King Bhageeratha's effort to bring River Ganga to earth

कालधर्मं गते राम सगरे प्रकृतीजनाः | राजानं रोचयामासुरंशुमन्तं सुधार्मिकम् || १-४२-१

kaaladharmam gate raama sagare prakR^itii janaaH | raajaanam rocayaamaasur aMshumantam sudhaarmikam || 1-42-1

"When King Sagara passed away owing to the irrefutable virtue of Time, the ministers and subjects of that kingdom are predisposed towards the highly honourable Amshuman to become their king and they enthroned him accordingly." Thus Vishvamitra continued narration about the predecessors of Rama. [1-42-1]

स राजा सुमहानासीदंशुमान् रघुनंदन | तस्य पुत्रो महानासीद्दिलीप इति विश्रुतः || १-४२-२

sa raajaa sumahaan aasiit aMshumaan raghunaMdana | tasya putro mahaan aasiit diliipa iti vishrutaH || 1-42-2

"He that Amshuman turned out to be a very great king, and oh, Rama of Raghu's delight, he begot a marvellous son who is renowned as Dileepa. [1-42-2]

तस्मै राज्यं समादिश्य दिलीपे रघुनंदन | हिमवच्छिखरे रम्ये तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम् || १-४२-३

tasmai raajyam samaadishya diliipe raghunaMdana | himavat shikhare raMye tapaH tepe sudaaruNam || 1-42-3

Assigning the kingdom to Dileepa, oh, Rama of Raghu's dynasty, Amshuman undertook very stern ascesis on a pleasant peak of Himalayas desiring the descent of River Ganga to earth. [1-42-3]

द्वात्रिंशच्च सहस्राणि वर्षाणि सुमहायशाः | तपोवनगतो राजा स्वर्गं लेभे तपोधनः || १-४२-४

dvaa triMshat sahasraam varShaaNi sumahaa yashaaH | tapovana gato raajaa svargam lebhe tapodhanaH || 1-42-4

On practising ascesis in ascetic-woods for thirty-two thousand years that highly renowned king Amshuman achieved heaven as he acquired only the wealth of practising the ascesis. [1-42-4]

दिलीपस्तु महातेजाः श्रुत्वा पैतामहं वधम् | दुःखोपहतया बुद्ध्या निश्चयं नाध्यगच्छत || १-४२-५

diliipaH tu mahaatejaaH shrutvaa paitaamaham vadham | duHkha upahatayaa buddhyaa nishcayam na adhyagacChata || 1-42-5

The great resplendent Dileepa on hearing the elimination of his grandfathers, the sixty thousand sons of Sagara at the hand of sage Kapila, and with a mind that is marred by the plight of his father Amshuman in absolving the souls of Sagara's sons, he that Dileepa could not arrive at any decision concerning the descent of Ganga. [1-42-5]

कथं गंगावतरणं कथं तेषां जलक्रिया | तारयेयं कथं चैतानिति चिंतापरोऽभवत् || १-४२-६

katham gaMgaa avataraNam katham teShaaM jalakriyaa | taarayeyam katham ca etaan iti ciMtaaparo abhavat || 1-42-6

Dileepa became worried as to how River Ganga is to be alighted onto earth from heaven, how water-oblations are to be offered for the souls of Sagara's sons, and how to cross them, the souls, over this mortal world. [1-42-6]

तस्य चिंतयतो नित्यं धर्मेण विदितात्मनः | पुत्रो भगीरथो नाम जज्ञे परमधार्मिकः ||१-४२-७

tasya ciMtayato nityam dharmeNa vidita aatmanaH | putro bhagiiratho naama jaGYe parama dhaarmikaH ||1-42-7

To him who is self-mortified and who is always thinking righteously about the alight of Ganga onto earth, to such a Dileepa a most-virtuous son is born who is renowned by his name Bhageeratha. [1-42-7]

दिलीपस्तु महातेजा यज्ञैर्बहुभिरिष्टवान् | त्रिंशद्वर्षसहस्राणि राजा राज्यमकारयत् || १-४२-८

diliipaH tu mahaatejaa yaGYaiH bahubhiH iShTavaan | triMshat varSha sahasraaNi raajaa raajyam akaarayat || 1-42-8

That great-resplendent king Dileepa on his part performed numerous Vedic-rituals, and he ruled the kingdom for thirty thousand years - to the delight of each of his subjects, but could not find a way to fetch Ganga. [1-42-8]

