एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण विश्वामित्रोऽब्रवीदिदम् । एष पन्था मयोद्दिष्टो येन यान्ति महर्षयः ॥१-३५-
Thus addressed by Rāma, Viśvāmitra replied, 'This is the path I have indicated, by which the great sages travel.'
एवमुक्ता महर्षयो विश्वामित्रेण धीमता । पश्यन्तस्ते प्रयाता वै वनानि विविधानि च ॥१-३५-
Thus addressed by the wise Viśvāmitra, the great sages proceeded, observing the various forests.
ते गत्वा दूरमध्वानं गतेऽर्धदिवसे तदा । जाह्नवीं सरितां श्रेष्ठां ददृशुर्मुनिसेविताम् ॥१-३५-
Having traveled a long distance, when half the day had passed, they saw the Jāhnavī, the foremost river, frequented by sages.
तां दृष्ट्वा पुण्यसलिलां हंससारससेविताम् । बभूवुर्मुनयः सर्वे मुदिताः सहराघवाः ॥१-३५-
Seeing that sacred river, inhabited by swans and cranes, all the sages, together with Rāghava, became joyful.
तस्यास्तीरे तदा सर्वे चक्रुर्वासपरिग्रहम् । ततः स्नात्वा यथान्यायं संतर्प्य पितृदेवताः ॥१-३५-
On its bank, all of them then arranged their lodging; after bathing according to custom, they offered oblations to the ancestors and deities.
हुत्वा चैवाग्निहोत्राणि प्राश्य चामृतवद्धविः । विविशुर्जाह्नवीतीरे शुभा मुदितमानसाः ॥१-३५-
Having performed the fire rituals and eaten the offerings, which were like nectar, they entered the auspicious bank of the Jāhnavī, their minds filled with joy.
विश्वामित्रं महात्मानं परिवार्य समन्ततः । विष्ठिताश्च यथान्यायं राघवौ च यथार्हतः । संप्रहृष्टमना रामो विश्वामित्रमथाब्रवीत् ॥१-३५-
Surrounding the great-souled Viśvāmitra on all sides, and seated properly, as were the Rāghavas, Rāma, his mind delighted, spoke to Viśvāmitra.
भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि गङ्गां त्रिपथगां नदीम् । त्रैलोक्यं कथमाक्रम्य गता नदनदीपतिम् ॥१-३५-
Revered one, I wish to hear about Gaṅgā, the river that traverses three paths; how did she, after conquering the three worlds, become the lord of rivers?
चोदितो रामवाक्येन विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । वृद्धिं जन्म च गङ्गाया वक्तुमेवोपचक्रमे ॥१-३५-
Prompted by Rāma’s words, the great sage Viśvāmitra began to recount the origin and birth of the Gaṅgā.
शैलेन्द्रो हिमवान् राम धातूनामाकरो महान् । तस्य कन्याद्वयं राम रूपेणाप्रतिमं भुवि ॥१-३५-
O Rāma, Himavat, the lord of mountains and great source of minerals, had two daughters of incomparable beauty on earth.
या मेरुदुहिता राम तयोर्माता सुमध्यमा । नाम्ना मेना मनोज्ञा वै पत्नी हिमवतः प्रिया ॥१-३५-
O Rāma, their mother was Menā, the lovely and slender-waisted daughter of Meru, beloved wife of Himavat.
तस्यां गङ्गेयमभवज्ज्येष्ठा हिमवतः सुता । उमा नाम द्वितीयाभूत् कन्या तस्यैव राघव ॥१-३५-
From her, O descendant of Raghu, was born Gaṅgā, the eldest daughter of Himavat; the second daughter was Umā by name.
अथ ज्येष्ठां सुराः सर्वे देवकार्यचिकीर्षया । शैलेन्द्रं वरयामासुर्गङ्गां त्रिपथगां नदीम् ॥१-३५-
Then, desiring to accomplish the work of the gods, all the deities sought the eldest, Gaṅgā, the river that flows in three paths, from the lord of mountains.
ददौ धर्मेण हिमवांस्तनयां लोकपावनीम् । स्वच्छन्दपथगां गङ्गां त्रैलोक्यहितकाम्यया ॥१-३५-
Himavat righteously gave his daughter Gaṅgā, purifier of the worlds, who flows by her own will, for the benefit of the three worlds.
प्रतिगृह्य त्रिलोकार्थं त्रिलोकहितकांक्षिणः । गङ्गामादाय तेऽगच्छन् कृतार्थेनान्तरात्मना ॥१-३५-
Having received Gaṅgā for the sake of the three worlds, those desiring the welfare of all realms departed, their purpose fulfilled.
