← 1.41 Story of Sagara: Bhagīratha takes up the ancestral task · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.43 Story of Sagara: Gaṅgā redeems the sixty thousand →

Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 42: Story of Sagara: Gaṅgā’s descent through Śiva’s hair

Summary. Śiva catches the falling river in his matted hair, Bhagīratha wins her release and leads the purifying waters across the earth

Sequence

  1. Bhagīratha worships Śiva for a year, pressing the earth with the tip of his great toe (1.42.1)
  2. pleased, Śiva agrees to receive Gaṅgā on his head (1.42.2–3)
  3. she descends from heaven in an immense, irresistible torrent → caught within his matted hair, she can find no exit and wanders there for years (1.42.4–5)
  4. Bhagīratha again propitiates Śiva, who releases her toward Lake Bindu (1.42.6)
  5. the water spreads across the earth with a tremendous roar. Devas, ṛṣis, gandharvas, yakṣas, and siddhas gather overhead to watch (1.42.7)
  6. their ornaments light the cloudless sky like a hundred suns (1.42.8–11)
  7. fish, crocodiles, and serpents flash through the falling water, while pale sprays and swimming swans resemble clouds (1.42.12–13)
  8. the currents race, bend, rise, slow, collide, and leap upward before falling again (1.42.14–15)
  9. purified by contact with Śiva, the water is honored as sacred → beings cast down to earth by curses bathe, regain purity, and return to their heavenly homes → the world rejoices and is refreshed (1.42.16–20)
  10. Bhagīratha drives ahead in a divya syandana (divine chariot) → Gaṅgā follows wherever he leads, accompanied by rejoicing heavenly beings and creatures of the water. (1.42.21–24)

Verses 1.42.1–24

1.42.1

devadeve gate tasmin so 'ṅguṣṭhāgranipīḍitām
kṛtvā vasumatīṃ rāma saṃvatsaram upāsata

When that god of gods had gone, he (Bhagīratha), O Rāma, having pressed the earth with the tip of his big toe, worshipped (Śiva) for a year.

Words: devadeve — the god of gods (loc.); gate — having gone (loc.); tasmin — that (loc.); so — he; 'ṅguṣṭhāgranipīḍitām — pressed with the tip of the big toe; kṛtvā — having made; vasumatīṃ — the earth; rāma — O Rāma; saṃvatsaram — for a year; upāsata — worshipped, waited upon

1.42.2

atha saṃvatsare pūrṇe sarvalokanamaskṛtaḥ
umāpatiḥ paśupatī rājānam idam abravīt

Then, when the year was complete, the lord of Umā, lord of creatures, honoured by all the worlds, said this to the king:

Words: atha — then; saṃvatsare — year (loc.); pūrṇe — complete (loc.); sarvalokanamaskṛtaḥ — honoured by all the worlds; umāpatiḥ — the lord of Umā (Śiva); paśupatī — lord of creatures (Śiva); rājānam — to the king; idam — this; abravīt — said

1.42.3

prītas te 'haṃ naraśreṣṭha kariṣyāmi tava priyam
śirasā dhārayiṣyāmi śailarājasutām aham

“I am pleased with you, O best of men; I shall do you this kindness — I shall bear the daughter of the mountain-king upon my head.”

Words: prītas — pleased; te — with you; 'haṃ — I; naraśreṣṭha — O best of men; kariṣyāmi — I shall do; tava — your, for you; priyam — a kindness, dear thing; śirasā — on (my) head; dhārayiṣyāmi — I shall bear, hold; śailarājasutām — the daughter of the mountain-king; aham — I

1.42.4

tato haimavatī jyeṣṭhā sarvalokanamaskṛtā
tadā sātimahad rūpaṃ kṛtvā vegaṃ ca duḥsaham
ākāśād apatad rāma śive śivaśirasy uta

Then the Himālayan eldest one (Gaṅgā), honoured by all the worlds, assuming a huge form and an unbearable rushing force, fell from the sky, O Rāma, upon the auspicious head of the holy Śiva.