अगत्वा निश्चयं राजा तेषामुद्धरणं प्रति | व्याधिना नरशार्दूल कालधर्ममुपेयिवान् || १-४२-९

agatvaa nishcayam raajaa teShaam uddharaNam prati | vyaadhinaa nara shaarduula kaala dharmam upeyivaan || 1-42-9

Oh, tigerly-man Rama, that king Dileepa by not attaining any choice towards the uplifting the souls of his grandparents to heaven by bringing Ganga to earth, he took to illness, and he attained the ultimate virtue of Time, namely the demise. [1-42-9]

इन्द्रलोकं गतो राजा स्वार्जितेनैव कर्मणा | राज्ये भगीरथं पुत्रमभिषिच्य नरर्षभः || १-४२-१०

indralokam gato raajaa sva ar.hjitena eva karmaNaa | rajye bhagiiratham putram abhiShicya nararShabhaH || 1-42-10

That best one among men, namely king Dileepa, on anointing his son Bhageeratha in the kingdom went to the abode of Indra, namely the heaven, only by his self-acquired merits of deeds. [1-42-10]

भगीरथस्तु राजर्षिर्धार्मिको रघुनंदन | अनपत्यो महाराजः प्रजाकामः स च प्रजाः || १-४२-११

bhagiirathaH tu raajarShiH dhaarmiko raghunaMdana | anapatyo mahaarajaaH prajaa kaamaH sa ca prajaaH || 1-42-11

Oh, Rama, the legatee of Raghu, but on his part that self-righteous and kingly-sage Bhageeratha is childless, and that great king longed-for offspring. [1-42-11]

मंत्रिष्वाधाय तद्राज्यं गङ्गावतरणे रतः| तपो दीर्घं समातिष्ठद्गोकर्णे रघुनंदन || १-४२-१२ ऊर्ध्वबाहुः पंचतपा मासाहारो जितेन्द्रियः |

maMtriShu aadhaaya tat rajyam ga~Nga avataraNe rataH| tapo diirgham samaatiShThat gokarNe raghunaMdana || 1-42-12 uurdhva baahuH paMca tapaa maasa aahaaro jiteindriyaH |

Interested in the alighting of River Ganga on earth, oh, Rama, the descendent of Raghu, king Bhageeratha delegated his kingdom to the custody of his ministers and people and firmed up himself in sustained asceticism on Mt. Gokarna in Himalayas, and he practise ascesis standing amid five-fires, upraising his hands, with a monthly sustenance and with his sense conquered. [1-42-12, 13a]

तस्य वर्षसहस्राणि घोरे तपसि तिष्ठतः || १-४२-१३ अतीतानि महाबहो तस्य राज्ञो महात्मनः | सुप्रीतो भगवान्ब्रह्मा प्रजानां पतिरीश्वरः || १-४२-१४

tasya varSha sahasraaNi ghore tapasi tiShThataH || 1-42-13 atiitaani mahabaho tasya raaGYo mahaatmanaH | supriito bhagavaan brahmaa prajaanaam patiH iishvaraH || 1-42-14

Thousands of years have rolled by while Bhageeratha stood practising his severe ascesis, oh, dextrous Rama, and then the lord and master of all beings, namely god Brahma, is well pleased with that great-souled king's ascesis. [1-42-13b, 14]

ततः सुरगणैः सार्धमुपागम्य पितामहः | भगीरथं महात्मानं तप्यमानमथाब्रवीत् || १-४२-१५

bhagiiratha mahaaraaja priitaH te aham janaadhipa | tapasaa ca sutaptena varam varaya suvrata || 1-42-16

Forefather Brahma then arrived along with assemblages of gods, and spoke this way to the great-souled Bhageeratha who is deep in the practise of ascesis. [1-42-15]

भगीरथ महाराग प्रीतस्तेऽहं जनाधिप | तपसा च सुतप्तेन वरं वरय सुव्रत || १-४२-१६

tam uvaaca mahaatejaaH sarvaloka pitaamaham | bhagiiratho mahaabaahuH kR^ita aMjalipuTaH sthitaH || 1-42-17

Oh, great king Bhageeratha, oh, lord of the people, I am delighted with the perfectly conducted ascesis of yours, hence oh, truly committed one, you may beseech for a boon. [1-42-16]

तमुवाच महातेजाः सर्वलोकपितामहम् | भगीरथो महाबाहुः कृतांजलिपुटः स्थितः || १-४२-१७

yadi me bhagavaan priito yadi asti tapasaH phalam | sagarasya aatmajaaH sarve mattaH salilam aapnuyuH || 1-42-18

