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Read Ramayana Baala Kaanda - Sarga 44Baala Kaanda - Sarga 44
This Sarga completes the episode of the descent of Gaṅga. Lord Brahma showers profound praise on Bhageeratha for having accomplished the task of bringing down Gaṅga from the heavens, in which his great ancestors like Sagara, Amṡumān and Dileepa had failed.
We have made a note in the commentary of initial Sargas that Rāmāyaṇa is meant for listening, not reading. This Sarga is a very good example. If you read through it, you will find a great deal of repetition.
But if you hear it with the right emotion added to it by a story teller, you would feel it to be very gripping. This very same style and technique is used even in modern times such as in today's TV serials.
1.44.1
ஸ கத்வா ஸாகரம் ராஜா கங்கயாநுகதஸ்ததா ।
ப்ரவிவேஸ தலம் பூமேர்யத்ர தே பஸ்மஸாத்க்ருதா: ॥
sa gatvā sāgaraṃ rājā gaṅgayānugatastadā ।
pravivēṡa talaṃ bhūmēryatra tē bhasmasātkṛtāḥ ॥
With Gaṅga following him, the king (Bhageeratha)
went to the ocean and then on to the netherworld,
where his ancestors were lying as ashes.
1.44.2
பஸ்மந்யதாப்லுதே ராம கங்காயாஸ்ஸலிலேந வை ।
ஸர்வலோகப்ரபுர்ப்ரஹ்மா ராஜாநமிதமப்ரவீத் ॥
bhasmanyathāplutē rāma gaṅgāyāssalilēna vai ।
sarvalōkaprabhurbrahmā rājānamidamabravīt ॥
O Rāma, as the waters of Gaṅga touched the ashes,
The lords of all the worlds, Brahma, spoke to that king:
1.44.3
தாரிதா நரஸார்தூல திவம் யாதாஸ்ச தேவவத் ।
ஷஷ்டி: புத்ரஸஹஸ்ராணி ஸகரஸ்ய மஹாத்மந: ॥
tāritā naraṡārdūla divaṃ yātāṡca dēvavat ।
ṣaṣṭiḥ putrasahasrāṇi sagarasya mahātmanaḥ ॥
O tiger among men! The sixty thousand sons of
Mahātma Sagara are now relieved and
Have gone to Heaven, like Dēvas.
1.44.4
ஸாகரஸ்ய ஜலம் லோகே யாவத் ஸ்தாஸ்யதி பார்திவ ।
ஸகரஸ்யாத்மஜாஸ்தாவத் ஸ்வர்கே ஸ்தாஸ்யந்தி தேவவத் ॥
sāgarasya jalaṃ lōkē yāvat sthāsyati pārthiva ।
sagarasyātmajāstāvat svargē sthāsyanti dēvavat ॥
O king! As long as there are waters in the oceans,
so long will the sons of Sagara be in Heaven.
1.44.5
இயம் ஹி துஹிதா ஜ்யேஷ்டா தவ கங்கா பவிஷ்யதி ।
த்வத்க்ருதேந ச நாம்நாத லோகே ஸ்தாஸ்யதி விஸ்ருதா ॥
iyaṃ hi duhitā jyēṣṭhā tava gaṅgā bhaviṣyati ।
tvatkṛtēna ca nāmnātha lōkē sthāsyati viṡrutā ॥
Gaṅga, hence onwards, will also be
popularly known as your daughter ("Bhāgeerathi").
1.44.6
கங்கா த்ரிபதகா ராஜந் திவ்யா பாகீரதீதி ச ।
த்ரீந் பதோ பாவயந்தீதி ததஸ்த்ரிபதகா ஸ்ம்ருதா ॥
gaṅgā tripathagā rājan divyā bhāgīrathīti ca ।
trīn pathō bhāvayantīti tatastripathagā smṛtā ॥
Gaṅga will be known as Tripathagā and Bhāgeerathi,
hence onwards. She will be called Tripathagā, since
she flows through all the three paths.
The three paths are: Heaven, Earth and the netherworld.
1.44.7
பிதாமஹாநாம் ஸர்வேஷாம் த்வமத்ர மநுஜாதிப ।
குருஷ்வ ஸலிலம் ராஜந் ப்ரதிஜ்ஞாமபவர்ஜய ॥
pitāmahānāṃ sarvēṣāṃ tvamatra manujādhipa ।
kuruṣva salilaṃ rājan pratijñāmapavarjaya ॥
O lord of peoples! Offer these waters to
all of your ancestors, to completely fulfill your mission.
