Ganga Avtaranam in Valmiki Ramayanam

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!! Sri Rama Jayam !!

 

Valmiki Ramayana - Bala Kanda in Prose Sarga 42

 

Guru Vishwamitra illustrates the story of Ganga avtaranam (from

Vishnupadam) to his disciples Sri Rama & Sri Lakshmana on the way to

Mithila.

 

Sri Vishwamitra adds -

Bhageeratha's effort for bringing Ganga to earth is fulfilled.

Amshuman and his son Dileepa could not make any effort to bring the

divine river to earth. But Bhageeratha, the son of Dileepa, staunch

at heart tries earnestly to get her onto earth. Brahma agreeing for

this descent of Ganga designates lord Shiva to bear the burden of the

onrush of Ganga, because the earth cannot sustain Ganga's flow impact.

 

" 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. He that Amshuman turned out to be a

very great king, and oh, Rama of Raghu's dynasty, he begot a

marvellous son who is renowned as Dileepa. 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.

" 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.

Instead of achieving reward of ascesis in the form of descent of

River Ganga, he could achieve only his personal merit of his penance,

namely an abode in heaven.

" 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.

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.

" 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. 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.

" 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. 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.

" 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. 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.

The five-fires are pancha agni-s the four earthly fires in four

corners of directions and the sun's fire overhead.

" 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. 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.

" '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.'

" 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.

" '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. 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. 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.'

" 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. '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. '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.

" '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, Lord Shiva.' Thus Brahma spoke to

Bhageeratha.

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.

 

Lord Siva, pacified by Bhageeratha's noble effort came forward to

give his blessing as Ganga dhara - the carrier of Ganga.

 

Hare Krishna

Hare Rama