kaḥ - who is that person; api - indeed; dhārayitā - who can sustain; vegam - the force of the waves; patantyāḥ - while falling down; me - of me; mahī-tale - upon this earth; anyathā - otherwise; bhū-talam - the surface of the earth; bhittvā - piercing; nṛpa - O King; yāsye - I shall go down; rasātalam - to Pātāla, the lower part of the universe.

Mother Ganges replied: When I fall from the sky to the surface of the planet earth, the water will certainly be very forceful. Who will sustain that force? If I am not sustained, I shall pierce the surface of the earth and go down to Rasātala, the Pātāla area of the universe.