1.44.8
பூர்வகேண ஹி தே ராஜம்ஸ்தேநாதியஸஸா ததா ।
தர்மிணாம் ப்ரவரேணாபி நைஷ ப்ராப்தோ மநோரத: ॥
pūrvakēṇa hi tē rājaṃstēnātiyaṡasā tadā ।
dharmiṇāṃ pravarēṇāpi naiṣa prāptō manōrathaḥ ॥
O King! even your ancestor Sagara,
who was well known, and who was one of the best Dhārmikas
could not accomplish what you have accomplished.
1.44.9
ததைவாம்ஸுமதா தாத லோகேऽப்ரதிமதேஜஸா ।
கங்காம் ப்ரார்தயதா நேதும் ப்ரதிஜ்ஞா நாபவர்ஜிதா ॥
tathaivāṃṡumatā tāta lōkē'pratimatējasā ।
gaṅgāṃ prārthayatā nētuṃ pratijñā nāpavarjitā ॥
O dear, even Amṡumān, the supremely radiant
could not accomplish the dream of bringing Gaṅga.
1.44.10-11
ராஜர்ஷிணா குணவதா மஹர்ஷிஸமதேஜஸா ।
மத்துல்யதபஸா சைவ க்ஷத்ரதர்மஸ்திதேந ச ॥
திலீபேந மஹாபாக தவ பித்ராதிதேஜஸா ।
புநர்ந ஸங்கிதா நேதும் கங்காம் ப்ரார்தயதாநக ॥
rājarṣiṇā guṇavatā maharṣisamatējasā ।
mattulyatapasā caiva kṣatradharmasthitēna ca ॥
dilīpēna mahābhāga tava pitrātitējasā ।
punarna ṡaṅkitā nētuṃ gaṅgāṃ prārthayatānagha ॥
O unaffiliated one! Even your father Dileepa,
who had done Tapa comparable to that of mine,
who was of all desirable qualities,
whose radiance equalled that of a Maharshi
and who was firmly established in discharging the
responsibilities expected of a King,
could not fulfill his dream of bringing Gaṅga.
1.44.12
ஸா த்வயா ஸமதிக்ராந்தா ப்ரதிஜ்ஞா புருஷர்ஷப ।
ப்ராப்தோऽஸி பரமம் லோகே யஸ: பரமஸம்மதம் ॥
sā tvayā samatikrāntā pratijñā puruṣarṣabha ।
prāptō'si paramaṃ lōkē yaṡaḥ paramasammatam ॥
O bull among men! Only you could
accomplish that mission and thereby
you became well known in this world,
which you deserve to be.
1.44.13
யச்ச கங்காவதரணம் த்வயா க்ருதமரிந்தம ।
அநேந ச பவாந் ப்ராப்தோ தர்மஸ்யாயதநம் மஹத் ॥
yacca gaṅgāvataraṇaṃ tvayā kṛtamarindama ।
anēna ca bhavān prāptō dharmasyāyatanaṃ mahat ॥
O tormentor of detractors!
By fulfilling the mission of bringing Gaṅga,
you attained the distinction of attaining a great Dharma.
Dharma also means discharging a well-meaning responsibility.
1.44.14
ப்லாவயஸ்வ த்வமாத்மாநம் நரோத்தம ஸதோசிதே ।
ஸலிலே புருஷவ்யாக்ர ஸுசி: புண்யபலோ பவ ॥
plāvayasva tvamātmānaṃ narōttama sadōcitē ।
salilē puruṣavyāghra ṡuciḥ puṇyaphalō bhava ॥
O best among humans! O tiger among men!
Always take a dip in these waters
and thereby stay clean, and may
everything auspicious be bestowed on you!
1.44.15
பிதாமஹாநாம் ஸர்வேஷாம் குருஷ்வ ஸலிலக்ரியாம் ।
ஸ்வஸ்தி தேऽஸ்து கமிஷ்யாமி ஸ்வம் லோகம் கம்யதாம் ந்ருப ॥
pitāmahānāṃ sarvēṣāṃ kuruṣva salilakriyām ।
svasti tē'stu gamiṣyāmi svaṃ lōkaṃ gamyatāṃ nṛpa ॥
O King, offer these waters to all of your ancestors.
May all bode well for you! I shall take leave now.
May you return to your world.
