Sloka & Translation

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[ Anshuman performs penance to bring Ganga to the earth-- Bhagiratha follows

--receives boon from Brahma--Brahma informs Anshuman that only lord Siva is capable to hold Ganga.]

kāladharmaṅ gatē rāma sagarē prakṛtījanā:.

rājānaṅ rōcayāmāsuraṅśumantaṅ sudhārmikam৷৷1.42.1৷৷


rāma O! Rama, sagarē when king Sagara, kāladharmam duty of nature, death, gatē obtained, prakṛtījanā: ministers and subjects, sudhārmikam highly virtuous, aṅśumantam Anshuman, rājānam as king, rōcayāmāsu: accepted.

"O Rama! when Sagara died, the subjects installed the highly virtuous Anshuman as king.
sa rājā sumahānāsīdaṅśumān raghunandana! .

tasya putrō mahānāsīddilīpa iti viśruta:৷৷1.42.2৷৷


raghunandana O! Descendent of Raghu, Rama, sa: aṅśumān that Anshuman, sumahān very great, rājā āsīt was a monarch, tasya for him, dilīpa iti by name Dilipa, viśruta: celebrated, mahān great, putra: āsīt a son was born.

O descendnt of the Raghus! that Anshuman became a very great monarch. He had a great son, Dilipa who became famous.
tasmin rājyaṅ samāvēśya dilīpē raghunandana!.

himavacchikharē puṇyē tapastēpē sudāruṇam৷৷1.42.3৷৷


raghunandana O! Rama, tasmin dilīpē in that Dilipa, rājyam kingdom, samāvēśya vesting, puṇyē pious, himavacchikharē on the peak of Himavat mountain, sudāruṇam rigid, tapa: penance, tēpē he performed.

O Delight of the Raghus! having vested the kingdom with Dilipa, Anshuman performed rigid penance on the sacred peak of the Himavat mountain.
dvātriṅśacca sahasrāṇi varṣāṇi sumahāyaśā:.

tapōvanaṅ gatō rāma svargaṅ lēbhē tapōdhana:৷৷1.42.4৷৷


rāma O! Rama, sumahāyaśā: highly renowned Anshuman, dvātriṅśat sahasrāṇi thirty two thousand, varṣāṇi years, tapōvanaṅ gata: having reached tapovana, tapōdhana: one who had asceticism as wealth, svargam heaven, lēbhē attained.

O Rama! highly renowned Anshuman, having lived for thirtytwo thousand years in the tapovana, turned an ascetic and attained heaven (without accomplishing his objective).
dilīpastu mahātējāśśrutvā paitāmahaṅ vadham.

du:khōpahatayā buddhyā niścayaṅ nādhyagacchata৷৷1.42.5৷৷


mahātējā: exceedingly lustrous, dilīpastu Dilipa on his part, paitāmaham relating to his grand-fathers, vadham killing, śrutvā having heard, du:khōpahatayā overtaken by grief, buddhyā with his intellect, niścayam conclusion, nādhyagacchata did not arrive at.

When exceedingly brilliant Dilipa heard about the death of his grandfathers, he was overtaken by grief but could not arrive at any conclusion with his intellect (regarding means of bringing down the sacred river).
kathaṅ gaṅgāvataraṇaṅ kathaṅ tēṣāṅ jalakriyā.

tārayēyaṅ kathaṅ caitāniti cintāparō.bhavat৷৷1.42.6৷৷


gaṅgāvataraṇam descent of Ganga, katham how to do?, tēṣām their, jalakriyā funeral rites with water, katham how to do?, ētān them, katham how to, tārayēyam iti (help them to cross the wordly sea of suffering and reach heaven) liberate, cintāpara: thoughtful, abhūt became.

