Bala Kanda, Sarga 35

उपास्य रात्रिशेषं तु शोणाकूले महर्षिभि:। निशायां सुप्रभातायां विश्वामित्रोऽभ्यभाषत।।1.35.1।।

upāsya rātriśeṣaṃ tu śoṇākūle maharṣibhi:| niśāyāṃ suprabhātāyāṃ viśvāmitro'bhyabhāṣata

Viswamitra lay on the bank of Sona with the ascetics, for the rest of the night. (Getting up) at daybreak he said:

सुप्रभाता निशा राम पूर्वा सन्ध्या प्रवर्तते। उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भद्रं ते गमनायाभिरोचय ।।1.35.2।।

suprabhātā niśā rāma pūrvā sandhyā pravartate| uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhadraṃ te gamanāyābhirocaya

"Rama, the night makes way for the dawn. It is time for morning rituals. Arise, arise May the day bring good news Get ready for the onward journey".

तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य कृत्वा पौर्वाह्णिकीं क्रियाम् । गमनं रोचयामास वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह।।1.35.3।।

tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya kṛtvā paurvāhṇikīṃ kriyām | gamanaṃ rocayāmāsa vākyaṃ cedamuvāca ha

On hearing his words Rama performed morning oblations and getting ready for the onward journey spoke:

अयं शोणश्शुभजलोऽगाध: पुलिनमण्डित:। कतरेण पथा ब्रह्मन् सन्तरिष्यामहे वयम्।।1.35.4।।

ayaṃ śoṇaśśubhajalo'gādha: pulinamaṇḍita:| katareṇa pathā brahman santariṣyāmahe vayam

"O knower of Brahman Clean waters of this river are adorned with sandbanks. This Sona is deep. Which way shall we cross this river?

एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण विश्वामित्रोऽब्रवीदिदम् । एष पन्था मयोद्दिष्टो येन यान्ति महर्षय:।।1.35.5।।

evamuktastu rāmeṇa viśvāmitro'bravīdidam | eṣa panthā mayoddiṣṭo yena yānti maharṣaya:

Having been addressed by Rama thus Viswamitra said, "We shall take the way the ascetics have gone before".

एवमुक्ता महर्षयो विश्वामित्रेण धीमता। पश्यन्तस्ते प्रयाता वै वनानि विविधानि च।।1.35.6।।

evamuktā maharṣayo viśvāmitreṇa dhīmatā| paśyantaste prayātā vai vanāni vividhāni ca

With these words of the wise Viswamitra the ascetics moved forward surveying various forests.

ते गत्वा दूरमध्वानं गतेऽर्धदिवसे तदा। जाह्नवीं सरितां श्रेष्ठां ददृशुर्मुनिसेविताम्।।1.35.7।।

te gatvā dūramadhvānaṃ gate'rdhadivase tadā| jāhnavīṃ saritāṃ śreṣṭhāṃ dadṛśurmunisevitām

After travelling a long distance for half a day, they saw Jahnavi, the best among rivers haunted or worshipped by ascetics.

तां दृष्ट्वा पुण्यसलिलां हंससारससेविताम्। बभूवुर्मुदिता स्सर्वे मुनयस्सह राघवा:।।1.35.8।।

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā puṇyasalilāṃ haṃsasārasasevitām| babhūvurmuditā ssarve munayassaha rāghavā:

On seeing the river Ganga with swans and cranes floating on the surface of the sacred waters, all the sages including the sons of the Raghus (Rama and Lakshmana) were delighted.

तस्यास्तीरे ततश्चक्रुस्त आवासपरिग्रहम्। ततस्स्नात्वा यथान्यायं सन्तर्प्य पितृदेवता:।।1.35.9।। हुत्वा चैवाग्निहोत्राणि प्राश्य चामृतवद्धवि: । विविशुर्जाह्नवीतीरे शुचौ मुदितमानसा:।।1.35.10।। विश्वामित्रं महात्मानं परिवार्य समन्तत:।

tasyāstīre tataścakrusta āvāsaparigraham| tatassnātvā yathānyāyaṃ santarpya pitṛdevatā: hutvā caivāgnihotrāṇi prāśya cāmṛtavaddhavi: | viviśurjāhnavītīre śucau muditamānasā: viśvāmitraṃ mahātmānaṃ parivārya samantata:|

The birds had made the bank of the river their home. They (Rama and Lakshmana) took a dip and offered traditional oblations to ancestors. Thereafter they lighted the sacrificial fire and made customary offerings to the fire and partook of the nectarlike remains. With cheerful hearts they stood round the illustrious Viswamitra and entered the sacred bank of Jahnavi.