1.44.16
இத்யேவமுக்த்வா தேவேஸஸ்ஸர்வலோகபிதாமஹ: ।
யதாகதம் ததாகச்சத்தேவலோகம் மஹாயஸா: ॥
ityēvamuktvā dēvēṡassarvalōkapitāmahaḥ ।
yathāgataṃ tathāgacchaddēvalōkaṃ mahāyaṡāḥ ॥
Saying thus, the Progenitor of all worlds,
the lord of all the Dēvas,
and the one known through all the worlds,
returned to the Dēva Lōka.
1.44.17
பகீரதோऽபி ராஜர்ஷி: க்ருத்வா ஸலிலமுத்தமம் ।
யதாக்ரமம் யதாந்யாயம் ஸாகராணாம் மஹாயஸா: ॥
bhagīrathō'pi rājarṣiḥ kṛtvā salilamuttamam ।
yathākramaṃ yathānyāyaṃ sāgarāṇāṃ mahāyaṡāḥ ॥
The highly renowned Rājarshi Bhageeratha
offered waters following the right process and procedures
to that well known sons of Sagara.
1.44.18
க்ருதோதகஸ்ஸுசீ ராஜா ஸ்வபுரம் ப்ரவிவேஸ ஹ ।
ஸம்ருத்தார்தோ நரஸ்ரேஷ்ட ஸ்வராஜ்யம் ப்ரஸஸாஸ ஹ ॥
kṛtōdakaṡṡucī rājā svapuraṃ pravivēṡa ha ।
samṛddhārthō naraṡrēṣṭha svarājyaṃ praṡaṡāsa ha ॥
Having offered the waters, having fulfilled his mission,
the king cleansed himself and entered his city
and ruled his kingdom, as usual.
1.44.19
ப்ரமுமோத ச லோகஸ்தம் ந்ருபமாஸாத்ய ராகவ ।
நஷ்டஸோகஸ்ஸம்ருத்தார்தோ பபூவ விகதஜ்வர: ॥
pramumōda ca lōkastaṃ nṛpamāsādya rāghava ।
naṣṭaṡōkassamṛddhārthō babhūva vigatajvaraḥ ॥
O prince of Raghu dynasty,
The king overcame his agony and sadness
after accomplishing the mission
and the entire world felt happy having him as the king.
1.44.20
ஏஷ தே ராம கங்காயா விஸ்தரோऽபிஹிதோ மயா ।
ஸ்வஸ்தி ப்ராப்நுஹி பத்ரம் தே ஸந்த்யாகாலோऽதிவர்ததே ॥
ēṣa tē rāma gaṅgāyā vistarō'bhihitō mayā ।
svasti prāpnuhi bhadraṃ tē sandhyākālō'tivartatē ॥
O Rāma! I have now narrated the story of Gaṅga in detail.
May all bode well and safe for you!
I now see that it is a little past dusk.
1.44.21-22a
தந்யம் யஸஸ்யமாயுஷ்யம் புத்ர்யம் ஸ்வர்க்யமதீவ ச ।
யஸ்ஸ்ராவயதி விப்ரேஷு க்ஷத்ரியேஷ்விதரேஷு ச ।
ப்ரீயந்தே பிதரஸ்தஸ்ய ப்ரீயந்தே தைவதாநி ச ॥
dhanyaṃ yaṡasyamāyuṣyaṃ putryaṃ svargyamatīva ca ।
yaṡṡrāvayati viprēṣu kṣatriyēṣvitarēṣu ca ।
prīyantē pitarastasya prīyantē daivatāni ca ॥
Listening to this story brings
riches, long life, great progeny and
ascent to Heaven at the end.
The ancestors and Dēvas would be happy with any one
who narrates this story to Brāhmaṇas, Kshatriyas and all others.
1.44.22b-23
இதமாக்யாநமவ்யக்ரோ கங்காவதரணம் ஸுபம் ।
யஸ்ஸ்ருணோதி ச காகுத்ஸ்த ஸர்வாந் காமாநவாப்நுயாத் ।
ஸர்வே பாபா: ப்ரணஸ்யந்தி ஆயு: கீர்திஸ்ச வர்த்ததே ॥
idamākhyānamavyagrō gaṅgāvataraṇaṃ ṡubham ।
yaṡṡṛṇōti ca kākutstha sarvān kāmānavāpnuyāt ।
sarvē pāpāḥ praṇaṡyanti āyuḥ kīrtiṡca varddhatē ॥
O prince of Kākutstha lineage!
Whoever hears this story of the
descent of Gaṅga with full attention
will realize all their wishes, will be rid of all Pāpas
and will enjoy long life and good reputation!
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே சதுஸ்சத்வாரிம்ஸ: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē catuṡcatvāriṃṡaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the forty fourth Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 1347 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.