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.
प्रमुमोद च लोकस्तं नृपमासाद्य राघव । नष्टशोकः समृद्धार्थो बभूव विगतज्वरः॥१-४४-
The people rejoiced upon receiving that king, O Rāghava; freed from sorrow, prosperous, and relieved of distress, they became content.
एष ते राम गंगाया विस्तरोऽभिहितो मया । स्वस्ति प्राप्नुहि भद्रं ते संध्याकालोऽतिवर्तते ॥१-४४-
Thus, O Rāma, I have described to you the expanse of the Gaṅgā; may you fare well, may good be yours, for the time of twilight is passing.
धन्यं यशस्यमायुष्यं पुत्र्यं स्वर्ग्यमथापि च। यः श्रावयति विप्रेषु क्षत्रियेष्वितरेषु च ॥१-४४-
Blessed, renowned, life-giving, fruitful, and leading to heaven indeed is he who causes this to be heard among Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, and others.
प्रीयन्ते पितरस्तस्य प्रीयन्ते दैवतानि च । इदमाख्यानमायुष्यं गंगावतरणं शुभम् ॥१-४४-
His ancestors are pleased, and so are the gods; this narrative of the descent of Gaṅgā bestows long life and is auspicious.
यः शृणोति च काकुत्स्थ सर्वान् कामानवाप्नुयात् । सर्वे पापाः प्रणश्यन्ति आयुः कीर्तिश्च वर्धते ॥१-४४-
Whoever hears this, O descendant of Kakutstha, attains all desires; all sins are destroyed, and both lifespan and fame increase.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे चतुश्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः ॥१-
Thus ends the forty-fourth sarga in the Bālakāṇḍa of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, the first poem.
thumb|पञ्चचत्वारिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे पञ्चचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ॥१-
Let the forty-fifth sarga be heard in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa.
विश्वामित्रवचः श्रुत्वा राघवः सहलक्ष्मणः। विस्मयं परमं गत्वा विश्वामित्रमथाब्रवीत्
Having heard Viśvāmitra’s words, Rāghava, together with Lakṣmaṇa, was filled with great wonder and then spoke to Viśvāmitra.
अत्यद्भुतमिदं ब्रह्मन् कथितं परमं त्वया। गङ्गावतरणं पुण्यं सागरस्यापि पूरणम्
O Brāhmaṇa, what you have told is most marvelous—the sacred descent of Gaṅgā and even the filling of the ocean.
क्षणभूतेव नौ रात्रिः संवृत्तेयं परंतप। इमां चिन्तयतोः सर्वां निखिलेन कथां तव
O subduer of foes, the night has passed for us as if in a moment, as we pondered your entire story.