Valmiki Ramayana 1.35.8 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 35, Shloka 8

गङ्गाजन्मवर्णनम् / The Origin of the Ganga

Tripathagā Narrative

Devanagari script

तां दृष्ट्वा पुण्यसलिलां हंससारससेविताम्।बभूवुर्मुदिता स्सर्वे मुनयस्सह राघवा:।।1.35.8।।

Transliteration

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā puṇya-salilāṃ haṃsa-sārasa-sevitām |

babhūvur muditāḥ sarve munayaḥ saha rāghavāḥ ||1.35.8||

Translation

পুণ্যসলিলা, হংস ও সারস-সেবিতা সেই নদীকে দেখে, রাঘবদেরসহ সকল মুনি পরম আনন্দে উল্লসিত হলেন।

Word by Word

• ताम्: that (river)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; of दृष्ट्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• पुण्यसलिलाम्: with sacred waters
• पुण्यसलिलाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of ताम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya + salila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: पुण्यं सलिलं यस्याः/पुण्यं सलिलम्

• हंससारससेविताम्: frequented by swans and cranes
• हंससारससेविताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of ताम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: haṃsa + sārasa + sevita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (instrumental sense): हंसैः सारसैश्च सेविता (attended by swans and cranes)

• बभूवुः: became/were
• बभूवुः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुदिताः: delighted
• मुदिताः: Kartṛ-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण/Predicate adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mudita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भाववाचक विशेषण

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; मुनयः/राघवाः इत्यस्य विशेषण

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahārtha (सहार्थ/Accompaniment marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (preposition-like indeclinable: ‘together with’)

• राघवाः: the Rāghavas (Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa)
• राघवाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; co-subject with मुनयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; राम-लक्ष्मणयोः (Rāghavas)

Context

On seeing the river Ganga with swans and cranes floating on the surface of the sacred waters, all the sages including the sons of the Raghus (Rama and Lakshmana) were delighted.

Characters & Entities

• Jahnavī/Gaṅgā
• swans (haṃsa)
• cranes (sārasa)
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• sages (munis)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma includes cultivating purity and upliftment through contact with the sacred—joy arises not from possession, but from proximity to what is holy and life-sustaining.

What is the narrative situation?

The group sees the Gaṅgā/Jahnavī and rejoices at its sanctity and beauty.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sattva (inner clarity) expressed as reverent joy; the sages and princes respond with uplifted minds rather than distraction.