Let the forty-third sarga of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa, be heard. After the Lord of gods had departed, Rāma, Bhagiratha pressed his thumb upon the earth and performed worship for a full year. When that year was completed, the revered Lord of all beings—Umāpati, Paśupati, Shiva himself—appeared before King Bhagiratha and spoke: “I am pleased with you, best of men. I will grant your wish. I shall bear the daughter of the mountain-king upon my head.” Then, the eldest daughter of Himavat, honored by all the worlds—Ganga—assumed an immense form and an unbearable speed. From the sky, O Rāma, Ganga descended and landed upon Shiva, settling upon his head. This goddess, difficult to restrain, considered her course, intent on reaching the earth. But as she entered the netherworld, seizing the stream and Shiva, the blessed Lord Hara, recognizing her arrogance, became angry. The three-eyed one, Shiva, resolved to conceal her. The sacred river fell upon his holy head, and in the cavern of Shiva’s matted locks, resembling the Himalaya, Ganga strove but could not manage to reach the earth. She found no exit from the mass of matted hair, and there the goddess wandered for many years. Eventually, one performing supreme austerity saw her and was greatly pleased by her presence, O delight of the Raghu lineage. Then Hara released Ganga toward the Bindusaras lake, and as she was released, seven streams emerged. Three auspicious waters—Hladini, Pāvani, and Nalinī—flowed eastward from Shiva. Three others—Suchakshu, Sita, and Sindhu, the great river—flowed toward the west. The seventh stream followed the chariot of Bhagiratha, who, mounting his divine vehicle, led the way. The mighty Ganga proceeded ahead, and Bhagiratha followed her. From the sky, from Shiva’s head, she descended to the earth. The water flowed with a fierce sound, accompanied by crowds of fish, turtles, and groups of dolphins. As they fell and landed, the earth shone brilliantly. Divine sages, Gandharvas, Yakshas, and Siddhas observed her as she descended from the sky to the earth, accompanied by flying palaces shaped like cities, horses, and noble elephants. The gods, stationed there, moved about in boats, witnessing this wondrous, supreme descent of Ganga into the world. Desiring to see, the hosts of gods, immeasurably powerful, gathered; as they flew, their ornaments shone brightly. The sky, filled with clouds, gleamed like a hundred suns, with dolphins, serpents, and restless fish. Lightning scattered across the sky, and pale, surging waters spread in thousands of streams. Flocks of swans filled the sky like autumn clouds, and the river moved at times swiftly, at times crookedly, at times broadly. In some places, Ganga surged upward; in others, she moved slowly and gently. At times, water struck against water again and again, rising upward and then falling back to the earth. That which fell from Śaṅkara’s head dropped again upon the ground. The water, pure and cleansed of all impurity, shone brilliantly. There, the hosts of sages and Gandharvas dwelling on earth touched the water fallen from Bhava’s body, declaring it sacred. Those who had fallen from the sky to earth by a curse, having performed ablution there, became free from impurity. Their sins washed away by that water, they were endowed with auspiciousness. Entering the sky again, they attained their own worlds, and the people rejoiced, delighted by that radiant water. Having performed ablution in the Gaṅgā, they became purified. Bhagiratha, the royal sage, mounted his divine chariot, and the great king proceeded ahead, with Gaṅgā following behind him. All the gods, sages, Daityas, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas, the foremost of Gandharvas and Yakṣas, along with Kinnaras, great serpents, and all the Apsarases, O Rāma, followed Bhagiratha’s chariot. All the water-dwellers, pleased, followed Gaṅgā. Wherever King Bhagiratha went, there went the glorious Gaṅgā. The best of rivers, destroyer of all sins, proceeded onward. Then, at the sacrificial ground of Jahnu, the wondrous performer of rites, Gaṅgā flooded the sacrificial ground of that great-souled one. Perceiving her insolence, Jahnu became angry, O Rāghava, and drank up all the water of Gaṅgā—an extraordinary feat. The gods, Gandharvas, and sages were greatly astonished. They honored the great-souled Jahnu, the best of men, and entreated him to accept Gaṅgā as his daughter. Pleased, the radiant lord released her from his ears. Therefore, Gaṅgā is called the daughter of Jahnu, and also known as Jāhnavī. Once again, Gaṅgā followed Bhagiratha’s chariot, and that foremost of rivers then reached the ocean.