# Bāla Kāṇḍa 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* Portion: Story of Gaṅgā & Umā · Verses: 21 · Ref format: 1.34. ## Sequence - At dawn Viśvāmitra wakes Rāma, and the company prepares to travel after the morning rites (34.1–3) - Rāma asks which route they should use to cross the fordable Śoṇā → Viśvāmitra points out the maharṣis' path (34.4–5) - after traveling until midday, they reach the Gaṅgā and camp beside its holy waters (34.6–7) - they bathe, perform tarpaṇa for the pitṛs and devatās, offer agnihotra oblations and eat the havis (sacrificial food), and sit around their teacher (34.8–9) - Rāma asks how Gaṅgā came to travel through the three worlds (34.10–11). Viśvāmitra explains that Himavat and Menā, daughter of Meru, had two daughters: Gaṅgā the elder and Umā the younger (34.12–14) - the Suras asked Himavat for Gaṅgā to serve the welfare of the three worlds → he gave her willingly, and they took her to heaven (34.15–17) - Umā undertook severe austerities and was given in marriage to Rudra → Viśvāmitra concludes this first account of the sisters and Gaṅgā's heavenly departure (34.18–21). ## Verses **1.34.1** upāsya rātriśeṣaṃ tu śoṇākūle maharṣibhiḥ niśāyāṃ suprabhātāyāṃ viśvāmitro 'bhyabhāṣata Having spent the remainder of the night with the great seers on the bank of the Śoṇā, when the night had brightened well into dawn, Viśvāmitra spoke: **1.34.2** suprabhātā niśā rāma pūrvā saṃdhyā pravartate uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhadraṃ te gamanāyābhirocaya “The night has well dawned, Rāma; the eastern twilight is coming on. Arise, arise — blessings on you — make ready to set out.” **1.34.3** tac chrutvā vacanaṃ tasya kṛtvā paurvāhṇikīṃ kriyām gamanaṃ rocayām āsa vākyaṃ cedam uvāca ha Hearing those words of his, and having performed the morning rite, he made ready to depart and spoke these words: **1.34.4** ayaṃ śoṇaḥ śubhajalo gādhaḥ pulinamaṇḍitaḥ katareṇa pathā brahman saṃtariṣyāmahe vayam “Here is the Śoṇā, of fair waters, fordable, graced with sandbanks; by which of the two paths, O brahmin, shall we cross over?” **1.34.5** evam uktas tu rāmeṇa viśvāmitro 'bravīd idam eṣa panthā mayoddiṣṭo yena yānti maharṣayaḥ Addressed thus by Rāma, Viśvāmitra said this: “This is the path pointed out by me, by which the great seers go.” **1.34.6** te gatvā dūram adhvānaṃ gate 'rdhadivase tadā jāhnavīṃ saritāṃ śreṣṭhāṃ dadṛśur munisevitām Having gone a long way, when half the day had passed, they then beheld the Jāhnavī, best of rivers, frequented by sages. **1.34.7** tāṃ dṛṣṭvā puṇyasalilāṃ haṃsasārasasevitām babhūvur muditāḥ sarve munayaḥ saharāghavāḥ tasyās tīre tataś cakrus te āvāsaparigraham Seeing that river of holy waters, frequented by swans and cranes, all the sages together with the Rāghavas became glad; and there upon its bank they made their encampment. **1.34.8** tataḥ snātvā yathānyāyaṃ saṃtarpya pitṛdevatāḥ hutvā caivāgnihotrāṇi prāśya cāmṛtavad dhaviḥ Then, having bathed according to rule, gratified the ancestors and the gods, offered the fire-oblations, and partaken of the oblation-food that was like nectar, **1.34.9** viviśur jāhnavītīre śucau muditamānasāḥ viśvāmitraṃ mahātmānaṃ parivārya samantataḥ they settled on the pure bank of the Jāhnavī with glad hearts, surrounding the great-souled Viśvāmitra on every side. **1.34.10** saṃprahṛṣṭamanā rāmo viśvāmitram athābravīt bhagavañ śrotum icchāmi gaṅgāṃ tripathagāṃ nadīm trailokyaṃ katham ākramya gatā nadanadīpatim With a delighted heart Rāma then said to Viśvāmitra: “Venerable one, I wish to hear of the river Gaṅgā, who goes by three paths — how, traversing the three worlds, she reached the lord of streams and rivers. **1.34.11** codito rāma vākyena viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ vṛddhiṃ janma ca gaṅgāyā vaktum evopacakrame Urged by Rāma's words, the great sage Viśvāmitra began to tell the birth and growth of Gaṅgā: **1.34.12** śailendro himavān nāma dhātūnām ākaro mahān tasya kanyā dvayaṃ rāma rūpeṇāpratimaṃ bhuvi There is a lord of mountains named Himavat, a great mine of minerals; he has two daughters, Rāma, unmatched in beauty on earth. **1.34.13** yā meruduhitā rāma tayor mātā sumadhyamā nāmnā menā manojñā vai patnī himavataḥ priyā Their mother, Rāma, slender-waisted, was the daughter of Meru — Menā by name, charming, the beloved wife of Himavat. **1.34.14** tasyāṃ gaṅgeyam abhavaj jyeṣṭhā himavataḥ sutā umā nāma dvitīyābhūt kanyā tasyaiva rāghava Of her this Gaṅgā was born, the elder daughter of Himavat; and Umā by name was his second daughter, O Rāghava. **1.34.15** atha jyeṣṭhāṃ surāḥ sarve devatārthacikīrṣayā śailendraṃ varayām āsur gaṅgāṃ tripathagāṃ nadīm Then all the gods, wishing to accomplish the purpose of the gods, entreated the lord of mountains for the elder daughter, Gaṅgā, the river that goes by three paths. **1.34.16** dadau dharmeṇa himavāṃs tanayāṃ lokapāvanīm svacchandapathagāṃ gaṅgāṃ trailokyahitakāmyayā In accordance with dharma Himavat gave his daughter Gaṅgā, purifier of the world, who goes wherever she pleases, out of a wish for the welfare of the three worlds. **1.34.17** pratigṛhya trilokārthaṃ trilokahitakāriṇaḥ gaṅgām ādāya te 'gacchan kṛtārthenāntarātmanā Accepting her for the sake of the three worlds, those doers of good to the three worlds took Gaṅgā and departed, their purpose achieved in their hearts. **1.34.18** yā cānyā śailaduhitā kanyāsīd raghunandana ugraṃ sā vratam āsthāya tapas tepe tapodhanā And the other daughter of the mountain, O delight of the Raghus — she, undertaking a severe vow, performed austerity, rich in penance. **1.34.19** ugreṇa tapasā yuktāṃ dadau śailavaraḥ sutām rudrāyāpratirūpāya umāṃ lokanamaskṛtām The best of mountains gave his daughter Umā, endowed with fierce austerity and honoured by the world, to the peerless Rudra. **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. **1.34.21** etat te dharmam ākhyātaṃ yathā tripathagā nadī khaṃ gatā prathamaṃ tāta gatiṃ gatimatāṃ vara This sacred account has been told to you: how the three-pathed river first went to the sky, my dear — she who is the recourse of all that moves — O best of men.