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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.]

कालधर्मं गते राम सगरे प्रकृतीजना:।

राजानं रोचयामासुरंशुमन्तं सुधार्मिकम्।।1.42.1।।


राम O Rama, सगरे when king Sagara, कालधर्मम् duty of nature, death, गते obtained, प्रकृतीजना: ministers and subjects, सुधार्मिकम् highly virtuous, अंशुमन्तम् Anshuman, राजानम् as king, रोचयामासु: accepted.

"O Rama when Sagara died, the subjects installed the highly virtuous Anshuman as king.
स राजा सुमहानासीदंशुमान् रघुनन्दन ।

तस्य पुत्रो महानासीद्दिलीप इति विश्रुत:।।1.42.2।।


रघुनन्दन O Descendent of Raghu, Rama, स: अंशुमान् that Anshuman, सुमहान् very great, राजा आसीत् was a monarch, तस्य for him, दिलीप इति by name Dilipa, विश्रुत: celebrated, महान् great, पुत्र: आसीत् 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.
तस्मिन् राज्यं समावेश्य दिलीपे रघुनन्दन।

हिमवच्छिखरे पुण्ये तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम्।।1.42.3।।


रघुनन्दन O Rama, तस्मिन् दिलीपे in that Dilipa, राज्यम् kingdom, समावेश्य vesting, पुण्ये pious, हिमवच्छिखरे on the peak of Himavat mountain, सुदारुणम् rigid, तप: penance, तेपे 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.
द्वात्रिंशच्च सहस्राणि वर्षाणि सुमहायशा:।

तपोवनं गतो राम स्वर्गं लेभे तपोधन:।।1.42.4।।


राम O Rama, सुमहायशा: highly renowned Anshuman, द्वात्रिंशत् सहस्राणि thirty two thousand, वर्षाणि years, तपोवनं गत: having reached tapovana, तपोधन: one who had asceticism as wealth, स्वर्गम् heaven, लेभे 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).
दिलीपस्तु महातेजाश्श्रुत्वा पैतामहं वधम्।

दु:खोपहतया बुद्ध्या निश्चयं नाध्यगच्छत।।1.42.5।।


महातेजा: exceedingly lustrous, दिलीपस्तु Dilipa on his part, पैतामहम् relating to his grandfathers, वधम् killing, श्रुत्वा having heard, दु:खोपहतया overtaken by grief, बुद्ध्या with his intellect, निश्चयम् conclusion, नाध्यगच्छत 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).
कथं गङ्गावतरणं कथं तेषां जलक्रिया।

तारयेयं कथं चैतानिति चिन्तापरोऽभवत्।।1.42.6।।


गङ्गावतरणम् descent of Ganga, कथम् how to do?, तेषाम् their, जलक्रिया funeral rites with water, कथम् how to do?, एतान् them, कथम् how to, तारयेयम् इति (help them to cross the wordly sea of suffering and reach heaven) liberate, चिन्तापर: thoughtful, अभूत् 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.
तस्य चिन्तयतो नित्यं धर्मेण विदितात्मन:।

पुत्रो भगीरथो नाम जज्ञे परमधार्मिक:।।1.42.7।।


विदितात्मन: wellknown for his intelligence, धर्मेण with righteousness, नित्यम् constantly, चिन्तयत: while reflecting, तस्य for him, भगीरथो नाम named Bhagiratha, परमधार्मिक: highly virtuous, पुत्र: son, जज्ञे 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.
दिलीपस्तु महातेजा यज्ञैर्बहुभिरिष्टवान्।

त्रिंशद्वर्षसहस्राणि राजा राज्यमकारयत्।।1.42.8।।


महातेजा: most brilliant, दिलीपस्तु Dilipa on his part, बहुभि: by any, यज्ञै: sacrifices, इष्टवान् performed, राजा king, त्रिंशद्वर्षसहस्राणि thirty thousand years, राज्यम् kingdom, अकारयत् ruled.

