# Bāla Kāṇḍa 35 — Story of Gaṅgā & Umā: Restrained union and Umā’s curses *The Devas interrupt Śiva & Umā’s union, his released energy transforms the earth through Agni & Vāyu, Umā curses the Devas and the earth* Portion: Story of Gaṅgā & Umā · Verses: 26 · Ref format: 1.35. ## Sequence - The brothers ask for the fuller account of Gaṅgā's three paths (35.1–5) - Viśvāmitra begins with Śiva and Umā: after their marriage, a divine hundred years of union pass without a son (35.6–7) - the Devas fear that no one could withstand the resulting offspring → led by Brahmā, they ask Śiva to retain his fiery energy and return with Umā to austerity, protecting the worlds from destruction (35.8–11) - Śiva agrees but asks who can receive the energy already stirred from its place → the Devas answer that the earth will bear it (35.12–15). Śiva releases his energy, filling the earth, mountains, and forests (35.16) - the Devas instruct Agni to enter it together with Vāyu → the energy, pervaded by fire, produces a white mountain and a radiant reed thicket, identified here as the birthplace of Kārttikeya (35.17–18) - the Devas honor Śiva and Umā (35.19) - Umā, furious that they prevented her from obtaining a son, curses them never to beget children through their own wives (35.20–21) - she also curses the earth to possess many forms and many husbands and to lack the joy of a son (35.22–23) - Śiva departs with her and undertakes austerity on the northern side of a Himalayan peak → Viśvāmitra turns to Gaṅgā's part in the birth story (35.24–26). ## Verses **1.35.1** ukta vākye munau tasminn ubhau rāghavalakṣmaṇau pratinandya kathāṃ vīrāv ūcatur munipuṃgavam When that sage had spoken, the two heroes, Rāghava and Lakṣmaṇa, welcomed the tale and said to the bull among sages: **1.35.2** dharmayuktam idaṃ brahman kathitaṃ paramaṃ tvayā duhituḥ śailarājasya jyeṣṭhāya vaktum arhasi “This most excellent tale, in accord with dharma, has been told by you, O brahmin; you should now speak of the eldest daughter of the mountain-king. **1.35.3** vistaraṃ vistarajño 'si divyamānuṣasaṃbhavam trīn patho hetunā kena pāvayel lokapāvanī You know the matter in full; (tell) in detail her origin among gods and men. For what reason does the purifier of the worlds purify the three paths? **1.35.4** kathaṃ gaṅgāṃ tripathagā viśrutā sariduttamā triṣu lokeṣu dharmajña karmabhiḥ kaiḥ samanvitā How is Gaṅgā, best of rivers, renowned as the three-pathed one in the three worlds, O knower of dharma — by what deeds is she attended?” **1.35.5** tathā bruvati kākutsthe viśvāmitras tapodhanaḥ nikhilena kathāṃ sarvām ṛṣimadhye nyavedayat As Kākutstha spoke thus, Viśvāmitra, rich in austerity, related the whole tale in full in the midst of the seers: **1.35.6** purā rāma kṛtodvāhaḥ śitikaṇṭho mahātapāḥ dṛṣṭvā ca spṛhayā devīṃ maithunāyopacakrame In olden times, Rāma, the blue-throated one (Śiva), the great ascetic, having married, and gazing with longing upon the goddess, set about union with her. **1.35.7** śitikaṇṭhasya devasya divyaṃ varṣaśataṃ gatam na cāpi tanayo rāma tasyām āsīt paraṃtapa A divine hundred years passed for the blue-throated god, yet no son was born to him upon her, O scorcher of foes, O Rāma. **1.35.8** tato devāḥ samudvignāḥ pitāmahapurogamāḥ yad ihotpadyate bhūtaṃ kas tat pratisahiṣyate Then the gods, alarmed, with the Grandsire at their head, (thought): “Whatever being should be born here, who will be able to withstand it?” **1.35.9** abhigamya surāḥ sarve praṇipatyedam abruvan devadeva mahādeva lokasyāsya hite rata surāṇāṃ praṇipātena prasādaṃ kartum arhasi Approaching, all the gods bowed down and said this: “O god of gods, great god, devoted to the welfare of this world — at the prostration of the gods you should show your grace. **1.35.10** na lokā dhārayiṣyanti tava tejaḥ surottama brāhmeṇa tapasā yukto devyā saha tapaś cara The worlds will not be able to bear your fiery seed, O best of gods; joined with brahmanical austerity, practise austerity together with the