प्रायादग्रे महातेजा गङ्गा तं चाप्यनुव्रजत् । गगनाच्छङ्करशिरस्ततो धरणिमागता ॥१-४३-
The mighty Ganga proceeded ahead, and he followed her; from the sky, from Shiva’s head, she descended to the earth.
असर्पत जलं तत्र तीव्रशब्दपुरस्कृतम् । मत्स्यकच्छपसङ्घैश्च शिंशुमारगणैस्तथा ॥१-४३-
There the water flowed, accompanied by a fierce sound, with crowds of fish, turtles, and groups of dolphins.
पतद्भिः पतितैश्चैव व्यरोचत वसुंधरा । ततो देवर्षिगन्धर्वा यक्षसिद्धगणास्तथा ॥१-४३-
As they fell and landed, the earth shone; then the hosts of divine sages, Gandharvas, Yakshas, and Siddhas likewise.
व्यलोकयन्त ते तत्र गगनाद् गां गतां तदा । विमानैर्नगराकारैर्हयैर्गजवरैस्तदा ॥१-४३-
They observed her as she descended from the sky to the earth, with flying palaces shaped like cities, horses, and noble elephants.
पारिप्लवगताश्चापि देवतास्तत्र विष्ठिताः । तदद्भुतमिमं लोके गङ्गावतरमुत्तमम् ॥१-४३-
The gods, stationed there, moved about in boats; they witnessed this wondrous, supreme descent of the Ganga in the world.
दिदृक्षवो देवगणाः समीयुरमितौजसः । सम्पतद्भिः सुरगणैस्तेषां चाभरणौजसा ॥१-४३-
Desiring to see, the hosts of gods, immeasurably powerful, gathered; as they flew, their ornaments shone brightly.
शतादित्यमिवाभाति गगनं गततोयदम् । शिंशुमारोरगगणैर्मीनैरपि च चञ्चलैः ॥१-४३-
The sky, filled with clouds, shone like a hundred suns, with dolphins, serpents, and restless fish.
विद्युद्भिरिव विक्षिप्तैराकाशमभवत् तदा । पाण्डुरैः सलिलोत्पीडैः कीर्यमाणैः सहस्रधा ॥१-४३-
The sky was scattered like lightning, with pale, surging waters spread in thousands of streams.
शारदाभ्रैरिवाकीर्णं गगनं हंससम्प्लवैः । क्वचिद् द्रुततरं याति कुटिलं क्वचिदायतम् ॥१-४३-
The sky was covered like autumn clouds with flocks of swans; at times the river moved swiftly, at times crookedly, at times broadly.
विनतं क्वचिदुद्भूतं क्वचिद् याति शनैः शनैः । सलिलेनैव सलिलं क्वचिदभ्याहतं पुनः ॥१-४३-
At some places it surged up, at others it moved slowly and gently; at times, water struck against water again.
मुहुरूर्ध्वपथं गत्वा पपात वसुधां पुनः । तच्छङ्करशिरोभ्रष्टं भ्रष्टं भूमितले पुनः ॥१-४३-
Again and again, it rose upward and then fell back to the earth; that which fell from Śaṅkara's head again dropped upon the ground.
व्यरोचत तदा तोयं निर्मलं गतकल्मषम् । तत्रर्षिगणगन्धर्वा वसुधातलवासिनः ॥१-४३-
Then that water, pure and cleansed of all impurity, shone brilliantly; there, the hosts of sages and Gandharvas dwelling on earth—
भवाङ्गपतितं तोयं पवित्रमिति पस्पृशुः । शापात् प्रपतिता ये च गगनाद् वसुधातलम् ॥१-४३-
Touched the water fallen from Bhava's body, declaring it sacred; and those who had fallen from the sky to earth by a curse—
कृत्वा तत्राभिषेकं ते बभूवुर्गतकल्मषाः । धूपपापाः पुनस्तेन तोयेनाथ शुभान्विताः ॥१-४३-
Having performed ablution there, became free from impurity; their sins washed away by that water, they were endowed with auspiciousness.
पुनराकाशमाविश्य स्वाँल्लोकान् प्रतिपेदिरे । मुमुदे मुदितो लोकस्तेन तोयेन भास्वता ॥१-४३-
Entering the sky again, they attained their own worlds; the people rejoiced, delighted by that radiant water.
कृताभिषेको गङ्गायां बभूव गतकल्मषः । भगीरथो हि राजर्षिर्दिव्यं स्यन्दनमास्थितः ॥१-४३-
Having performed ablution in the Gaṅgā, they became purified; and Bhagiratha, the royal sage, mounted his divine chariot.