Most brilliant king Dilipa ruled the kingdom for thirty thousand years performing many sacrifices.
अगत्वा निश्चयं राजा तेषामुद्धरणं प्रति ।

व्याधिना नरशार्दूल कालधर्ममुपेयिवान्।।1.42.9।।


नरशार्दूल O Tiger among men, राजा king Dilipa, तेषाम् their, उद्धरणं प्रति about salvation, निश्चयम् conclusion, अगत्वा not able to arrive, व्याधिना by suffering illness, कालधर्मम् death, उपेयिवान् 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.
इन्द्रलोकं गतो राजा स्वार्जितेनैव कर्मणा।

राज्ये भगीरथं पुत्रमभिषिच्य नरर्षभ:।।1.42.10।।


नरर्षभ: the best among men, राजा king Dilipa, पुत्रम् son, भगीरथम् Bhagiratha, राज्ये in the kingdom, अभिषिच्य having conducted coronation, स्वार्जितेनैव with selfearned, कर्मणा एव acts only, इन्द्रलोकम् towards the region of Indra, गत: 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.
भगीरथस्तु राजर्षिर्धार्मिको रघुनन्दन।

अनपत्यो महातेजा: प्रजाकामस्स चाप्रज:।।1.42.11।।


रघुनन्दन O Rama, धार्मिक: righteous one, महातेजा: highly lustrous, राजर्षि: royal sage, भगीरथस्तु Bhagiratha, अनपत्य: without sons, स: he, प्रजाकाम: desirous of progeny, अप्रजा: 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.
मन्त्रिष्वाधाय तद्राज्यं गङ्गावतरणे रत:।

स तपो दीर्घमातिष्ठद्गोकर्णे रघुनन्दन।।1.42.12।।

ऊर्ध्वबाहु: पञ्चतपा मासाहारो जितेन्द्रिय:।


रघुनन्दन O Rama, स: he, गङ्गावतरणे for the descent of Ganga, रत: keenly desiring, तद्राज्यम् that kingdom, मन्त्रिषु in his ministers, आधाय after entrusting, ऊर्ध्वबाहु: with arms held upwards, पञ्चतपा: surrounded by four fires in the hot season and standing under the sun, the fifth fire, मासाहार: partaking food once a month, जितेन्द्रिय: with his senses controlled, गोकर्णे at the sacred spot, Gokarna, दीर्घम् for long years, तप: yogic penance, आतिष्ठत् 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.
तस्य वर्षसहस्राणि घोरे तपसि तिष्ठत:।।1.42.13।।

अतीतानि महाबाहो तस्य राज्ञो महात्मन:।

सुप्रीतो भगवान् ब्रह्मा प्रजानां पतिरीश्वर:।।1.42.14।।


महाबाहो O Mighty armed Rama, तस्य while he was, घोरे तपसि amidst rigid austerities, तिष्ठत: while he was determined to carry on, वर्षसहस्राणि thousands of years, अतीतानि passed away, प्रजानाम् for all men, पति: lord, ईश्वर: lord, भगवान् ब्रह्मा god Brahma, तस्य his, महात्मन: illustrious, राज्ञ: for king, सुप्रीत: was highly pleased.

O mightyarmed, (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.
ततस्सुरगणैस्सार्धमुपागम्य पितामह:।

भगीरथं महात्मानं तप्यमानमथाब्रवीत्।।1.42.15।।


तत: thereafter, पितामह: grandsire, सुरगणै: with groups of devatas, उपागम्य having arrived, अथ thereafter, तप्यमानम् engaged in austerities, महात्मानम् illustrious, भगीरथम् Bhagiratha, अब्रवीत् said.

Thereafter, the Grandsire arrived with the gods and spoke to the noble Bhagiratha engaged in austerities.
भगीरथ महाभाग प्रीतस्तेऽहं जनेश्वर।

तपसा च सुतप्तेन वरं वरय सुव्रत।।1.42.16।।


महाभाग O Highly distinguished one, जनेश्वर O Mighty monarch, भगीरथ O Bhagiratha, ते by you, सुतप्तेन by properly disciplined, तपसा austerities, अहम् I, प्रीत: pleased, सुव्रत O You of excellent vows, वरम् boon, वरय ask for.

'O distinguished one O mighty monarch O Bhagiratha of excellent vows I am pleased with your welldisciplined austerities. Ask for a boon'.
तमुवाच महातेजा: सर्वलोकपितामहम्।

भगीरथो महाभाग: कृताञ्जलिरुपस्थित:।।1.42.17।।


महातेजा: most brilliant one, महाभाग: highly glorious, भगीरथः Bhagiratha, कृताञ्जलि: with folded palms, उपस्थित: having approached, तं सर्वलोकपितामहम् grandsire for all the worlds, उवाच spoke.

