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छन्दोदर्शनम
स्थानीयां रुद्रत रुद्रस्य विद्युदात्मनः स्थूलार्धशरीररूपां तां इमां गगां अब्देवतात्मिका शरणं प्रपद्ये || अत एव सगरकुलपावनार्थं संस्तुतां आकाशगङ्गां तां पृथिवीं प्रति वर्षणरूपेण अवतरन्ती रुद्रः स्वीयैः विद्युत्किरणरूपेः केशै: ज्योतिर्मय: सन्दधारेति पौराणिकानां कथाप्रसिद्धिः सङ्गच्छते इति ॥
COMMENTARY-SUMMARY TRANSLATION
She is the great and worshipful goddess, the original source of this universe, the first mother in the form of fluid-essence. Cf. “He created waters first" ( Manu Smr.), "The Waters bore the first embryo" (Rg. X-82-6 ). She is the origin of the waters and subtle essences which we see: she is the support of the very power of lightning; from waters lightning is born; she is the heavenly being related to the light of the sky; she is one with the lightning which is universal life, flowing down to the earth from the sky; she comes down to earth in the form of a water-fall; she is the wife of Bhagavån Rudra, the physical body of Rudra which is the lightning. It is such Gangā, the deity of Waters whom I worship.
Therefore, the Gangă of heaven was invoked by Bhagiratha for purifying the race of Sagara, and when she descended to earth in the form of a mighty cascade, Rudra bore her in his matted hairs in the form of rays of lightning. This is the story well-known in mythology.
तृतीया ऋक् । रुद्राणां मातरै विद्युतः स्वच सरस्वतीमन्तरिक्षे स्वरन्तीम् ॥ रौद्रेण ज्योतिषा पुनतीं गङ्गा
मपो देवीः शरणं प्रति॒ प्र पद्ये ॥३॥ पदपाठः – रुद्राणाम् । मातरम् । विद्युतः । मुचम् ।
सरस्वतीम् । अन्तरिक्षे । स्वरन्तीम् ॥ रौद्रेण । ज्योतिषा । पुनतीम् । गङ्गाम् । अपः । देवीः । शरणम् । प्रति । प्र। पद्ये ॥
She is the mother of Rudras, flowing down from lightning; she is the Sarasvati, making sweet sounds in the mid-air; she is purifying all with the light of Rudra; that Ganga who is the goddess of Waters, I worship.