Words: tato — then; haimavatī — the Himālayan (daughter of Himavat); jyeṣṭhā — the eldest; sarvalokanamaskṛtā — honoured by all the worlds; tadā — then; sātimahad — she, an exceedingly great (form); rūpaṃ — form; kṛtvā — having assumed, made; vegaṃ — force, rushing speed; ca — and; duḥsaham — unbearable, hard to withstand; ākāśād — from the sky; apatad — fell; rāma — O Rāma; śive — on the holy one / auspicious (loc.); śivaśirasy — on Śiva's head; uta — and, indeed

1.42.5

naiva sā nirgamaṃ lekhe jaṭāmaṇḍalamohitā
tatraivābabhramad devī saṃvatsaragaṇān bahūn

But she found no way out, bewildered in the coil of his matted locks; and right there the goddess wandered about for many years.

Words: naiva — not at all; sā — she; nirgamaṃ — a way out, exit; lekhe — found, obtained; jaṭāmaṇḍalamohitā — bewildered in the coil of matted locks; tatraivābabhramad — wandered about right there; devī — the goddess; saṃvatsaragaṇān — for many years (groups of years); bahūn — many

1.42.6

anena toṣitaś cāsīd atyarthaṃ raghunandana
visasarja tato gaṅgāṃ haro bindusaraḥ prati

By this (Bhagīratha) was Hara greatly propitiated, O joy of the Raghus; and then Hara released Gaṅgā toward Lake Bindu.

Words: anena — by this (one), by him; toṣitaś — propitiated, pleased; cāsīd — and was; atyarthaṃ — exceedingly, greatly; raghunandana — O joy of the Raghus; visasarja — released, let go; tato — then; gaṅgāṃ — Gaṅgā; haro — Hara (Śiva); bindusaraḥ — Lake Bindu (Bindusaras); prati — toward

1.42.7

gaganāc chaṃkaraśiras tato dharaṇim āgatā
vyasarpata jalaṃ tatra tīvraśabdapuraskṛtam

From the sky onto Śaṃkara's head, and then coming to the earth — there the water spread out, accompanied by a fierce roar.

Words: gaganāc — from the sky; chaṃkaraśiras — onto Śaṃkara's head; tato — then; dharaṇim — to the earth; āgatā — having come, arrived; vyasarpata — spread out, flowed, crept; jalaṃ — water; tatra — there; tīvraśabdapuraskṛtam — accompanied by a fierce sound

1.42.8

tato devarṣigandharvā yakṣāḥ siddhagaṇās tathā
vyalokayanta te tatra gaganād gāṃ gatāṃ tadā

Then divine seers, gandharvas, yakṣas, and hosts of siddhas gazed there upon her (Gaṅgā), gone from the sky to the earth.

Words: tato — then; devarṣigandharvā — divine seers and gandharvas; yakṣāḥ — yakṣas; siddhagaṇās — hosts of siddhas; tathā — and, likewise; vyalokayanta — gazed upon, beheld; te — they; tatra — there; gaganād — from the sky; gāṃ — to the earth; gatāṃ — gone (fem., i.e. Gaṅgā); tadā — then

1.42.9

vimānair nagarākārair hayair gajavarais tathā
pāriplavagatāś cāpi devatās tatra viṣṭhitāḥ

The deities stood there in aerial cars shaped like cities, on horses and on splendid elephants, and also floating to and fro in the air.

Words: vimānair — with aerial cars, celestial chariots; nagarākārair — shaped like cities; hayair — with horses; gajavarais — with splendid elephants; tathā — and, likewise; pāriplavagatāś — floating to and fro; cāpi — and also; devatās — the deities; tatra — there; viṣṭhitāḥ — stood, were stationed

1.42.10

tad adbhutatamaṃ loke gaṅgā patanam uttamam
didṛkṣavo devagaṇāḥ sameyur amitaujasaḥ

Desiring to see that most wondrous, sublime descent of Gaṅgā in the world, the hosts of gods, of measureless might, assembled.

Words: tad — that; adbhutatamaṃ — most wondrous; loke — in the world; gaṅgā — of Gaṅgā; patanam — the fall, descent; uttamam — sublime, highest; didṛkṣavo — desiring to see; devagaṇāḥ — the hosts of gods; sameyur — assembled, came together; amitaujasaḥ — of measureless might

1.42.11

saṃpatadbhiḥ suragaṇais teṣāṃ cābharaṇaujasā
śatādityam ivābhāti gaganaṃ gatatoyadam

With the hosts of gods streaming down, and by the brilliance of their ornaments, the cloudless sky shone as if with a hundred suns.

