Valmiki Ramayana 1.36.3-4: Bala Kanda, Sarga 36, Shlokas 3-4

बालकाण्ड सर्ग ३६ · गङ्गा

प्रभवप्रश्नः, शिवतेजोधारणं, कार्त्तिकेय-जन्म, उमाशापः

Devanagari script

त्रीन् पथो हेतुना केन प्लावयेल्लोकपावनी ॥३॥

कथं गङ्गा त्रिपथगा विश्रुता सरिदुत्तमा ।

त्रिषु लोकेषु धर्मज्ञ कर्मभिः कैस्समन्विता ॥४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.36.3-4

Transliteration

trīn patho hetunā kena plāvayellokapāvanī ||3||

kathaṃ gaṅgā tripathagā viśrutā sariduttamā |

triṣu lokeṣu dharmajña karmabhiḥ kaissamanvitā ||4||

Translation

गंगा तीनों दुनिया को साफ करती है। लेकिन वो तीनों दुनिया में कैसे फैल गई? लोग उसे त्रिपथगा कहते हैं क्योंकि वो तीन जगह से गुजरती है। यह सब उसके करम से हुआ या किसी और वजह से?

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Word by Word

• त्रीन्: three
• त्रीन्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective (संख्यावाचक-विशेषण), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying पथः

• पथः: paths
• पथः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pathin/patha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन) (Vedic/classical variant form for पथान्)

• हेतुना: by what cause
• हेतुना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• केन: by which / by what
• केन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun (प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); with हेतुना

• प्लावयेत्: would flood / should make overflow
• प्लावयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: plu (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद); causative sense 'cause to overflow/flood'

• लोकपावनी: purifier of the worlds (Ganga)
• लोकपावनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka + pāvanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (तत्पुरुष): lokān pāvayati iti (उपपद-तत्पुरुष). Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Context

Why does Ganga, the purifier of the worlds overflow the three paths (worlds)? O knower of dharma what deed made, Tripathaga (flowing in three directions) Ganga well-known in the three worlds as the best (holiest) of all rivers"?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Viśvāmitra
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

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

The verse reiterates the dharmic value of seeking causal understanding (hetu) behind sacred tradition, connecting fame and power to deeds (karman).

What is the narrative situation?

This is a repeated/numbered presentation of the same question in the source formatting, preserved here as verse 1.36.4.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Respectful intellectual honesty—Rāma asks for clarification rather than assuming knowledge.