How to bring about the descent of Ganga? How to perform funeral rites of the ancestors with Ganga water? How to liberate them Thus Dilipa was constantly engaged in such thoughts.
tasya cintayatō nityaṅ dharmēṇa viditātmana:.

putrō bhagīrathō nāma jajñē paramadhārmika:৷৷1.42.7৷৷


viditātmana: well-known for his intelligence, dharmēṇa with righteousness, nityam constantly, cintayata: while reflecting, tasya for him, bhagīrathō nāma named Bhagiratha, paramadhārmika: highly virtuous, putra: son, jajñē was born.

As Dilipa known for his knowledge of the soul constantly reflected righteously on (this matter of Ganga), a highly virtuous son named Bhagiratha was born to him.
dilīpastu mahātējā yajñairbahubhiriṣṭavān.

triṅśadvarṣasahasrāṇi rājā rājyamakārayat৷৷1.42.8৷৷


mahātējā: most brilliant, dilīpastu Dilipa on his part, bahubhi: by any, yajñai: sacrifices, iṣṭavān performed, rājā king, triṅśadvarṣasahasrāṇi thirty thousand years, rājyam kingdom, akārayat ruled.

Most brilliant king Dilipa ruled the kingdom for thirty thousand years performing many sacrifices.
agatvā niścayaṅ rājā tēṣāmuddharaṇaṅ prati .

vyādhinā naraśārdūla kāladharmamupēyivān৷৷1.42.9৷৷


naraśārdūla O! Tiger among men, rājā king Dilipa, tēṣām their, uddharaṇaṅ prati about salvation, niścayam conclusion, agatvā not able to arrive, vyādhinā by suffering illness, kāladharmam death, upēyivān effected.

O Tiger among men! king Dilipa was unable to arrive at a conclusion regarding the
salvation of his ancestors.He was affected by illness and died.
indralōkaṅ gatō rājā svārjitēnaiva karmaṇā.

rājyē bhagīrathaṅ putramabhiṣicya nararṣabha:৷৷1.42.10৷৷


nararṣabha: the best among men, rājā king Dilipa, putram son, bhagīratham Bhagiratha, rājyē in the kingdom, abhiṣicya having conducted coronation, svārjitēnaiva with self-earned, karmaṇā ēva acts only, indralōkam towards the region of Indra, gata: had gone.

The king (Dilipa) performed the coronation of his son Bhagiratha and reached the region of Indra as a reward for virtuous acts done by him.
bhagīrathastu rājarṣirdhārmikō raghunandana!.

anapatyō mahātējā: prajākāmassa cāpraja:৷৷1.42.11৷৷


raghunandana O! Rama, dhārmika: righteous one, mahātējā: highly lustrous, rājarṣi: royal sage, bhagīrathastu Bhagiratha, anapatya: without sons, sa: he, prajākāma: desirous of progeny, aprajā: did not beget children.

O delight of the Raghus! righteous Bhagiratha who was highly lustrous rajarshi was without sons. He was desirous of progeny but did not beget children.
mantriṣvādhāya tadrājyaṅ gaṅgāvataraṇē rata:.

sa tapō dīrghamātiṣṭhadgōkarṇē raghunandana৷৷1.42.12৷৷

ūrdhvabāhu: pañcatapā māsāhārō jitēndriya:.


raghunandana O! Rama, sa: he, gaṅgāvataraṇē for the descent of Ganga, rata: keenly desiring, tadrājyam that kingdom, mantriṣu in his ministers, ādhāya after entrusting, ūrdhvabāhu: with arms held upwards, pañcatapā: surrounded by four fires in the hot season and standing under the sun, the fifth fire, māsāhāra: partaking food once a month, jitēndriya: with his senses controlled, gōkarṇē at the sacred spot, Gokarna, dīrgham for long years, tapa: yogic penance, ātiṣṭhat practised.

