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.
तारिता नरशार्दूल दिवं याताश्च च देववत् । षष्टिः पुत्रसहस्राणि सगरस्य महात्मनः ॥१-४४-
O tiger among men, sixty thousand sons of the great Sagara have been delivered and have ascended to heaven like the gods.
सागरस्य जलं लोके यावत्स्थास्यति पार्थिव । सगरस्यात्मजाः सर्वे दिवि स्थास्यन्ति देववत् ॥१-४४-
As long as the water of the ocean exists in the world, O king, all the sons of Sagara will remain in heaven like the gods.
इयं च दुहिता ज्येष्ठा तव गङ्गा भविष्यति । त्वत्कृतेन च नाम्नाथ लोके स्थास्यति विश्रुता ॥१-४४-
And this Ganga will be your eldest daughter; she will be renowned in the world by your name, through your deed.
गङ्गा त्रिपथगा नाम दिव्या भागीरथीति च । त्रीन् पथो भावयन्तीति तस्मात् त्रिपथगा स्मृता ॥१-४४-
The divine Ganga is called Tripathaga and also Bhagirathi; since she traverses three paths, she is remembered as Tripathaga.
पितामहानां सर्वेषां त्वमत्र मनुजाधिप । कुरुष्व सलिलं राजन् प्रतिज्ञामपवर्जय ॥१-४४-
You are the ancestor of all the forefathers here, O king of men; perform the water-rite, O king, and fulfill your vow.
पूर्वकेण हि ते राजंस्तेनातियशसा तदा । धर्मिणां प्रवरेणाथ नैष प्राप्तो मनोरथः ॥१-४४-
For previously, O king, this wish was not attained by your illustrious and righteous predecessor.
तथैवांशुमता तात लोकेऽप्रतिमतेजसा । गङ्गां प्रार्थयता नेतुं प्रतिज्ञा नापवर्जिता ॥१-४४-
Likewise, O dear one, Aṃśumān, whose brilliance was unmatched in the world, sought to bring the Ganga but could not fulfill his vow.
राजर्षिणा गुणवता महर्षिसमतेजसा । मत्तुल्यतपसा चैव क्षत्रधर्मस्थितेन च ॥१-४४-
The royal sage Dilipa, virtuous and equal to great sages in brilliance, whose asceticism matched mine and who upheld the warrior's duty,
दिलीपेन महाभाग तव पित्रातितेजसा । पुनर्न शकिता नेतुं गङ्गां प्रार्थयतानघ ॥१-४४-
Dilipa, your father, O highly fortunate one, whose radiance surpassed yours, was also unable to bring the Ganga, though he desired it, O sinless one.
सा त्वया समतिक्रान्ता प्रतिज्ञा पुरुषर्षभ । प्राप्तोऽसि परमं लोके यशः परमसम्मतम् ॥१-४४-
But you, O best of men, have surpassed that vow; you have attained the highest and most esteemed fame in the world.
तच्च गङ्गावतरणं त्वया कृतमरिंदम । अनेन च भवान् प्राप्तो धर्मस्यायतनं महत् ॥१-४४-
And this descent of the Ganga has been accomplished by you, O destroyer of foes; through this, you have reached the great abode of righteousness.
प्लावयस्व त्वमात्मानं नरोत्तम सदोचिते । सलिले पुरुषश्रेष्ठ शुचिः पुण्यफलो भव ॥१-४४-
Immerse yourself, O best among men, in the water as is proper; O foremost of men, be pure and obtain the fruit of merit.
पितामहानां सर्वेषां कुरुष्व सलिलक्रियाम् । स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु गमिष्यामि स्वं लोकं गम्यतां नृप ॥१-४४-
Perform the water-rite for all your forefathers; may you fare well. I shall depart to my own realm; you may go, O king.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा देवेशः सर्वलोकपितामहः यथागतं तथागच्चद् देवलोकं महायशाः ॥१-४४-
Having spoken thus, the lord of the gods, the grandsire of all worlds, departed as he had come, returning to the realm of the gods, renowned.
भगीरथस्तु राजर्षिः कृत्वा सलिलमुत्तमम् यथाक्रमं यथान्यायं सागराणां महायशाः ॥१-४४-
Then Bhagiratha, the royal sage, performed the excellent water-rite for the Sagaras, renowned, according to proper order and custom.
कृतोदकः शुची राजा स्वपुरं प्रविवेश ह । समृद्धार्थो नरश्रेष्ठ स्वराज्यं प्रशशास ह ॥१-४४-
Having performed the water-rites and purified himself, the king entered his own city; endowed with prosperity, the best of men ruled his own kingdom.