Ramayana of Valmiki

by Hari Prasad Shastri | 1952 | 527,382 words | ISBN-10: 9333119590 | ISBN-13: 9789333119597

This page is entitled “bhagiratha performs austerities” and represents Chapter 42 of the Bala-kanda of the Ramayana (English translation by Hari Prasad Shastri). The Ramayana narrates the legend of Rama and Sita and her abduction by Ravana, the king of Lanka. It contains 24,000 verses divided into seven sections [viz., Bala-kanda].

Chapter 42 - Bhagiratha performs austerities

[Full title: Amshuman’s son, Dilipa, fails and his son Bhagiratha performs austerities to induce the holy river to descend].

After his death, the ministers installed the virtuous Amshuman as king. O Rama, glorious was the reign of King Amshuman. He was succeeded by his son, the world-renowned Dilipa.

King Amshuman, leaving his kingdom to Dilipa, retired to the top of a Himalayan peak and began to perform severe yogic austerities. Having passed thirty-two thousand years in this wise, without inducing the sacred river Ganga to descend on earth, he gave up his life.

Acquainted with the fate of his great uncles, and overcome with grief, the mighty sovereign Dilipa found no means of bringing the sacred stream down to earth. Consumed with anxiety, he reflected daily on how he should accomplish the descent of the Ganga and perform the funeral rites for the deliverance of the souls of his ancestors. The righteous and illustrious King Dilipa, constantly engaged in these reflections, was then blessed with the birth of a virtuous son, Bhagiratha.

The renowned monarch Dilipa observing many sacrifices, ruled over his kingdom for thirty thousand years; his thoughts were ever devoted to the deliverance of the souls of his forbears until stricken with disease, he was claimed by death. Having bequeathed the kingdom to his son Bhagiratha, his spirit ascended to the region of Indra.

O Rama, Bhagiratha was a virtuous and royal sage, but he had no heir and was desirous of obtaining a son. O Raghava, he entrusted the administration of his kingdom to his ministers and proceeded to the holy place named Gokama where he practised yogic penances to attract the descent of the holy Ganga. With arms uplifted and senses controlled, he stood in the midst of five fires in the hottest season, partaking of food once a month only, and continued thus for a thousand years.

O Mighty Prince, after a thousand years, Shri Brahma, the Lord and Ruler of the world, was pleased with Bhagiratha and, accompanied by the devas, approached the high-souled king and said:

“O Bhagiratha, your virtuous yogic practices have elicited our admiration; ask for a boon, O Fortunate One.”

The highly resplendent Bhagiratha, with joined palms submissively addressed Shri Brahma, saying: “O Blessed Lord, if you are pleased to confer the fruits of mine austerities on me and grant me a boon, then allow me to deliver the souls of the sons of King Sagara by offering them water at their funeral rites, from the sacred stream. O Lord, do you also grant as a further boon that the Dynasty of Ikshvaku may be preserved and I may have an heir.”

The Grandsire of the whole world listened to the prayer of the Maharajah Bhagiratha and answered him in gentle and pleasing accents:—

“O Mighty King Bhagiratha, you have asked a great boon, may success attend you! Let your desire for a son be fulfilled. O King, when the Ganga, the eldest daughter of Himalaya falls on the earth with overwhelming power, the earth will not be able to sustain her; none but the Lord Shiva can accomplish this.”

Having uttered these words to King Bhagiratha and having spoken to Shri Ganga also, Shri Brahma returned with the gods to his own region.

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