SECTION XXXVIII.
Having said those words unto Rāma, composed of melodious letters, Kauçika again spoke unto Kākutstha, saying, —"Formerly there was a king—lord of Ayodhyā named Sagara. And it came to pass that righteous one, though eagerly wishing for children, was without issue. And Vidharbha's daughter, O Rāma, named Keçini, was the elder wife of Sagara. And she was virtuous and truthful. And the second wife of Sagara was called Sumati, who was the daughter of Arishtanemi and the sister of Suparna.[57] And with those wives of his,that mighty king, coming to the Himavat, began to practise austerities on the mountain Bhriguprasravana. And when a full hundred years had been numbered, the ascetic that had been adored by means of these austerities, Brighu, best of those endowed with truth,conferred a boon upon Sagara, saying, —'O sinless one, thou shalt obtain glorious offspring; and, O foremost of men, thou shalt attain unparalleled renown among men. And, O child, one of thy consorts shall bring forth a son who will perpetuate thy race; and the other give birth to sixty thousand sons.' As that best of men was saying this, those daughters of kings, exceedingly delighted, propitiating him, addressed him with clasped hands, —'Who of us, O Brāhmana, shall produce a single son, and who many? This, O Brāhmana, we wish to hear. May thy word prove true!' Hearing this, the highly pious Bhrigu said these pregnant words,—'Do ye unfold your minds. Who wishes for what boon,—between a single perpetuator of the line, and innumerable sons, possessed of mighty strength, and furnished with fame, and endowed with high spirits?' Hearing the ascetic's words, O descendant of Raghu, Keçini in the presence of the monarch chose, O Rāma, a single son to perpetuate the line; and Suparna's sister, Sumati, sixty thousand sons, high spirited and furnished with fame. And then, O son of Raghu, having gone round the saint and bowed down the head, the king went to his own capital, accompanied by his consorts. And after a length of time, the elder, Keçini, bore a son unto Sagara, known by the name of Asamanja. And Sumati, O foremost of men, brought forth a gourd. And when it burst open, out came from it sixty thousand sons. And the nurses fostered them by keeping them in jars filled with clarified butter. And after a great length of time, they attained to youth. And after a long lapse of time, Sagara's sixty thousand sons attained to youth and beauty. And O foremost of men,[58] the eldest son of Sagara, taking those children, would, O descendant of Raghu, often cast them into the Sarayu, and in mirth behold them sinking in the waters. Being thus evil-disposed, and injuring honest folks, and engaged in doing wrong unto the citizens, he was banished by his father from the city. And Asamanja had a son possessed of prowess, named Ansuman. And he was beloved of all men and fair-spoken towards every one.
"And, O foremost of men, it came to pass that after a long time had gone by, that lord of earth Sagara made up his mind, saying,—'I will sacrifice.' And having determined jpon it, that one versed in the Vedas set about it, in company with his priests."