एवमुक्त्वा सुरान् सर्वाञ्शशाप पृथिवीमपि । अवने नैकरूपा त्वं बहुभार्या भविष्यसि ॥१-३६-
Having thus cursed all the gods, she also cursed the earth: "O earth, you shall not have a single form; you shall become one with many wives."
न च पुत्रकृतां प्रीतिं मत्क्रोधकलुषीकृता । प्राप्स्यसि त्वं सुदुर्मेधो मम पुत्रमनिच्छती ॥१-३६-
And you, whose mind is so clouded, will not obtain the joy that comes from a son, for you do not desire my son and have angered me.
तान् सर्वान् पीडितान् दृष्ट्वा सुरान् सुरपतिस्तदा । गमनायोपचक्राम दिशं वरुणपालिताम् ॥१-३६-
Seeing all the gods afflicted, the lord of the gods then set out toward the region guarded by Varuṇa.
स गत्वा तप आतिष्ठत् पार्श्वे तस्योत्तरे गिरेः । हिमवत्प्रभवे शृङ्गे सह देव्या महेश्वरः ॥१-३६-
Having gone there, the great lord Śiva undertook austerities on the northern slope of that mountain, on a peak born of Himavat, together with the goddess.
एष ते विस्तरो राम शैलपुत्र्या निवेदितः गङ्गायाः प्रभवं चैव शृणु मे सहलक्ष्मण ॥१-३६-
O Rāma, this account has been related to you by the daughter of the mountain; now listen to me, along with Lakṣmaṇa, as I tell of the origin of Gaṅgā.
thumb|सप्तत्रिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे सप्तत्रिंशः सर्गः ॥१-
The thirty-seventh chapter is to be heard.
तप्यमाने तदा देवे सेन्द्राः साग्निपुरोगमाः । सेनापतिमभीप्सन्तः पितामहमुपागमन् ॥१-३७-
While the god was performing austerities, the gods, along with Indra and Agni at their head, approached the Grandfather, desiring a commander for their army.
ततोऽब्रुवन् सुराः सर्वे भगवन्तं पितामहम् । प्रणिपत्य सुराराम सेन्द्राः साग्निपुरोगमाः ॥१-३७-
Then all the gods, along with Indra and Agni at their head, bowed down to the blessed Grandfather and spoke these words.
येन सेनापतिर्देव दत्तो भगवता पुरा । स तपः परमास्थाय तप्यते स्म सहोमया ॥१-३७-
O god, the commander of the army whom you once appointed is now engaged in severe austerities together with his wife.
यदत्रानन्तरं कार्यं लोकानां हितकाम्यया । संविधत्स्व विधानज्ञ त्वं हि नः परमा गतिः ॥१-३७-
Whatever must now be done for the welfare of the worlds, arrange it, O knower of order, for you are our supreme refuge.
देवतानां वचः श्रुत्वा सर्वलोकपितामहः । सान्त्वयन् मधुरैर्वाक्यैस्त्रिदशानिदमब्रवीत् ॥१-३७-
Hearing the words of the gods, the Grandfather of all worlds comforted the immortals with gentle words and spoke to them as follows.
शैलपुत्र्या यदुक्तं तन्न प्रजाः स्वासु पत्निषु । तस्या वचनमक्लिष्टं सत्यमेव न संशयः ॥१-३७-
What was spoken by the daughter of the mountain is not fitting for creatures with their own wives; her words are pure and true, without doubt.
इयमाकाशगङ्गा च यस्यां पुत्रं हुताशनः । जनयिष्यति देवानां सेनापतिमरिंदमम् ॥१-३७-
This celestial Gaṅgā, in whom Agni will beget a son, will bear the commander of the gods' army, the destroyer of enemies.
ज्येष्ठा शैलेन्द्रदुहिता मानयिष्यति तं सुतम् । उमायास्तद्बहुमतं भविष्यति न संशयः ॥१-३७-
The eldest daughter of the king of mountains will honor that son; he will be greatly esteemed by Umā, without doubt.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य कृतार्था रघुनन्दन । प्रणिपत्य सुराः सर्वे पितामहमपूजयन् ॥१-३७-
Hearing these words, O descendant of Raghu, all the gods, their purpose fulfilled, bowed down and worshipped the Grandfather.
ते गत्वा परमं राम कैलासं धातुमण्डितम् । अग्निं नियोजयामासुः पुत्रार्थं सर्वदेवताः ॥१-३७-
Then, having gone to the supreme, jewel-adorned Kailāsa, all the gods appointed Agni for the sake of obtaining a son.