प्रायादग्रे महाराजास्तं गङ्गा पृष्ठतोऽन्वगात् । देवाः सर्षिगणाः सर्वे दैत्यदानवराक्षसाः ॥१-४३-
The great king proceeded ahead, and Gaṅgā followed behind him; all the gods, sages, Daityas, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas—
गन्धर्वयक्षप्रवराः सकिन्नरमहोरगाः । सर्वाश्चाप्सरसो राम भगीरथरथानुगाः ॥१-४३-
The foremost of Gandharvas and Yakṣas, along with Kinnaras and great serpents, and all the Apsarases, O Rāma, followed Bhagiratha's chariot.
गङ्गामन्वगमन् प्रीताः सर्वे जलचराश्च ये । यतो भगीरथो राजा ततो गङ्गा यशस्विनी ॥१-४३-
All the water-dwellers, pleased, followed Gaṅgā; wherever King Bhagiratha went, there went the glorious Gaṅgā.
जगाम सरितां श्रेष्ठा सर्वपापप्रणाशिनी । ततो हि यजमानस्य जह्नोरद्भुतकर्मणः ॥१-४३-
The best of rivers, destroyer of all sins, proceeded; then, at the sacrificial ground of Jahnu, the wondrous performer of rites—
गङ्गा सम्प्लावयामास यज्ञवाटं महत्मनः । तस्यावलेपनं ज्ञात्वा क्रुद्धो जह्नुश्च राघव ॥१-४३-
Gaṅgā flooded the sacrificial ground of that great-souled one; perceiving her insolence, Jahnu became angry, O Rāghava.
अपिबत् तु जलं सर्वं गङ्गयाः परमाद्भुतम् । ततो देवाः सगन्घर्वा ऋषयश्च सुविस्मिताः ॥१-४३-
He drank up all the water of Gaṅgā, an extraordinary feat; then the gods, Gandharvas, and sages were greatly astonished.
पूजयन्ति महात्मानं जह्नुं पुरुषसत्तमम् । गङ्गां चापि नयन्ति स्म दुहितृत्वे महात्मनः ॥१-४३-
They honored the great-souled Jahnu, the best of men, and entreated him to accept Gaṅgā as his daughter.
ततस्तुष्टो महातेजाः श्रोत्राभ्यामसृजत् प्रभुः । तस्माज्जह्नुसुता गङ्गा प्रोच्यते जाह्नवीति च ॥१-४३-
Then, pleased, the radiant lord released her from his ears; therefore, Gaṅgā is called the daughter of Jahnu, and also known as Jāhnavī.
जगाम च पुनर्गङ्गा भगीरथरथानुगा । सागरं चापि सम्प्रप्ता सा सरित्प्रवरा तदा ॥१-४३-
Gaṅgā again followed Bhagiratha's chariot, and that foremost of rivers then reached the ocean.
रसातलमुपागच्छत् सिद्ध्यर्थं तस्य कर्मणः । भगीरथोऽपि राजार्षिर्गङ्गामादाय यत्नतः ॥१-४३-
She entered the netherworld to fulfill the purpose of his deed; and Bhagiratha, the royal sage, carefully led Gaṅgā.
पितमहान् भस्मकृतानपश्यद् गतचेतनः । अथ तद्भस्मनां राशिं गङ्गासलिलमुत्तमम् । प्लावयत् पूतपाप्मानः स्वर्गं प्राप्ता रघूत्तम ॥१-४३-
He saw his ancestors, reduced to ashes and devoid of consciousness; then, with the excellent water of Gaṅgā, he washed the heap of ashes, and, their sins purified, they attained heaven, O best of the Raghu line.
thumb|चतुश्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे चतुश्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः ॥१-
The forty-fourth chapter is to be heard.
स गत्वा सागरं राजा गङ्गायानुगतस्तदा । प्रविवेश तलं भूमेर्यत्र ते भस्मसात्कृताः ॥१-४४-
Then the king, following the course of the Ganga, reached the ocean and entered the earth's depths where they had been reduced to ashes.
भस्मन्यथाप्लुते राम गङ्गायाः सलिलेन वै । सर्वलोकप्रभुर्ब्रह्मा राजानमिदमब्रवीत् ॥१-४४-
When the ashes were immersed in the waters of the Ganga, Rama, Brahma, lord of all worlds, spoke these words to the king.