Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 43, Shloka 9

गङ्गावतरणम्

The Descent of the Gaṅgā and Bhagiratha’s Fulfilment

Devanagari script

तत्रैवाबम्भ्रमद्देवी संवत्सरगणान् बहून्।।।।तामपश्यन्पुनस्तत्र तप: परममास्थित:।

Transliteration

tatraivābambhramad devī saṃvatsara-gaṇān bahūn |

tām apaśyan punas tatra tapaḥ paramam āsthitaḥ ||

Translation

Là même, la déesse erra durant de longues années ; et Bhagiratha, ne la voyant pas paraître, y reprit de nouveau la plus haute austérité.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: Locative adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle

• अबम्भ्रमत्: wandered/whirled about
• अबम्भ्रमत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada; frequentative/reduplicated stem (अभ्यास)

• देवी: the goddess (Gaṅgā)
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• संवत्सरगणान्: many sets of years
• संवत्सरगणान्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवत्सर-गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; compound: संवत्सराणां गणान् = 'groups/numbers of years' (duration)

• बहून्: many
• बहून्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; qualifies 'संवत्सरगणान्'

• ताम्: her (Gaṅgā)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अपश्यन्: not seeing
• अपश्यन्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agrees with 'आस्थितः' (he), 'not seeing'

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (पुनरावृत्ति)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: Locative adverb

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object of 'आस्थितः'

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifies 'तपः'

• आस्थितः: undertook
• आस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; 'having undertaken/adopted'

Context

There the golden Ganga wandered about for many years. Bhagiratha not finding Ganga, once again resorted to great penance.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Bhagīratha
• Tapas (austerity)

FAQs

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

Satya in practice: steadfast commitment to a righteous aim. Dharma is sustained through repeated effort when obstacles arise, not abandoned after partial success.

What is the narrative situation?

Gaṅgā remains contained in Śiva’s locks for years; Bhagiratha, unable to get her to proceed, renews intense penance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bhagiratha’s perseverance and disciplined self-sacrifice (tapas) for a collective good.