Valmiki Ramayana 2.52.87-88: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 52, Shlokas 87-88
गङ्गातरणम्, सुमन्त्र-प्रतिनिवर्तनम्, जटाधारणम्
Crossing the Gaṅgā; Sumantra’s Return; Adoption of Ascetic Signs
Spoken by Rama to GangaSetting: Gaṅgā riverbank (invocation context)Places named: GaṅgāPrayer before continuing exile journey; conditional vow for future return
सा त्वां देवि नमस्यामि प्रशंसामि च शोभने ।
प्राप्तराज्ये नरव्याघ्रे शिवेन पुनरागते ॥८७॥
गवां शतसहस्राणि वस्त्राण्यन्नं च पेशलम् ।
ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रदास्यामि तव प्रियचिकीर्षया ॥८८॥
sā tvāṃ devi namasyāmi praśaṃsāmi ca śobhane |
prāpta-rājye nara-vyāghre śivena punar-āgate ||87||
gavāṃ śata-sahasrāṇi vastrāṇy annaṃ ca peśalam |
brāhmaṇebhyaḥ pradāsyāmi tava priya-cikīrṣayā ||88||
सा त्वां देवि नमस्यामि प्रशंसामि च शोभने। प्राप्तराज्ये नरव्याघ्रे शिवेन पुनरागते। गवां शतसहस्राणि वस्त्राण्यन्नं च पेशलम्। ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रदास्यामि तव प्रियचिकीर्षया॥
Sandhi Notes
- prāptarājye → prāpta + rājye
- punarāgate → punar + āgate
O Devi! O lovely Ganga! I offer you my obeisance and my adorations. After the safe return of Rama, the tiger (best) among men, from the forest and after he regains the kingdom I shall give a hundred thousand cows, clothing and delicious food to brahmins as a mark of regard, which will please you.
The teaching
Let prayer mature into ethical action: gratitude to the divine is fulfilled through generosity and support of sacred learning.
- Ethical theme
- Dāna-dharma (charitable duty)
Devotion and practice
Model of vow (vrata/saṅkalpa) joined with dāna; encourages devotees to pair petitions with concrete charity.
- Deity praised
- Gaṅgā Devī
- Form of praise
- Stuti (a hymn of praise)
- Mantra
- सा त्वां देवि नमस्यामि
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace), with Adbhuta (wonder)
- Mood
- Prayerful, hopeful, vowed
Themes
- Dharma
- Satya
- Maryada
- Ethics
- Vow
- Dana (charity)
- Gratitude
Offering (dāna) as purification of mind (citta-śuddhi) supporting right action; devotion expressed through ethical generosity rather than mere petition.
Ethic of giving (dāna) as a preparatory virtue (sādhana-catuṣṭaya adjunct), echoing teachings that wealth finds meaning in righteous distribution.
- Rama and Brahmins
- Patronage through dāna upon success (benevolent)
- Rama and Rama
- Commitment to rightful kingship restoration (hopeful)
Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva (dāna-dharma praise; go-dāna merits); Rāmacaritamānasa, Ayodhyākāṇḍa (Gaṅgā-stuti and prayerful crossing motifs)
Smṛti traditions on go-dāna and anna-dāna as mahā-dāna
Ayodhyākāṇḍa: Rāma’s consistent honoring of brāhmaṇas; later coronation and gifts (Yuddhakāṇḍa/Uttara traditions)
Anuṣṭup (Śloka)
Solemn
Gentle, vow-like cadence; slight rise on ‘namasyāmi’ and ‘pradāsyāmi’
FAQs
Dharma is gratitude expressed through dāna (charitable giving) and truthful intention: Rama promises a future gift to brahmins as a righteous act of thanksgiving upon safe return.
Rama prays to Ganga and makes a vow that, after returning safely and regaining the kingdom, he will perform large-scale charity to honor her.
Gratitude and generosity—Rama links divine assistance with ethical responsibility toward society (support of brahmins through gifts).
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