या चान्या शैलदुहिता कन्याऽसीद् रघुनन्दन । उग्रं सुव्रतमास्थाय तपस्तेपे तपोधना ॥१-३५-
O delight of the Raghus, the other daughter of the mountain, steadfast in severe vows, practiced intense austerity.
उग्रेण तपसा युक्तां ददौ शैलवरः सुताम् । रुद्रायाप्रतिरूपाय उमां लोकनमस्कृताम् ॥१-३५-
The lord of mountains gave Umā, revered by the worlds and unmatched in beauty, to Rudra, as she was endowed with fierce austerity.
एते ते शैलराजस्य सुते लोकनमस्कृते । गङ्गा च सरितां श्रेष्ठा उमादेवी च राघव ॥१-३५-
O Rāghava, these are the two daughters of the king of mountains, honored by the world: Gaṅgā, the best of rivers, and Umā Devī.
एतत् ते सर्वमाख्यातं यथा त्रिपथगामिनी । खं गता प्रथमं तात गतिं गतिमतां वर ॥१-३५-
O best of the wise, all this has been told to you—how the threefold-flowing Gaṅgā first ascended to the sky.
सैषा सुरनदी रम्या शैलेन्द्रतनया तदा । सुरलोकं समारूढा विपापा जलवाहिनी ॥१-३५-
Then this beautiful divine river, daughter of the lord of mountains, ascended to the world of the gods, sinless and bearing water.
thumb|षट्त्रिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे षट्त्रिंशः सर्गः ॥१-
Hear now the thirty-sixth chapter.
उक्तवाक्ये मुनौ तस्मिन्नुभौ राघवलक्ष्मणौ । प्रतिनन्द्य कथां वीरावूचतुर्मुनिपुङ्गवम् ॥१-३६-
When the sage had spoken, the heroic Rāghava and Lakṣmaṇa, having welcomed the tale, addressed the eminent sage.
धर्मयुक्तमिदं ब्रह्मन् कथितं परमं त्वया । दुहितुः शैलराजस्य ज्येष्ठाया वक्तुमर्हसि । विस्तरं विस्तरज्ञोऽसि दिव्यमानुषसम्भवम् ॥१-३६-
O Brāhmaṇa, you have told this supreme and righteous account; you should now describe in detail the birth of the eldest daughter of the king of mountains, for you know the full story of her divine and human origins.
त्रीन् पथो हेतुना केन प्लावयेल्लोकपावनी । कथं गङ्गां त्रिपथगा विश्रुता सरिदुत्तमा ॥१-३६-
By what cause does the purifier of worlds, Gaṅgā, flow in three paths? How did the renowned Gaṅgā, best of rivers, become known as the threefold-flowing one?
त्रिषु लोकेषु धर्मज्ञ कर्मभिः कैः समन्विता । तथा ब्रुवति काकुत्स्थे विश्वामित्रस्तपोधनः ॥१-३६-
In the three worlds, O knower of dharma, by what deeds and with whose association did she act? As the descendant of Kakutstha spoke thus, Viśvāmitra, rich in austerity, replied.
निखिलेन कथां सर्वामृषिमध्ये न्यवेदयत् । पुरा राम कृतोद्वाहः शितिकण्ठो महातपाः ॥१-३६-
In the midst of the sages, he narrated the entire story in full: Long ago, O Rāma, the great ascetic Śitikaṇṭha was newly wed.
दृष्ट्वा च भगवान् देवीं मैथुनायोपचक्रमे । तस्य संक्रीडमानस्य महादेवस्य धीमतः । शितिकण्ठस्य देवस्य दिव्यं वर्षशतं गतम् ॥१-३६-
Beholding the goddess, the blessed Lord engaged in union with her; as the great and wise Mahadeva, the blue-throated god, sported thus, a hundred divine years passed.
न चापि तनयो राम तस्यामासीत् परंतप । सर्वे देवाः समुद्युक्ताः पितामहपुरोगमाः ॥१-३६-
Yet, O Rama, no son was born to her, scorcher of foes; then all the gods, led by the Grandsire, became greatly concerned.
यदिहोत्पद्यते भूतं कस्तत् प्रतिसहिष्यति । अभिगम्य सुराः सर्वे प्रणिपत्येदमब्रुवन् ॥१-३६-
"If a being is born here, who will be able to withstand it?" So, all the gods approached, bowed down, and spoke thus:
देवदेव महादेव लोकस्यास्य हिते रत । सुराणां प्रणिपातेन प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि ॥१-३६-
"O God of gods, great Lord, who delights in the welfare of the world, by our prostration, you ought to show us your favor."