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

Rồi, tâu Đại vương, bậc trượng phu ưu tú ấy cầu xin một ân huệ để có thể gánh chịu sức mạnh của dòng Gaṅgā. Với mục đích đưa tổ tiên mình được an trú nơi thiên giới, ngài khẩn thỉnh Mahādeva nâng đỡ cuộc giáng hạ dữ dội của con sông—một hành động hiếu đạo, đặt phúc lợi của tiên tổ lên trên lợi ích riêng.

Word by Word

• अगृह्लात्: took/accepted (asked for and obtained)
• अगृह्लात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तस्मात्: from him/therefore
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• गङ्गायाः: of Gaṅgā
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• धारणे: in/for the bearing (holding)
• धारणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• नृप: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वासम्: dwelling/abode
• वासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समुद्धिश्य: aiming at/intending
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√दिश् (धातु) / सम्-उद्-√दिश्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• पितॄणाम्: of the forefathers
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नरोत्तमः: the best of men
• नरोत्तमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + उत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• pitaraḥ (ancestors)
• narottamaḥ (Bhagīratha, implied by context)
• Mahādeva (Śiva, implied by context)
• svarga (heaven)

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.