Words: saṃpatadbhiḥ — streaming down, converging (instr.); suragaṇais — with the hosts of gods; teṣāṃ — their; cābharaṇaujasā — and by the brilliance of (their) ornaments; śatādityam — a hundred suns; ivābhāti — shines as if; gaganaṃ — the sky; gatatoyadam — cloudless (whence clouds have gone)

1.42.12

śiṃśumāroragagaṇair mīnair api ca cañcalaiḥ
vidyudbhir iva vikṣiptair ākāśam abhavat tadā

With hosts of crocodiles and serpents, and darting fishes too, the sky then became as though scattered with flashes of lightning.

Words: śiṃśumāroragagaṇair — with hosts of crocodiles and serpents; mīnair — with fishes; api — also; ca — and; cañcalaiḥ — darting, quivering; vidyudbhir — with lightnings; iva — as if, like; vikṣiptair — scattered, flung about; ākāśam — the sky; abhavat — became, was; tadā — then

1.42.13

pāṇḍuraiḥ salilotpīḍaiḥ kīryamāṇaiḥ sahasradhā
śāradābhrair ivākrītṇaṃ gaganaṃ haṃsasaṃplavaiḥ

The sky was filled, as if with autumn clouds, with pale surges of water scattered a thousandfold and with flocks of swimming swans.

Words: pāṇḍuraiḥ — pale, whitish (instr.); salilotpīḍaiḥ — with surges of water; kīryamāṇaiḥ — being scattered, strewn; sahasradhā — a thousandfold; śāradābhrair — with autumn clouds; ivākrītṇaṃ — as if filled, strewn; gaganaṃ — the sky; haṃsasaṃplavaiḥ — with flocks of swimming swans

1.42.14

kva cid drutataraṃ yāti kuṭilaṃ kva cid āyatam
vinataṃ kva cid uddhūtaṃ kva cid yāti śanaiḥ śanaiḥ

In one place (the water) runs very swiftly, in another it goes winding, in another drawn out; here bent down, here tossed up, here it flows ever so slowly.

Words: kva cid — in one place, somewhere; drutataraṃ — very swiftly, faster; yāti — goes, flows; kuṭilaṃ — winding, crooked; kva cid — in another place; āyatam — extended, drawn out; vinataṃ — bent down, curved; kva cid — somewhere; uddhūtaṃ — tossed up, upheaved; kva cid — somewhere; yāti — goes, flows; śanaiḥ śanaiḥ — ever so slowly, very gently

1.42.15

salilenaiva salilaṃ kva cid abhyāhataṃ punaḥ
muhur ūrdhvapathaṃ gatvā papāta vasudhāṃ punaḥ

In one place water dashed against water again; and again and again, having risen up into the sky, it fell back to the earth.

Words: salilenaiva — by water itself; salilaṃ — water; kva cid — in one place, somewhere; abhyāhataṃ — dashed against, struck; punaḥ — again; muhur — again and again; ūrdhvapathaṃ — the upward path, the sky; gatvā — having gone; papāta — fell; vasudhāṃ — to the earth; punaḥ — again

1.42.16

tac chaṃkaraśirobhraṣṭaṃ bhraṣṭaṃ bhūmitale punaḥ
vyarocata tadā toyaṃ nirmalaṃ gatakalmaṣam

That water, fallen from Śaṃkara's head, and fallen again onto the surface of the earth, then shone spotless and free of all impurity.

Words: tac — that; chaṃkaraśirobhraṣṭaṃ — fallen from Śaṃkara's head; bhraṣṭaṃ — fallen; bhūmitale — on the surface of the earth (loc.); punaḥ — again; vyarocata — shone, gleamed; tadā — then; toyaṃ — water; nirmalaṃ — spotless, pure; gatakalmaṣam — free of impurity/sin

1.42.17

tatrarṣigaṇagandharvā vasudhātalavāsinaḥ
bhavāṅgapatitaṃ toyaṃ pavitram iti paspṛśuḥ

There, hosts of seers and gandharvas, dwellers on the surface of the earth, touched the water fallen from the body of Bhava (Śiva), (saying) “It is sacred.”

Words: tatrarṣigaṇagandharvā — there, the hosts of seers and gandharvas; vasudhātalavāsinaḥ — dwellers on the earth's surface; bhavāṅgapatitaṃ — fallen from the body of Bhava (Śiva); toyaṃ — the water; pavitram — sacred, purifying; iti — thus (saying); paspṛśuḥ — touched

1.42.18

śāpāt prapatitā ye ca gaganād vasudhātalam
kṛtvā tatrābhiṣekaṃ te babhūvur gatakalmaṣāḥ

And those who had fallen through a curse from the sky to the earth's surface, having bathed there, became free of all impurity.

