Valmiki Ramayana 1.37.14: Bala Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 14

कुमारसम्भवः · गङ्गायां तेजोनिक्षेपः

The Birth of Kumāra/Skanda and the Deposition of Śiva’s Energy through Gaṅgā

Addressed to RamaSetting: गङ्गा (river system/streams)

Devanagari script

समन्ततस्तदा देवीमभ्यषिञ्चत पावकः ।

सर्वस्रोतांसि पूर्णानि गङ्गाया रघुनन्दन ॥१४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 1.37.14

Transliteration

samantatas tadā devīm abhyaṣiñcata pāvakaḥ |

sarvasrotāṃsi pūrṇāni gaṅgāyā raghunandana ||14||

Translation

फिर अग्नि ने गंगाजी को चारों तरफ से भीग दिया। रघुनंदन, गंगा की सारी धाराएँ उस शक्ति से भर गई।

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Word by Word

• समन्ततः: from all sides/all around
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)
• Role: काल (Time adjunct)

• देवीम्: the goddess (Gaṅgā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग
• Role: कर्म (Object)

• अभ्यषिञ्चत: sprinkled/anointed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-षिच् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: क्रिया (Main verb)

• पावकः: Fire (Agni)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग
• Role: कर्ता (Subject)

• सर्व: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc) बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; स्रोतांसि इति विशेषण
• Role: विशेषण (Qualifier)

• स्रोतांसि: streams
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रोतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग
• Role: कर्ता (Subject)

• पूर्णानि: filled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used adjectivally)
• Role: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)

• गङ्गायाः: of Gaṅgā
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग
• Role: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)

• रघुनन्दन: O descendant of Raghu
• Type: Noun
• Root: रघु-नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Raghu's son)
• Role: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• देवीमभ्यषिञ्चत = देवीम् + अभ्यषिञ्चत
• सर्वस्रोतांसि = सर्व + स्रोतांसि।

Context

O Rama! then, the Fire-god discharged the vital fluid of Iswara, preserved in his body, which pervaded all sides of Ganga and all her streams were filled with (the fluid).

The teaching

शक्तिः यदा योग्ये आधारे सम्यक् सञ्चरति तदा सर्वप्रवाहाः (जीवन-मार्गाः) पूर्णतां यान्ति—अनुष्ठानस्य फल-रूपा परिपूरणता।

Ethical theme

अनुष्ठान/शक्ति-संचार

For your practice

गङ्गा-अभिषेक-भावना (आन्तरिक शुद्धि) तथा अग्नि-शुद्धि—स्नान/संध्या-समये पावन-स्मरणम्।

Mood and themes

Rasa

Adbhuta (wonder), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Overflowing, consecratory, numinous

Themes

• Dharma
• Itihasa
• Transmission of tejas
• Sacred geography (Gaṅgā’s streams)

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Pāvaka)
• Gaṅgā
• Rāma (Raghunandana)

FAQs

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

Dharma is the regulated channeling of power: immense tejas is not left uncontrolled but distributed through ordained channels, symbolized by Gaṅgā’s streams.

What is the narrative situation?

Agni transfers the potency into Gaṅgā so thoroughly that all her currents are filled with it.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Competent execution of duty: Agni performs the entrusted task effectively and completely.