तस्यास्तीरे ततश्चक्रुस्त आवासपरिग्रहम्। ततस्स्नात्वा यथान्यायं सन्तर्प्य पितृदेवता:।।1.35.9।। हुत्वा चैवाग्निहोत्राणि प्राश्य चामृतवद्धवि: । विविशुर्जाह्नवीतीरे शुचौ मुदितमानसा:।।1.35.10।। विश्वामित्रं महात्मानं परिवार्य समन्तत:।

tasyāstīre tataścakrusta āvāsaparigraham| tatassnātvā yathānyāyaṃ santarpya pitṛdevatā: hutvā caivāgnihotrāṇi prāśya cāmṛtavaddhavi: | viviśurjāhnavītīre śucau muditamānasā: viśvāmitraṃ mahātmānaṃ parivārya samantata:|

The birds had made the bank of the river their home. They (Rama and Lakshmana) took a dip and offered traditional oblations to ancestors. Thereafter they lighted the sacrificial fire and made customary offerings to the fire and partook of the nectarlike remains. With cheerful hearts they stood round the illustrious Viswamitra and entered the sacred bank of Jahnavi.

अथ तत्र तदा रामो विश्वामित्रमथाब्रवीत्।।1.35.11।। भगवन् श्रोतुमिच्छामि गङ्गां त्रिपथगां नदीम्। त्रैलोक्यं कथमाक्रम्य गता नदनदीपतिम्।।1.35.12।।

atha tatra tadā rāmo viśvāmitramathābravīt bhagavan śrotumicchāmi gaṅgāṃ tripathagāṃ nadīm| trailokyaṃ kathamākramya gatā nadanadīpatim

Then Rama said to Viswamitra "O venerable one I wish to know why Ganga flowing in three directions, occupy (purified) the three worlds before entering the sea, the lord of rivers?"

अथ तत्र तदा रामो विश्वामित्रमथाब्रवीत्।।1.35.11।। भगवन् श्रोतुमिच्छामि गङ्गां त्रिपथगां नदीम्। त्रैलोक्यं कथमाक्रम्य गता नदनदीपतिम्।।1.35.12।।

atha tatra tadā rāmo viśvāmitramathābravīt bhagavan śrotumicchāmi gaṅgāṃ tripathagāṃ nadīm| trailokyaṃ kathamākramya gatā nadanadīpatim

Then Rama said to Viswamitra "O venerable one I wish to know why Ganga flowing in three directions, occupy (purified) the three worlds before entering the sea, the lord of rivers?"

चोदितो रामवाक्येन विश्वामित्रो महामुनि:। वृद्धिं जन्म च गङ्गाया वक्तुमेवोपचक्रमे।।1.35.13।।

codito rāmavākyena viśvāmitro mahāmuni:| vṛddhiṃ janma ca gaṅgāyā vaktumevopacakrame

Prompted by Rama's words, maharshi Viswamitra started narrating the account of the birth and progress of river Ganga.

शैलेन्द्रो हिमवान्नाम धातूनामाकरो महान्। तस्य कन्याद्वयं राम रूपेणाप्रतिमं भुवि।।1.35.14।।

śailendro himavānnāma dhātūnāmākaro mahān| tasya kanyādvayaṃ rāma rūpeṇāpratimaṃ bhuvi

"O Rama the great mountain named Himavan is a treasuretrove of ores. He is the king of mountains. He had two daughters, unrivalled in beauty in this world.

या मेरुदुहिता राम तयोर्माता सुमध्यमा। नाम्ना मनोरमा नाम पत्नी हिमवत: प्रिया।।1.35.15।।

yā meruduhitā rāma tayormātā sumadhyamā| nāmnā manoramā nāma patnī himavata: priyā

O Rama Himavan's beloved of beautiful waist, wellknown by the name of Manorama is the daughter of Mount Meru. She is the mother to both the daughters.

