Shloka 12
गङ्गावतरण-प्रार्थना
Bhagīratha’s Petition for the Descent of Gaṅgā
मन्त्रिष्वाधाय तद्राज्यं गङ्गावतरणे रत:।स तपो दीर्घमातिष्ठद्गोकर्णे रघुनन्दन।।1.42.12।।ऊर्ध्वबाहु: पञ्चतपा मासाहारो जितेन्द्रिय:।
mantriṣv ādhāya tad rājyaṃ gaṅgāvataraṇe rataḥ |
sa tapo dīrgham ātiṣṭhad gokarṇe raghunandana ||
ūrdhvabāhuḥ pañcatapā māsāhāro jitendriyaḥ |
हे रघुनंदन! गंगेच्या अवतरणात रत होऊन त्याने राज्यभार मंत्र्यांकडे सोपविला आणि गोकर्ण येथे दीर्घकाळ तप आचरले—ऊर्ध्वबाहु राहून, पंचाग्नीचा ताप सहन करून, महिन्यातून एकदा आहार घेऊन, व इंद्रिये जिंकून।
O son of the Raghus (Rama), Bhagiratha, with a determination to bring down Gangaentrusted the kingdom to his ministers and went to a sacred place known as Gokarna. There with arms uplifted surrounded by four fires, partaking food once a month, with his senses controlled, carried out panchatapa for a number of years.
FAQs
Dharma as self-sacrifice for collective welfare: Bhagiratha undertakes severe tapas not for personal gain, but to accomplish a sacred, world-benefiting aim (Gaṅgā’s descent).
Bhagiratha delegates governance to ministers and begins prolonged, rigorous austerities at Gokarṇa to secure Gaṅgā’s descent.
Discipline (jitendriyatā) and unwavering resolve (dṛḍha-saṅkalpa) expressed through extreme austerity and restraint.