṛtāñjalir — with palms joined; avasthitaḥ — standing, positioned
1.41.17
yṛadi me bhagavān prīto yady asti tapasaḥ phalam
sagarasyātmajāḥ sarve mattaḥ salilam āpnuyuḥ
“If the venerable one is pleased with me, if there is any fruit of my austerity, may all the sons of Sagara obtain the water-offering from me.
Words: yṛadi — if; me — with me; bhagavān — the venerable one; prīto — pleased; yady — if; asti — there is; tapasaḥ — of austerity; phalam — fruit, reward; sagarasyātmajāḥ — the sons of Sagara; sarve — all; mattaḥ — from me; salilam — water; āpnuyuḥ — may they obtain
1.41.18
gaṅgāyāḥ salilaklinne bhasmany eṣāṃ mahātmanām
svargaṃ gaccheyur atyantaṃ sarve me prapitāmahāḥ
And when the ashes of these great-souled ones are moistened by the water of Gaṅgā, may all my forefathers go forever to heaven.
Words: gaṅgāyāḥ — of Gaṅgā; salilaklinne — moistened with water (loc.); bhasmany — in the ashes (loc.); eṣāṃ — of these; mahātmanām — of the great-souled; svargaṃ — to heaven; gaccheyur — may they go; atyantaṃ — forever, utterly; sarve — all; me — my; prapitāmahāḥ — forefathers, great-grandfathers
1.41.19
deyā ca saṃtator deva nāvasīdet kulaṃ ca naḥ
ikṣvākūṇāṃ kule deva eṣa me 'stu varaḥ paraḥ
And, O god, may posterity be granted, so that our line may not perish; O god, in the line of the Ikṣvākus, let this be my highest boon.”
Words: deyā — to be granted, given; ca — and; saṃtator — posterity, continuation of the line; deva — O god; nāvasīdet — may it not sink/perish; kulaṃ — the family, line; ca — and; naḥ — our; ikṣvākūṇāṃ — of the Ikṣvākus; kule — in the line, family (loc.); deva — O god; eṣa — this; me — my, to me; 'stu — let it be; varaḥ — boon; paraḥ — highest, supreme
1.41.20
uktavākyaṃ tu rājānaṃ sarvalokapitāmahaḥ
pratyuvāca śubhāṃ vāṇīṃ madhurāṃ madhurākṣarām
To the king who had thus spoken, the Grandsire of all the worlds replied in an auspicious, sweet voice, with honeyed syllables:
Words: uktavākyaṃ — who had spoken (his) word; tu — and, but; rājānaṃ — to the king; sarvalokapitāmahaḥ — the Grandsire of all worlds; pratyuvāca — replied; śubhāṃ — auspicious; vāṇīṃ — voice, speech; madhurāṃ — sweet; madhurākṣarām — with honeyed syllables
1.41.21
manoratho mahān eṣa bhagīratha mahāratha
evaṃ bhavatu bhadraṃ te ikṣvākukulavardhana
“This is a great wish, Bhagīratha, O great warrior; so be it — blessings on you, O increaser of the Ikṣvāku line.
Words: manoratho — the wish, heart's desire; mahān — great; eṣa — this; bhagīratha — O Bhagīratha; mahāratha — O great warrior; evaṃ — so, thus; bhavatu — let it be; bhadraṃ — welfare, blessing; te — to you; ikṣvākukulavardhana — O increaser of the Ikṣvāku line
1.41.22
iyaṃ haimavatī gaṅgā jyeṣṭhā himavataḥ sutā
tāṃ vai dhārayituṃ rājan haras tatra niyujyatām
This Gaṅgā, the Himālayan, the eldest daughter of Himavat — to hold her, O king, let Hara (Śiva) be appointed there.
Words: iyaṃ — this; haimavatī — the Himālayan, daughter of Himavat; gaṅgā — Gaṅgā; jyeṣṭhā — the eldest; himavataḥ — of Himavat; sutā — daughter; tāṃ — her; vai — indeed; dhārayituṃ — to hold, bear, sustain; rājan — O king; haras — Hara (Śiva); tatra — there; niyujyatām — let (him) be appointed, engaged
1.41.23
gaṅgāyāḥ patanaṃ rājan pṛthivī na sahiṣyate
tau vai dhārayituṃ vīra nānyaṃ paśyāmi śūlinaḥ
The earth will not endure the fall of Gaṅgā, O king; to hold her, O hero, I see none other than the trident-bearer (Śiva).
Words: gaṅgāyāḥ — of Gaṅgā; patanaṃ — the fall, falling; rājan — O king; pṛthivī — the earth; na — not; sahiṣyate — will endure, bear; tau — her (lit. that/those); vai — indeed; dhārayituṃ — to hold, bear; vīra — O hero; nānyaṃ — no other; paśyāmi — I see; śūlinaḥ — than the trident-bearer (Śiva)
1.41.24
tam evam uktvā rājānaṃ gaṅgāṃ cābhāṣya lokakṛt
jagāma tridivaṃ devaḥ saha sarvair marudgaṇaiḥ
Having spoken thus to the king and having addressed Gaṅgā, the maker of the worlds, the god, went to heaven with all the hosts of the Maruts.
Words: tam — him; evam — thus; uktvā — having spoken; rājānaṃ — the king; gaṅgāṃ — Gaṅgā; cābhāṣya — and having addressed; lokakṛt — the maker of the worlds; jagāma — went; tridivaṃ — to heaven (the third heaven); devaḥ — the god; saha — with; sarvair — all; marudgaṇaiḥ — with the hosts of the Maruts
← 1.40 Story of Sagara: Aṃśumat retrieves the horse · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.42 Story of Sagara: Gaṅgā’s descent through Śiva’s hair →
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. 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.
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