O son of the Raghus (Rama), Bhagiratha, with a determination to bring down Ganga
entrusted the kingdom to his ministers and went to a sacred place known as Gokarna. There with arms uplifted surrounded by four fires, partaking food once a month, with his senses controlled, carried out panchatapa for a number of years.
tasya varṣasahasrāṇi ghōrē tapasi tiṣṭhata:৷৷1.42.13৷৷

atītāni mahābāhō tasya rājñō mahātmana:.

suprītō bhagavān brahmā prajānāṅ patirīśvara:৷৷1.42.14৷৷


mahābāhō O! Mighty armed Rama, tasya while he was, ghōrē tapasi amidst rigid austerities, tiṣṭhata: while he was determined to carry on, varṣasahasrāṇi thousands of years, atītāni passed away, prajānām for all men, pati: lord, īśvara: lord, bhagavān brahmā god Brahma, tasya his, mahātmana: illustrious, rājña: for king, suprīta: was highly pleased.

O mighty-armed, (Rama)! Bhagiratha continued in that state for a thousand years amidst rigid austerities. Lord of all creatures, Brahma was highly pleased with that illustrious king.
tatassuragaṇaissārdhamupāgamya pitāmaha:.

bhagīrathaṅ mahātmānaṅ tapyamānamathābravīt৷৷1.42.15৷৷


tata: thereafter, pitāmaha: grand-sire, suragaṇai: with groups of devatas, upāgamya having arrived, atha thereafter, tapyamānam engaged in austerities, mahātmānam illustrious, bhagīratham Bhagiratha, abravīt said.

Thereafter, the Grandsire arrived with the gods and spoke to the noble Bhagiratha engaged in austerities.
bhagīratha mahābhāga! prītastē.haṅ janēśvara!.

tapasā ca sutaptēna varaṅ varaya suvrata!৷৷1.42.16৷৷


mahābhāga O! Highly distinguished one, janēśvara O! Mighty monarch, bhagīratha O! Bhagiratha, tē by you, sutaptēna by properly disciplined, tapasā austerities, aham I, prīta: pleased, suvrata O! You of excellent vows, varam boon, varaya ask for.

'O distinguished one! O mighty monarch! O Bhagiratha of excellent vows! I am pleased with your well-disciplined austerities. Ask for a boon'.
tamuvāca mahātējā: sarvalōkapitāmaham.

bhagīrathō mahābhāga: kṛtāñjalirupasthita:৷৷1.42.17৷৷


mahātējā: most brilliant one, mahābhāga: highly glorious, bhagīrathaḥ Bhagiratha, kṛtāñjali: with folded palms, upasthita: having approached, taṅ sarvalōkapitāmaham grand-sire for all the worlds, uvāca spoke.

Brilliant, glorious Bhagiratha, stood before the Grandsire of all the worlds with folded palms and spoke":
yadi mē bhagavan prītō yadyasti tapasa: phalam.

sagarasyātmajāssarvē mattassalilamāpnuyu:৷৷1.42.18৷৷


bhagavan O! Adorable one, mē with me, prīta: yadi if you are pleased, tapasa: of austerities, phalam asti yadi if worthy reward is possible, sagarasya king Sagara's, ātmajā: sons, sarvē all, matta: from me, salilam funeral rites with water, āpnuyu: may receive.

'O Lord! if you are pleased with my austerities and if they are worthy of a reward, grant me the boon whereby all the sons of Sagara will receive from me funeral rites with the waters (of Ganga)'.
gaṅgāyāssalilaklinnē bhasmanyēṣāṅ mahātmanām.

svargaṅ gacchēyuratyantaṅ sarvē mē prapitāmahā:৷৷1.42.19৷৷


ēṣām these, mahātmanām eminent ones, bhasmani in ashes, gaṅgāyā: Ganga's, salilaklinnē immersed by the waters, mē my, sarvē all, prapitāmahā: uncles of my grand father, atyantam ultimately, svargam towards heaven, gacchēyu: may go.

