Sarga 43: The Descent of Ganga
Ganga Avatarana
Shiva catches Ganga's fall in his matted hair and releases her into seven streams; she follows Bhagiratha's chariot, is swallowed and released by the sage Jahnu (becoming Jahnavi), and finally floods the ashes of Sagara's sons, redeeming them.
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सम्पतद्भिस्सुरगणैस्तेषां चाभरणौजसा।।1.43.20।। शतादित्यमिवाभाति गगनं गततोयदम्।
Meaning
With the gods gathering and the splendor of their ornaments, the cloudless sky shone as if lit by a hundred suns.
शिंशुमारोरगगणैर्मीनैरपि च चञ्चलै:।।1.43.21।। विद्युद्भिरिव विक्षिप्तमाकाशमभवत्तदा।
Meaning
With porpoises, serpents, and darting fish, the sky then seemed scattered with flashes of lightning.
पाण्डरैस्सलिलोत्पीडै: कीर्यमाणैस्सहस्रधा।।1.43.22।। शारदाभ्रैरिवाकीर्णं गगनं हंससम्प्लवै:।
Meaning
Scattered a thousandfold with white bursts of water, the sky seemed covered with autumn clouds amid flocks of swans.
क्वचिद्द्रुततरं याति कुटिलं क्वचिदायतम्।।1.43.23।। विनतं क्वचिदुद्धूतं क्वचिद्याति शनैश्शनै:।
Meaning
Somewhere flowing very swiftly, somewhere winding, somewhere broadening, somewhere sinking, somewhere surging, somewhere moving very slowly.
सलिलेनैव सलिलं क्वचिदभ्याहतं पुन:।।1.43.24।। मुहुरूर्ध्वमुखं गत्वा पपात वसुधातलम्।
Meaning
Somewhere water struck against water and, repeatedly rising upward, fell again to the earth's surface.
तच्छङ्करशिरोभ्रष्टं भ्रष्टं भूमितले पुन:।।1.43.25।। व्यरोचत तदा तोयं निर्मलं गतकल्मषम्।
Meaning
Fallen from Shankara's head and then fallen again to the earth's surface, that water shone forth then, pure and stainless.
तत्र देवर्षिगन्धर्वा वसुधातलवासिन:।।1.43.26।। भवाङ्गपतितं तोयं पवित्रमिति पस्पृशु:।
Meaning
There the divine sages, gandharvas, and earth's dwellers touched that water fallen from Shiva's body, saying it was sanctifying.
शापात्प्रपतिता ये च गगनाद्वसुधातलम्।।1.43.27।। कृत्वा तत्राभिषेकं ते बभूवुर्गतकल्मषा:।
Meaning
Those who had fallen from the sky to earth under a curse, bathing in it there, became freed from their sins.
धूतपापा: पुनस्तेन तोयेनाथ सुभास्वता।।1.43.28।। पुनराकाशमाविश्य स्वान् लोकान् प्रतिपेदिरे।
Meaning
Their sins washed away by that shining water, they again entered the sky and returned to their own worlds.
मुमुदे मुदितो लोकस्तेन तोयेन भास्वता।।1.43.29।। कृताभिषेको गङ्गायां बभूव विगतक्लम:।
Meaning
The world rejoiced, delighted, by that radiant water; having bathed in Ganga, it became free of all weariness.