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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भगीरथोऽपि राजार्षिर्दिव्यं स्यन्दनमास्थित:। प्रायादग्रे महातेजास्तं गङ्गा पृष्ठतोऽन्वगात्॥१।४३।३०।
Meaning
The royal sage Bhagiratha, mounted on a divine chariot, greatly splendid, went ahead, and Ganga followed behind him.
देवास्सर्षिगणा: सर्वे दैत्यदानवराक्षसा:।।1.43.31।। गन्धर्वयक्षप्रवरास्सकिन्नरमहोरगा:। सर्वाश्चाप्सरसो राम भगीरथरथानुगाम्।।1.43.32।। गङ्गामन्वगमन् प्रीतास्सर्वे जलचराश्च ये।
Meaning
All the gods and sage-hosts, daityas, danavas, and rakshasas, foremost gandharvas and yakshas, kinnaras and great serpents, and all the apsarases, Rama, followed Bhagiratha's chariot; all the water-dwelling creatures too followed Ganga with delight.
यतो भगीरथो राजा ततो गङ्गायशस्विनी।।1.43.33।। जगाम सरितां श्रेष्ठा सर्वपापप्रणाशिनी।
Meaning
Wherever King Bhagiratha went, there the glorious Ganga, foremost of rivers, destroyer of all sin, followed.
ततो हि यजमानस्य जह्नोरद्भुतकर्मण:।।1.43.34।। गङ्गा सम्प्लावयामास यज्ञवाटं महात्मन:।
Meaning
Then Ganga flooded the sacrificial ground of the great-souled sage Jahnu, of wondrous deeds, who was performing a sacrifice.
तस्यावलेपनं ज्ञात्वा क्रुद्धो यज्वा तु राघव।।1.43.35।। अपिबच्च जलं सर्वं गङ्गाया: परमाद्भुतम्।
Meaning
Raghava, perceiving her arrogance, the angered sacrificer drank up all of Ganga's water, a most wondrous feat.
ततो देवास्सगन्धर्वा ऋषयश्च सुविस्मिता:।।1.43.36।। पूजयन्ति महात्मानं जह्नुं पुरुषसत्तमम्। गङ्गां चापि नयन्ति स्म दुहितृत्वे महात्मन:।।1.43.37।।
Meaning
Then the gods, gandharvas, and sages, greatly astonished, worshipped the great-souled Jahnu, best of men, and made Ganga his daughter.
ततस्तुष्टो महातेजाश्श्रोत्राभ्यामसृजत् पुन:।।1.43.38।। तस्माज्जह्नुसुता गङ्गा प्रोच्यते जाह्नवीतिच।
Meaning
Then, pleased, the greatly splendid one released her again from his ears; hence Ganga, Jahnu's daughter, is called Jahnavi.
जगाम च पुनर्गङ्गा भगीरथरथानुगा। सागरं चापि सम्प्राप्ता सा सरित्प्रवरा तदा।।1.43.39।। रसातलमुपागच्छत्सिद्ध्यर्थं तस्य कर्मण:।
Meaning
Ganga again followed Bhagiratha's chariot, and that foremost of rivers then reached the ocean and entered the netherworld to accomplish his task.
भगीरथोऽपि राजर्षि: गङ्गामादाय यत्नत:। पितामहान् भस्मकृतानपश्यद्दीनचेतन:।।1.43.40।।
Meaning
The royal sage Bhagiratha, having brought Ganga there with effort, saw his grandfathers reduced to ashes, his mind stricken with grief.
अथ तद्भस्मनां राशिं गङ्गासलिलमुत्तमम्। प्लावयद्धूतपाप्मानस्स्वर्गं प्राप्ता रघूत्तम।।1.43.41।।
Meaning
Best of Raghu's line, then Ganga's excellent water flooded that heap of ashes, and, their sins washed away, they attained heaven.