goddess. **1.35.11** trailokyahitakāmārthaṃ tejas tejasi dhāraya rakṣa sarvān imāṃl lokān nālokaṃ kartum arhasi For the sake of the welfare of the three worlds, hold your fiery energy within your own energy; protect all these worlds — you must not bring them to a lightless ruin. **1.35.12** devatānāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā sarvalokamaheśvaraḥ bāḍham ity abravīt sarvān punaś cedam uvāca ha Hearing the words of the gods, the great lord of all the worlds said to them all, “So be it,” and again spoke this: **1.35.13** dhārayiṣyāmy ahaṃ tejas tejasy eva sahomayā tridaśāḥ pṛthivī caiva nirvāṇam adhigacchatu “I shall hold my fiery energy within my own energy, together with Umā; let the gods and the earth attain relief. **1.35.14** yad idaṃ kṣubhitaṃ sthānān mama tejo hy anuttamam dhārayiṣyati kas tan me bruvantu surasattamāḥ But this peerless energy of mine that has been stirred up from its seat — who will hold it? Tell me that, O most excellent gods.” **1.35.15** evam uktās tato devāḥ pratyūcur vṛṣabhadhvajam yat tejaḥ kṣubhitaṃ hy etat tad dharā dhārayiṣyati Thus addressed, the gods then replied to the bull-bannered one (Śiva): “This energy that has been stirred up — the earth will bear it.” **1.35.16** evam uktaḥ surapatiḥ pramumoca mahītale tejasā pṛthivī yena vyāptā sagirikānanā Thus addressed, the lord of the gods (Śiva) released his energy upon the earth's surface, and by that energy the earth, with its mountains and forests, was pervaded. **1.35.17** tato devāḥ punar idam ūcuś cātha hutāśanam praviśa tvaṃ mahātejo raudraṃ vāyusamanvitaḥ Then the gods again said this to Agni: “Enter, O one of great energy, this fierce seed of Rudra, accompanied by Vāyu.” **1.35.18** tad agninā punar vyāptaṃ saṃjātaḥ śvetaparvataḥ divyaṃ śaravaṇaṃ caiva pāvakādityasaṃnibham yatra jāto mahātejāḥ kārtikeyo 'gnisaṃbhavaḥ That seed, again pervaded by Agni, gave rise to a white mountain and a divine thicket of reeds, resembling fire and the sun, where the mighty Kārtikeya, sprung from fire, was born. **1.35.19** athomāṃ ca śivaṃ caiva devāḥ sarṣi gaṇās tadā pūjayām āsur atyarthaṃ suprītamanasas tataḥ Then the gods, together with the throngs of seers, exceedingly honoured Umā and Śiva, with well-pleased hearts. **1.35.20** atha śaila sutā rāma tridaśān idam abravīt samanyur aśapat sarvān krodhasaṃraktalocanā Then the daughter of the mountain, Rāma, said this to the gods; full of wrath, her eyes red with anger, she cursed them all: **1.35.21** yasmān nivāritā caiva saṃgatā putrakāmyayā apatyaṃ sveṣu dāreṣu notpādayitum arhatha adya prabhṛti yuṣmākam aprajāḥ santu patnayaḥ “Because I was hindered, though I had come together (with my husband) out of a desire for a son — may you never beget offspring upon your own wives; from this day forth let your wives be childless!” **1.35.22** evam uktvā surān sarvāñ śaśāpa pṛthivīm api avane naikarūpā tvaṃ bahubhāryā bhaviṣyasi Having spoken thus, she cursed all the gods, and the earth as well: “O earth, you shall not have a single form; you shall be the wife of many. **1.35.23** na ca putrakṛtāṃ prītiṃ matkrodhakaluṣī kṛtā prāpsyasi tvaṃ sudurmedhe mama putram anicchatī And, defiled by my wrath, you shall not obtain the joy that a son brings, O most foolish one, since you did not wish for a son of mine.” **1.35.24** tān sarvān vrīḍitān dṛṣṭvā surān surapatis tadā gamanāyopacakrāma diśaṃ varuṇapālitām Seeing all those gods abashed, the lord of the gods (Śiva) then set out toward the quarter guarded by Varuṇa. **1.35.25** sa gatvā tapa ātiṣṭhat pārśve tasyottare gireḥ himavatprabhave śṛṅge saha devyā maheśvaraḥ Having gone there, the great lord (Śiva), together with the goddess, undertook austerity on the northern flank of that mountain, on a peak sprung from Himavat. **1.35.26** eṣa te vistaro rāma śailaputryā niveditaḥ gaṅgāyāḥ prabhavaṃ caiva śṛṇu me sahalakṣmaṇaḥ This full account of the mountain's daughter has been told to you, Rāma; now hear from me, together with Lakṣmaṇa, the origin of Gaṅgā as well.