Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 43, Shloka 5

गङ्गावतरणम्

The Descent of the Gaṅgā and Bhagiratha’s Fulfilment

Devanagari script

अचिन्तयच्च सा देवी गङ्गा परमदुर्धरा।।।।विशाम्यहं हि पातालं स्रोतसा गृह्य शङ्करम्।

Transliteration

acintayac ca sā devī gaṅgā parama-durdharā |

viśāmy ahaṃ hi pātālaṃ srotasā gṛhya śaṅkaram ||

Translation

抑え難き女神ガンガーは思いめぐらした。「我が流れの勢いでシャンカラを捉え、パーターラへと沈み入ろう。」

Word by Word

• अचिन्तयत्: thought
• अचिन्तयत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada; with augment a-

• च: also
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; apposition to 'सा'

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

• परमदुर्धरा: most difficult to contain
• परमदुर्धरा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-दुर्धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular; 'extremely hard to restrain'

• विशामि: I enter
• विशामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/reason

• पातालम्: the netherworld
• पातालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; goal (गत्यर्थे द्वितीया)

• स्रोतसा: by (my) stream/flow
• स्रोतसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रोतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• गृह्य: having seized
• गृह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: Absolutive (ल्यप्/क्त्वार्थ), indeclinable; 'having seized'

• शङ्करम्: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; object of 'गृह्य'

Context

"Goddess Ganga, extremely difficult to contain, thought that seizing Siva with her flow she would enter the lower regions of the earth.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Pātāla

FAQs

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

Dharma requires humility before cosmic order. Even a sacred power (Gaṅgā) becomes ethically problematic when driven by pride and the urge to overpower another.

What is the narrative situation?

As Gaṅgā descends, she forms a proud intention: to drag Śiva down with her force into Pātāla.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (implicitly), the virtue of restraint is highlighted—setting up Śiva’s corrective response in the next verse.