तस्यां गङ्गेयमभवज्ज्येष्ठा हिमवतस्सुता। उमा नाम द्वितीयाभून्नाम्ना तस्यैव राघव।।1.35.16।।

tasyāṃ gaṅgeyamabhavajjyeṣṭhā himavatassutā| umā nāma dvitīyābhūnnāmnā tasyaiva rāghava

O son of the Raghus this Ganga was born to Manorama as Himavan's eldest daughter. A second one born to him was wellknown by the name of Uma.

अथ ज्येष्ठां सुरास्सर्वे देवतार्थचिकीर्षया। शैलेन्द्रं वरयामासुर्गङ्गां त्रिपथगां नदीम्।।1.35.17।।

atha jyeṣṭhāṃ surāssarve devatārthacikīrṣayā| śailendraṃ varayāmāsurgaṅgāṃ tripathagāṃ nadīm

Thereupon all the devatas desirous of deriving some advantage proposed that the eldest daughter of the king of mountains, Ganga, flowing in three directions be given to them.

ददौ धर्मेण हिमवान् तनयां लोकपावनीम्। स्वच्छन्दपथगां गङ्गां त्रैलोक्यहितकाम्यया।।1.35.18।।

dadau dharmeṇa himavān tanayāṃ lokapāvanīm| svacchandapathagāṃ gaṅgāṃ trailokyahitakāmyayā

In order to do good to the three worlds Himavan, rooted in dharma gifted his eldest daughter Ganga who sanctifies the whole world by flowing at her free will৷৷

प्रतिगृह्य ततो देवास्त्रिलोकहितकारिण:। गङ्गामादाय तेऽगच्छन् कृतार्थेनान्तरात्मना।।1.35.19।।

pratigṛhya tato devāstrilokahitakāriṇa:| gaṅgāmādāya te'gacchan kṛtārthenāntarātmanā

The devatas having received Ganga committed to the welfare of the three worlds went back to their abodes with a sense of fulfilment in their mind.

या चान्या शैलदुहिता कन्यासीद्रघुनन्दन। उग्रं सा व्रतमास्थाय तपस्तेपे तपोधना।।1.35.20।।

yā cānyā śailaduhitā kanyāsīdraghunandana| ugraṃ sā vratamāsthāya tapastepe tapodhanā

O Delight of the Raghus The other daughter of the mountain Himavan was a maiden whose wealth was tapas. She pursued a vow and observed severe austerities.

उग्रेण तपसा युक्तां ददौ शैलवरस्सुताम्। रुद्रायाप्रतिरूपाय उमां लोकनमस्कृताम्।।1.35.21।।

ugreṇa tapasā yuktāṃ dadau śailavarassutām| rudrāyāpratirūpāya umāṃ lokanamaskṛtām

Himavan the best of mountains gave his daughter Uma associated with severe austerities and venerated by the whole world in marriage to the unrivalled Rudra.

एते ते शैलराजस्य सुते लोकनमस्कृते। गङ्गा च सरितां श्रेष्ठा उमादेवी च राघव।।1.35.22।।

ete te śailarājasya sute lokanamaskṛte| gaṅgā ca saritāṃ śreṣṭhā umādevī ca rāghava

O son of the Raghus Ganga, the holiest of rivers and Uma devi are two daughters of the king of the mountains, (Himavan). They are worshipped by the entire world.

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यथा त्रिपथगा नदी। खं गता प्रथमं तात गतिं गतिमतां वर ।।1.35.23।।

etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ yathā tripathagā nadī| khaṃ gatā prathamaṃ tāta gatiṃ gatimatāṃ vara

O child with a marvellous gait I have related to you about Ganga flowing across the three worlds, Ganga who reached the heaven first and all that.

सैषा सुरनदी रम्या शैलेन्द्रस्य सुता तदा। सुरलोकं समारूढा विपापा जलवाहिनी।।1.35.24।।

saiṣā suranadī ramyā śailendrasya sutā tadā| suralokaṃ samārūḍhā vipāpā jalavāhinī

The divine Ganga, daughter of Himavan, beautiful and sinless, carrying a large volume of water ascended the heavens". इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे पञ्चत्रिंशस्सर्ग:।। Thus ends the thirtyfifth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.