देवकार्यमिदं देव समाधत्स्व हुताशन । शैलपुत्र्यां महातेजो गङ्गायां तेज उत्सृज ॥१-३७-
O god, accomplish this task for the gods: release your energy into Gaṅgā, the daughter of the mountain.
देवतानां प्रतिज्ञाय गङ्गामभ्येत्य पावकः । गर्भं धारय वै देवि देवतानामिदं प्रियम् ॥१-३७-
Having promised the gods, Agni approached Gaṅgā and said, 'O goddess, bear the embryo; this is dear to the gods.'
इत्येतद् वचनं श्रुत्वा दिव्यं रूपमधारयत् । स तस्या महिमां दृष्ट्वा समन्तादवशीर्यत ॥१-३७-
Hearing these words, she assumed a divine form; seeing her greatness, his energy dispersed in all directions.
समन्ततस्तदा देवीमभ्यषिञ्चत पावकः । सर्वस्रोतांसि पूर्णानि गङ्गाया रघुनन्दन ॥१-३७-
Then, O descendant of Raghu, Fire anointed the goddess on all sides, and all the streams of the Ganga became full.
तमुवाच ततो गङ्गा सर्वदेवपुरोगमम् । अशक्ता धारणे देव तेजस्तव समुद्धतम् ॥१-३७-
Thereupon, Ganga spoke to the assembly of all the gods: 'O god, I am unable to bear the blazing energy that has arisen from you.'
दह्यमानाग्निना तेन सम्प्रव्यथितचेतना । अथाब्रवीदिदं गङ्गां सर्वदेवहुताशनः ॥१-३७-
Burned by that fire and her mind greatly disturbed, Ganga was then addressed by the Fire, the receiver of all offerings from the gods.
इह हैमवते पार्श्वे गर्भोऽयं संनिवेश्यताम् । श्रुत्वा त्वग्निवचो गङ्गा तं गर्भमतिभास्वरम् ॥१-३७-
‘Let this embryo be placed here, on the slopes of the Himalayas.’ Hearing the words of Agni, Ganga released that exceedingly radiant embryo.
उत्ससर्ज महातेजाः स्रोतोभ्यो हि तदानघ । यदस्या निर्गतं तस्मात् तप्तजाम्बूनदप्रभम् ॥१-३७-
O sinless one, the mighty and radiant embryo was discharged from her streams; what emerged from her shone with the brilliance of molten gold.
काञ्चनं धरणीं प्राप्तं हिरण्यमतुलप्रभम् । ताम्रं कार्ष्णायसं चैव तैक्ष्ण्यादेवाभिजायत ॥१-३७-
Gold, shining like the sun, reached the earth, as did incomparable radiant silver; copper and black iron also arose from its sharpness.
मलं तस्याभवत् तत्र त्रपु सीसकमेव च । तदेतद्धरणीं प्राप्य नानाधातुरवर्धत ॥१-३७-
There, her impurity became tin and lead; and, having reached the earth, various metals increased.
निक्षिप्तमात्रे गर्भे तु तेजोभिरभिरञ्जितम् । सर्वं पर्वतसंनद्धं सौवर्णमभवद् वनम् ॥१-३७-
When the embryo was deposited, infused with radiance, the entire forest, encircled by mountains, became golden.
जातरूपमिति ख्यातं तदाप्रभृति राघव । सुवर्णं पुरुषव्याघ्र हुताशनसमप्रभम् । तृणवृक्षलतागुल्मं सर्वं भवति काञ्चनम् ॥१-३७-
From that time on, O Raghava, it has been known as 'jātarūpa'—gold, equal in brilliance to fire; all grass, trees, creepers, and shrubs there became golden.
तं कुमारं ततो जातं सेन्द्राः सह मरुद्गणाः । क्षीरसम्भावनार्थाय कृत्तिकाः समयोजयन् ॥१-३७-
Then, the gods together with Indra and the hosts of wind deities, assigned the Krittikas to nourish the boy who had been born.
ताः क्षीरं जातमात्रस्य कृत्वा समयमुत्तमम् । ददुः पुत्रोऽयमस्माकं सर्वासामिति निश्चिताः ॥१-३७-
Having made an excellent agreement to give milk to the newborn, the Krittikas, firmly resolved, said, 'He is the son of all of us.'