That great resplendent and highly fortunate king Bhageeratha then remaining with suppliantly adjoined palm fold spoke to him who is the Forefather of all worlds, namely Brahma. [1-42-17]

यदि मे भगवान्प्रीतो यद्यस्ति तपसः फलम् | सगरस्यात्मजाः सर्वे मत्तः सलिलस्याप्नुयुः || १-४२-१८

gangaayaaH salila klinne bhasmani eShaam mahaatmanaam | svargam gacCheyur atyaMtam sarve me prapitaamahaaH || 1-42-19

Oh, god, if you are satisfied with my ascesis, and if there is any fruition to the ascesis of mine, let all the sons of Sagara get water oblations through me. [1-42-18]

गङ्गायाः सलिलक्लिन्ने भस्मन्येषां महात्मनाम् | स्वर्गं गच्छेयुरत्यन्तं सर्वे मे प्रपितामहाः || १-४२-१९

deva yaace ha saMtatyai na avasiidet kulam ca naH | ikShvaakuuNaam kule deva eSha me astu varaH paraH || 1-42-20

While the ashes of these great souls are drenched with the waters of Ganga, let all of those great-grandfathers of mine depart to heaven, eternally. [1-42-19]

देव याचे ह संतत्यै नावसीदेत्कुलं च नः | इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले देव एष मेऽस्तु वरः परः || १-४२-२०

ukta vaakyam tu raajaanam sarvaloka pitaamahaH | pratyuvaaca shubhaam vaaNiim madhuram madhura akSharaam || 1-42-21

Oh, god, I indeed pray for offspring in our Ikshvaku dynasty, let not our dynasty dwindle as I am issueless, and oh, god, let this be the other boon to me. [1-42-20]

उक्तवाक्यं तु राजानं सर्वलोकपितामहः | प्रत्युवाच शुभां वाणीं मधुरं मधुराक्षराम् || १-४२-२१

manoratho mahaan eSha bhagiiratha mahaaratha | evam bhavatu bhadram te ikShvaaku kula vardhana || 1-42-22

The Forefather of all the worlds, Brahma, then replied the king who has spoken in that way, in an auspicious tongue that is sweet-sounding and sweetly worded, as well. [1-42-21]

मनोरथो महानेष भगीरथ महारथ | एवं भवतु भद्रं ते इक्ष्वाकुकुलवर्धन || १-४२-२२

iyam haimavatii jyeShThaa gaMgaa himavataH sutaa | taam vai dhaarayitum raajan haraH tatra niyujyataam || 1-42-23

Oh, top-speeded chariot-rider Bhageeratha, this aspiration of yours is sublime, and oh, the furtherer of Ikshvaku dynasty, so be it, let safeness betide you. [1-42-22]

इयं हैमवती ज्येष्ठा गंगा हिमवतः सुता | तां वै धारयितुं राजन् हरस्तत्र नियुज्यताम् || १-४२-२३

gaMgaayaaH patanam raajan pR^ithivii na sahiShyate | taam vai dhaarayitum raajan na anyam pashyaami shuulinaH || 1-42-24

This Ganga is the one with snow-broth, the elder daughter of Himavanta, and oh, king Bhageeratha, god Shiva alone is capable to sustain her force in the course of her alighting onto earth, and in fact, he is to be commissioned for that purpose. [1-42-23]

गंगायाः पतनं राजन् पृथिवी न सहिष्यते | तां वै धारयितुं राजन् नान्यं पश्यामि शूलिनः || १-४२-२४

tam evam uktvaa raajaanam gaMgaam ca aabhaaShya lokakR^it | jagaama tridivam devaiH sarvaiH saha marut gaNaiH || 1-42-25

'Oh, king Bhageeratha, the earth cannot endure the downfall of Ganga and to sustain Ganga, oh, king, indeed I do not behold none other than the Trident-wielder, god Shiva.' Thus Brahma spoke to Bhageeratha. [1-42-24]

तमेवमुक्त्वा राजानं गङ्गां चाभाष्य लोककृत् | जगाम त्रिदिवं देवैः सह सर्वैर्मरुद्गणैः || १-४२-२५

"Speaking this way to the king Bhageeratha and informally greeting Ganga also, that Creator of Worlds, Brahma, left for heaven along with all the groups of gods and Wind-gods." Thus Vishvamitra continued narration about the arrival of River Ganga to earth. [1-42-25]