Shloka 27

गङ्गाधारणम् (Gaṅgādhāraṇa) — Śiva Bears the Descent of Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

अगृलह्लाच्च वरं तस्माद्‌ गड़ाया धारणे नृप । स्वर्गे वासं समुद्धिश्य पितृणां स नरोत्तम:,नरेश्वर! तत्पश्चात्‌ गंगाजीकी प्रेरणाके अनुसार नरश्रेष्ठ भगीरथने अपने पितरोंको स्वर्गलोककी प्राप्ति करानेके उद्देश्यसे महादेवजीसे गंगाजीके वेगको धारण करनेके लिये वरकी याचना की

Transliteration

agṛhṇāc ca varaṃ tasmād gaṅgāyā dhāraṇe nṛpa | svarge vāsaṃ samuddiśya pitṝṇāṃ sa narottamaḥ ||

Translation

Então, ó rei, o melhor dos homens pediu um dom para que se suportasse o ímpeto da Gaṅgā. Com o propósito de assegurar a seus antepassados morada no céu, suplicou a Mahādeva que sustentasse a impetuosa descida do rio — um ato de dever filial que põe o bem dos ancestrais acima do ganho pessoal.

Word by Word

अगृह्लात्took/accepted (asked for and obtained)

चand

वरम्a boon

तस्मात्from him/therefore

गङ्गायाःof Gaṅgā

धारणेin/for the bearing (holding)

नृपO king

स्वर्गेin heaven

वासम्dwelling/abode

समुद्धिश्यaiming at/intending

पितॄणाम्of the forefathers

सःhe

नरोत्तमःthe best of men

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Gaṅgā

pitaraḥ (ancestors)

narottamaḥ (Bhagīratha, implied by context)

Mahādeva (Śiva, implied by context)

svarga (heaven)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights pitṛ-dharma: a ruler’s ethical responsibility to honor and uplift ancestors, seeking divine help not for power but for the welfare and spiritual elevation of one’s lineage.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being prompted (by Gaṅgā in the surrounding narration), the noble figure (Bhagīratha) asks for a boon so that Śiva may bear Gaṅgā’s tremendous force, enabling her descent and thereby granting his forefathers access to heaven.