Valmiki Ramayana 1.36.4 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 36, Shloka 4

बालकाण्ड सर्ग ३६

गङ्गा-प्रभवप्रश्नः, शिवतेजोधारणं, कार्त्तिकेय-जन्म, उमाशापः

Devanagari script

त्रीन् पथो हेतुना केन प्लावयेल्लोकपावनी।।1.36.3।।कथं गङ्गा त्रिपथगा विश्रुता सरिदुत्तमा।त्रिषु लोकेषु धर्मज्ञ कर्मभि: कैस्समन्विता।।1.36.4।।

Transliteration

trīn patho hetunā kena plāvayel loka-pāvanī..1.36.3..

kathaṃ gaṅgā tripathagā viśrutā sarid-uttamā |

triṣu lokeṣu dharmajña karmabhiḥ kaiḥ samanvitā..1.36.4..

Translation

ข้าแต่ผู้รู้ธรรม ด้วยเหตุอันใดพระคงคา—ผู้ชำระโลกทั้งหลาย—จึงหลั่งไหลท่วมท้นสามหนทาง? และพระคงคาผู้เลื่องชื่อว่า ตริปถคา เป็นแม่น้ำประเสริฐในสามโลก ได้บังเกิดพร้อมด้วยฤทธานุภาพเช่นนั้นด้วยกรรมอันใดเล่า?

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prakāra-adhikaraṇa (प्रकाराधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय)

• गङ्गा: Ganga
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• त्रिपथगा: flowing in three paths
• त्रिपथगा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri + patha + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (तत्पुरुष): triṣu pathiṣu gacchati iti (उपपद-तत्पुरुष). Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); epithet of गङ्गा

• विश्रुता: renowned
• विश्रुता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-śru (धातु)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); 'well-heard' = renowned

• सरिदुत्तमा: best of rivers
• सरिदुत्तमा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarid + uttamā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya-samāsa (कर्मधारय): uttamā sarit (श्रेष्ठा नदी). Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• त्रिषु: in three
• त्रिषु: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying लोकेषु

• लोकेषु: in the worlds
• लोकेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Plural (बहुवचन)

• धर्मज्ञ: O knower of dharma
• धर्मज्ञ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa-samāsa (तत्पुरुष): dharmasya jñaḥ. Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Singular (एकवचन)

• कर्मभिः: by deeds
• कर्मभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• कैः: by which
• कैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative pronoun, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); with कर्मभिः

• समन्विता: endowed (with)
• समन्विता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-anv-i (धातु)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying गङ्गा

Context

Why does Ganga, the purifier of the worlds overflow the three paths (worlds)? O knower of dharma what deed made, Tripathaga (flowing in three directions) Ganga wellknown in the three worlds as the best (holiest) of all rivers"?

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Viśvāmitra
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

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

The verse reiterates the dharmic value of seeking causal understanding (hetu) behind sacred tradition, connecting fame and power to deeds (karman).

What is the narrative situation?

This is a repeated/numbered presentation of the same question in the source formatting, preserved here as verse 1.36.4.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Respectful intellectual honesty—Rāma asks for clarification rather than assuming knowledge.