Words: śāpāt — through a curse; prapatitā — fallen; ye — who; ca — and; gaganād — from the sky; vasudhātalam — to the earth's surface; kṛtvā — having made; tatrābhiṣekaṃ — an ablution there; te — they; babhūvur — became; gatakalmaṣāḥ — free of impurity

1.42.19

dhūpapāpāḥ punas tena toyenātha subhāsvatā
punar ākāśam āviśya svāṃl lokān pratipedire

Their sins washed away by that bright, radiant water, they entered the sky once more and regained their own worlds.

Words: dhūpapāpāḥ — with sins washed away; punas — again; tena — by that; toyenātha — by the water, then; subhāsvatā — bright, very radiant; punar — again; ākāśam — the sky; āviśya — having entered; svāṃl — their own; lokān — worlds; pratipedire — regained, attained

1.42.20

mumude mudito lokas tena toyena bhāsvatā
kṛtābhiṣeko gaṅgāyāṃ babhūva vigataklamaḥ

The world rejoiced, delighted by that shining water; and having bathed in Gaṅgā, it became free of weariness.

Words: mumude — rejoiced; mudito — delighted; lokas — the world; tena — by that; toyena — by the water; bhāsvatā — shining, radiant; kṛtābhiṣeko — having bathed (performed ablution); gaṅgāyāṃ — in Gaṅgā; babhūva — became; vigataklamaḥ — free of weariness

1.42.21

bhagīratho 'pi rājarṣir divyaṃ syandanam āsthitaḥ
prāyād agre mahātejās taṃ gaṅgā pṛṣṭhato 'nvagāt

And the royal seer Bhagīratha, mounted on a celestial chariot, that mighty one, went ahead, and Gaṅgā followed behind him.

Words: bhagīratho — Bhagīratha; 'pi — also, and; rājarṣir — the royal seer; divyaṃ — celestial, divine; syandanam — chariot; āsthitaḥ — mounted, seated on; prāyād — went forth, set out; agre — ahead, in front; mahātejās — the mighty one; taṃ — him; gaṅgā — Gaṅgā; pṛṣṭhato — behind; 'nvagāt — followed

1.42.22

devāḥ sarṣigaṇāḥ sarve daityadānavarākṣasāḥ
gandharvayakṣapravarāḥ sakiṃnaramahoragāḥ

All the gods with the hosts of seers, the daityas, dānavas and rākṣasas, the foremost of gandharvas and yakṣas, together with kiṃnaras and great serpents,

Words: devāḥ — the gods; sarṣigaṇāḥ — with the hosts of seers; sarve — all; daityadānavarākṣasāḥ — daityas, dānavas and rākṣasas; gandharvayakṣapravarāḥ — the foremost of gandharvas and yakṣas; sakiṃnaramahoragāḥ — together with kiṃnaras and great serpents

1.42.23

sarvāś cāpsaraso rāma bhagīratharathānugāḥ
gaṅgām anvagaman prītāḥ sarve jalacarāś ca ye

and all the apsarases, O Rāma, following Bhagīratha's chariot — all these, delighted, followed Gaṅgā, as did whatever creatures move in the water.

Words: sarvāś — all; cāpsaraso — and the apsarases; rāma — O Rāma; bhagīratharathānugāḥ — following Bhagīratha's chariot; gaṅgām — Gaṅgā; anvagaman — followed; prītāḥ — delighted, pleased; sarve — all; jalacarāś — the water-dwelling (creatures); ca — and; ye — who, whatever

1.42.24

yato bhagīratho rājā tato gaṅgā yaśasvinī
jagāma saritāṃ śreṣṭhā sarvapāpavināśinī

Wherever King Bhagīratha went, there went the glorious Gaṅgā, best of rivers, destroyer of all sins.

Words: yato — wherever, whither; bhagīratho — Bhagīratha; rājā — the king; tato — there, thither; gaṅgā — Gaṅgā; yaśasvinī — the glorious, illustrious; jagāma — went; saritāṃ — of rivers; śreṣṭhā — the best; sarvapāpavināśinī — the destroyer of all sins

← 1.41 Story of Sagara: Bhagīratha takes up the ancestral task · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.43 Story of Sagara: Gaṅgā redeems the sixty thousand →

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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