Shloka 23

गङ्गाजन्मवर्णनम् / The Origin of the Ganga

Tripathagā Narrative

Devanagari script

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यथा त्रिपथगा नदी।खं गता प्रथमं तात गतिं गतिमतां वर ।।1.35.23।।

Transliteration

etat te sarvam ākhyātaṃ yathā tripathagā nadī |

khaṃ gatā prathamaṃ tāta gatiṃ gatimatāṃ vara || 1.35.23 ||

Translation

ਹੇ ਤਾਤ, ਗਤਿਵਾਨਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼੍ਰੇਸ਼ਠ! ਤ੍ਰਿਪਥਗਾ ਗੰਗਾ ਨਦੀ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਆਕਾਸ਼ ਨੂੰ ਪਹੁੰਚੀ—ਇਹ ਸਭ ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਦੱਸ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म/Object; of ākhyātam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies etat)

• ākhyātam: has been told
• ākhyātam: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate; passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√khyā (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive sense)

• yathā: how / as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय (comparative/‘how’)

• tripathagā: three-course-flowing
• tripathagā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri + patha + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies nadī)

• nadī: the river
• nadī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• kham: the sky
• kham: Karma (कर्म/Object of gatā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• gatā: went / reached
• gatā: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (nadī understood)

• prathamam: first
• prathamam: Kāla/krama (काल/क्रम/Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative); ‘first(ly)’

• tāta: O dear one
• tāta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• gatim: course; path; state
• gatim: Karma (कर्म/Object; of implied ‘obtained’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• gatimatām: of the moving ones / of those with gait
• gatimatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gatimat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of those having movement/gait’ (partitive)

• vara: O best one
• vara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Context

On hearing his words Rama performed morning oblations and getting ready for theonward journey spoke:

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā (tripathagā)
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma as faithful transmission of sacred history: the teacher conveys truthful tradition (itihāsa) to guide understanding and reverence.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra concludes a portion of the account, stating he has explained how Gaṅgā became ‘tripathagā’ and first ascended to heaven.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The guru’s clarity in instruction and the student’s worthiness as a respectful listener.