Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 15
कुमारसम्भवः—गङ्गायां तेजोनिक्षेपः
The Birth of Kumāra/Skanda and the Deposition of Śiva’s Energy through Gaṅgā
तमुवाच ततो गङ्गा सर्वदेवपुरोहितम्।अशक्ता धारणे देव तव तेज स्समुद्धतम्।दह्यमानाग्निना तेन सम्प्रव्यथितचेतना।।1.37.15।।
tam uvāca tato gaṅgā sarvadevapurohitam | aśaktā dhāraṇe deva tava tejaḥ samuddhatam | dahyamānā agninā tena sampravyathitacetanā ||
ततः सा गङ्गा सर्वदेवपुरोहितं हुताशनं प्रत्युवाच— “देव, तव समुद्धतं तेजो धर्तुमहं न शक्नोमि। तेनाग्निना दह्यमाना सम्प्रव्यथितचेतना अस्मि।”
Ganga addressing the Fire-god standing ahead of all the devatas said 'O god of fire, I am incapable of holding your ever-increasing splendour. The fiery fluid is burning me. My consciousness is overwhelmed'.
FAQs
Satya supports dharma: Gaṅgā truthfully states her limitation, enabling a non-harmful solution rather than forcing endurance beyond capacity.
After receiving the intense potency, Gaṅgā experiences burning distress and tells Agni she cannot sustain it.
Honest self-assessment and responsibility: Gaṅgā speaks plainly to prevent damage to herself and to the wider order.