Shloka 1.43.17

गङ्गावतरणम् (The Descent of the Gaṅgā and Bhagiratha’s Fulfilment)

Devanagari script

ततो देवर्षिगन्धर्वा यक्षसिद्धगणास्तदा।।।।व्यलोकयन्त ते तत्र गगनाद्गां गतां तथा।

Transliteration

matsya-kacchapa-saṅghaiś ca śiṃśumāra-gaṇais tadā | patadbhiḥ patitaiś cānyair vyarocata vasundharā ||

Translation

Then the earth shone, filled with shoals of fish and turtles, with hosts of śiṃśumāras, and with other creatures—some falling, some already fallen—amid that descent.

Context

Then devarshis, gandharvas, yakshas and hosts of siddhas looked on with astonishment at Ganga falling from the sky and descending on the earth.

Characters & Entities

• earth (vasundharā)
• fish (matsya)
• turtles (kacchapa)
• śiṃśumāra (aquatic beings)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes reverence for life and ecological wholeness: the sacred descent is depicted as involving many beings, not humans alone.

What is the narrative situation?

As Gaṅgā descends and rushes onward, aquatic beings appear in the spectacle, making the earth seem radiant.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Awe and attentiveness to the sacred (bhakti/ādarśa) implied in witnessing nature’s divine dimension.