Brilliant, glorious Bhagiratha, stood before the Grandsire of all the worlds with folded palms and spoke":
यदि मे भगवन् प्रीतो यद्यस्ति तपस: फलम्।

सगरस्यात्मजास्सर्वे मत्तस्सलिलमाप्नुयु:।।1.42.18।।


भगवन् O Adorable one, मे with me, प्रीत: यदि if you are pleased, तपस: of austerities, फलम् अस्ति यदि if worthy reward is possible, सगरस्य king Sagara's, आत्मजा: sons, सर्वे all, मत्त: from me, सलिलम् funeral rites with water, आप्नुयु: 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)'.
गङ्गायास्सलिलक्लिन्ने भस्मन्येषां महात्मनाम्।

स्वर्गं गच्छेयुरत्यन्तं सर्वे मे प्रपितामहा:।।1.42.19।।


एषाम् these, महात्मनाम् eminent ones, भस्मनि in ashes, गङ्गाया: Ganga's, सलिलक्लिन्ने immersed by the waters, मे my, सर्वे all, प्रपितामहा: uncles of my grand father, अत्यन्तम् ultimately, स्वर्गम् towards heaven, गच्छेयु: may go.

'The ashes of these eminent uncles of my grandfather, immersed by the waters of Ganga may ultimately go to heaven'.
देया च सन्ततिर्देव नावसीदेत्कुलं च न:।

इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले देव एष मेऽस्तु वर:पर:।।1.42.20।।


देव O Divine lord, इक्ष्वाकूणाम् for Ikshvakus, कुले in the dynasty, सन्तति: progeny, देया should be bestowed, न: our, कुलम् race, नावसीदेत् let it not be terminated, एष: this, मे my, पर: another, वर: अस्तु 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'.
उक्तवाक्यं तु राजानं सर्वलोकपितामह:।

प्रत्युवाच शुभां वाणीं मधुरां मधुराक्षराम्।।1.42.21।।


सर्वलोकपितामह: grandsire for all the worlds, उक्तवाक्यम् him who has spoken these words, राजानम् addressing the king, शुभाम् auspicious, मधुराम् sweet, मधुराक्षराम् with agreeable letters, वाणीम् words, प्रत्युवाच replied.

To this the Grandsire of all the worlds replied with a sweet voice full of good wishes and sweet words.
मनोरथो महानेष भगीरथ महारथ।

एवं भवतु भद्रं ते इक्ष्वाकुकुलवर्धन।।1.42.22।।


महारथ O Great charioteer, भगीरथ Bhagiratha, एष: this, मनोरथ desire, महान् great, इक्ष्वाकु कुलवर्धन perpetuator of dynasty of Ikshvaku, एवम् in this way, भवतु may happen, ते भद्रम् 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'.
इयं हैमवती गङ्गा ज्येष्ठा हिमवतस्सुता।

तां वै धारयितुं शक्तो हरस्तत्र नियुज्यताम्।।1.42.23।।


हैमवती Haimavati, the daughter of Himavat, इयम् this, गङ्गा Ganga, हिमवत: Himavat's, ज्येष्ठा सुता eldest daughter, ताम् her, धारयितुम् to hold, शक्त: capable, हर: lord Shiva, तत्र there, नियुज्यताम् 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'.
गङ्गाया: पतनं राजन् पृथिवी न सहिष्यति।

तां वै धारयितुं वीर नान्यं पश्यामि शूलिन:।।1.42.24।।


राजन् O King, गङ्गाया: Ganga's, पतनम् descent, पृथिवी earth, न सहिष्यति cannot sustain, वीर O Hero, ताम् her, धारयितुम् to hold, शूलिन: other than Siva, the wielder of trident, अन्यम् any other person, न पश्यामि 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)'.
तमेवमुक्त्वा राजानं गङ्गां चाभाष्य लोककृत्।

जगाम त्रिदिवं देवस्सहदेवैर्मरुद्गणै:।।1.42.25।।


लोककृत् (देवः) the creator of the worlds, तं राजानम् addressing that king, एवम् in this way, उक्त्वा having spoken, गङ्गां च Ganga also, आभाष्य after conversing, सह देवै: along with devatas, मरुद्गणै: with groups of maruts, त्रिदिवम् towards heaven, जगाम had gone.

The Creator of the worlds having thus addressed the king and conversing with Ganga went towards heaven along with devatas and maruts".
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे द्विचत्वारिंशस्सर्ग:।।
Thus ends the fortysecond sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.