'The ashes of these eminent uncles of my grandfather, immersed by the waters of Ganga may ultimately go to heaven'.
dēyā ca santatirdēva! nāvasīdētkulaṅ ca na:.

ikṣvākūṇāṅ kulē dēva! ēṣa mē.stu vara:para:৷৷1.42.20৷৷


dēva O! Divine lord, ikṣvākūṇām for Ikshvakus, kulē in the dynasty, santati: progeny, dēyā should be bestowed, na: our, kulam race, nāvasīdēt let it not be terminated, ēṣa: this, mē my, para: another, vara: astu let it be a boon.

'O Lord! let the progeny be perpuated in our race of the Ikshvakus. Let not that dynasty be terminated with me. This is another boon I seek'.
uktavākyaṅ tu rājānaṅ sarvalōkapitāmaha:.

pratyuvāca śubhāṅ vāṇīṅ madhurāṅ madhurākṣarām৷৷1.42.21৷৷


sarvalōkapitāmaha: grand-sire for all the worlds, uktavākyam him who has spoken these words, rājānam addressing the king, śubhām auspicious, madhurām sweet, madhurākṣarām with agreeable letters, vāṇīm words, pratyuvāca replied.

To this the Grandsire of all the worlds replied with a sweet voice full of good wishes and sweet words.
manōrathō mahānēṣa bhagīratha mahāratha!.

ēvaṅ bhavatu bhadraṅ tē ikṣvākukulavardhana!৷৷1.42.22৷৷


mahāratha O! Great charioteer, bhagīratha Bhagiratha, ēṣa: this, manōratha desire, mahān great, ikṣvāku kulavardhana perpetuator of dynasty of Ikshvaku, ēvam in this way, bhavatu may happen, tē bhadram prosperity to you.

'O Great charioteer! Bhagiratha, your desire is great. O Perpetuator of dynasty of the
Ikshvakus, let your wish be fulfilled. Prosperity to you'.
iyaṅ haimavatī gaṅgā jyēṣṭhā himavatassutā.

tāṅ vai dhārayituṅ śaktō harastatra niyujyatām৷৷1.42.23৷৷


haimavatī Haimavati, the daughter of Himavat, iyam this, gaṅgā Ganga, himavata: Himavat's, jyēṣṭhā sutā eldest daughter, tām her, dhārayitum to hold, śakta: capable, hara: lord Shiva, tatra there, niyujyatām may be entreated.

'This Hymavati (Ganga) is Himavat's eldest daughter and only lord Siva is capable to hold (the force of her descent to earth). Therefore let Siva be entreated'.
gaṅgāyā: patanaṅ rājan! pṛthivī na sahiṣyati.

tāṅ vai dhārayituṅ vīra! nānyaṅ paśyāmi śūlina:৷৷1.42.24৷৷


rājan O! King, gaṅgāyā: Ganga's, patanam descent, pṛthivī earth, na sahiṣyati cannot sustain, vīra O! Hero, tām her, dhārayitum to hold, śūlina: other than Siva, the wielder of trident, anyam any other person, na paśyāmi I do not see.

'O King! Ganga's descent cannot be sustained by earth. O Hero! I do not see any other person to hold her than the wielder of the trident (Siva)'.
tamēvamuktvā rājānaṅ gaṅgāṅ cābhāṣya lōkakṛt.

jagāma tridivaṅ dēvassahadēvairmarudgaṇai:৷৷1.42.25৷৷


lōkakṛt (dēvaḥ) the creator of the worlds, taṅ rājānam addressing that king, ēvam in this way, uktvā having spoken, gaṅgāṅ ca Ganga also, ābhāṣya after conversing, saha dēvai: along with devatas, marudgaṇai: with groups of maruts, tridivam towards heaven, jagāma had gone.

The Creator of the worlds having thus addressed the king and conversing with Ganga went towards heaven along with devatas and maruts".
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē dvicatvāriṅśassarga:৷৷
Thus ends the fortysecond sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.