The son of Trisanku was Haris Chandra, whose son was Rohitaswa, whose son was Harita, whose son was Chunchu, who had two sons named Vijaya and Sudeva. Ruruka was the son of Vijaya and his son was Vrika whose son was Bahu, This king was defeated by the tribes of Haihayas and Tālajanghas and his country was devastated by them for which he fled into woods with his wives. One of those was pregnant and the rival queen being jealous gave her poison to prevent her delivery and the child was confined in the womb for seven years. And Bahu, being stricken in years, died near the hermitage of the sage Aurva. Having constructed the funeral pile the queen was about to ascend it when the sage Aurva, who was cognisant of past, present and future came out of the cottage and prevented her saying—"Hold, hold! This is sinful; there is in thy womb a heroic king—the sovereign of many kingdoms, the offerer of many sacrifices, the slayer of his enemies and a lord paramount. Do not commit such an unrighteous act". Being addressed thus the queen gave up her intention. The sage then took her to his own cottage and after some time she gave birth to a valiant son—and with him the poison came out. And after performing ceremonies consequent upon birth, Aurva gave him, for that, the name of Sagara (from sa with and gara, poison). He then invested him with the sacred cord, taught him the Vedas and the use of all weapons and especially those of fire called after Bhārgava. When Sagara grew up he one day asked his mother, saying—"O mother why are we living here? Who is my father? Where is he?" Being thus questioned his mother related to him everything. Hearing this he was greatly enraged and promised to recover his father's kingdom and destroy the Haihayas and Tālajanghas by whom it had been devastated. When he grew up he destroyed all the Haihayas and would have also destroyed the Sakas the Yavanas, Kambojas, Paradas, and Pahnavas, had they not solicited the protection of Vasishtha, the family priest of Sagara.
Vasishtha, making them deprived of their power, although living, thus said to Sagara—"O my child, these, are already dead. What is the use of pursuing them? To keep up your vow I have made them renounce their own religion and the company of twice-born ones". Sagara reverentially obeyed the request of his spiritual guide and imposed upon them peculiar distinguishing marks. He made the Yavanas shave their heads entirely and the Sakas partially. The Paradas wore their long hair and the Pahnavas allowed their beards to grow according to his command. He withdrew from these and other Kshatriya races the privilege of offering oblations to fire and studying the Vedas. And being thus deprived from the performance of religious rites and having been abandoned by the Brāhmins they all became Mlechasas. Having thus recovered his kingdom Sagara ruled over the earth having seven continents with undisputed sway.
SECTION IV.
Parāçara said:—Sagara had two wives Sumati, the daughter of Kasyapa and Kesini, the daughter of king Viderbha. Having no offspring the king earnestly solicited the help of the sage Aurva who conferred upon him a boon that one wife should bear him a son who would keep up the race and the other sixty thousand sons; but he allowed them to make their election. Kesini chose to have one son and the other chose to have sixty thousand. Within a few days Kesini gave birth to a son named Asamanjas who upheld the family and Sumati the daughter of Vinata gave birth to a sixty thousand sons. Asamanjas had a son whose name was Ansumat.
Asamanjas was very wicked from his boyhood. His father hoped that with manhood he would reform his conduct. But he continued same even with age so his father renounced him. The sixty thousand sons of Sagara followed the example of their brother Asamanjas. The sons of Sagara having thus trodden the paths of virtue and piety in the world the celestials went to the ascetic Kapila, who was free from guilt, versed in learning and in whom was a portion of Vishnu. Having bowed unto him they said—"These sons of Sagara have followed the conduct of Samanjas. If they continue so how will the world be upheld? Thou art incarnate for the protection of the world". Hearing this Kapila said—"They shall soon be destroyed".
Thereupon Sagara undertook the celebration of a horse sacrifice. They were all engaged to look after the horse. Nevertheless some one stole the horse and carried it to the region below the earth. He then ordered them to search out the steed. Then following the impressions of its hoofs with perseverance they dug downwards each for a league. And coming to the region beneath they saw the horse walking freely. They saw at a distance Kapila, illuminating with the radiance of his person all the quarters, up and down like unto the autumnal sun freed from clouds. Then with uplifted weapons they rushed towards him, saying—"Slay him, slay him; this villain has spoiled our sacrifice; he has stolen our horse". Then turning his eyes a little Kapila looked towards them and with the sacred flame that came out of his body, the sons of Sagara were in no time reduced to ashes.
When Sagara came to know that all his sons, whom he had sent in quest of the horse, had been destroyed by the might of the sage Kapila he sent Asamanja's son to bring the animal. Ansumat, proceeding by the path which Sagara's sons had dug, arrived where Kapila was and reverentially bowing unto him so pleased him that he said—"Go my son and gave over the horse to your grand father; ask of me a boon; thy grand-son shall bring down the river of heaven on earth". Ansumat begged of the glorious Rishi a boon that his uncles, who had died on account of his displeasure although unworthy of it, might be raised to heaven. The Rishi said—"I have told you that your grandson shall bring down the Ganges upon earth. When the ashes and bones Sagara's sons shall be washed by her waters they shall be raised to heaven. Such is the glory of the stream that issues from the toe of Vishnu that they all, who bathe in it intentionally or accidentally, go to heaven. Even those shall go to heaven whose bones, skin, fibres, hair or any other part shall be left after death upon the earth which is contiguous to the Ganges". Thereupon reverentially bowing unto the sage and taking the steed, he went where his grandfather was celebrating the sacrifice. On receiving back the horse Sagara completed the sacrifice and in memory of his sons he gave the name of Sagara [256] to the chasm which they had dug.
| [256] | Sagara is still the name of the Bay of Bengal at the mouth of the Ganges which is held in great reverence by the Hindus. There is an island there of the same name where there is a pilgrimage of Kapila where still now takes place an annual fair. |
The son of Ansumat was Dilipa; his son was Bhagiratha who brought down the Ganges on earth, whence she is called Bhāgirathi. The son of Bhagiratha was Sruta, whose son was Nabhaga, whose son was Ambarisha, whose son was Sindhudwipa, whose son was Ayutaswa, whose son was Rituparna, the friend of Nala, well-skilled in dice; the son of Rituparna was Sarvakāma, whose son was Sudāsa whose son was Sandasa named also Mitrasaha.
Once going out on hunting, the son Sudāsa met with a couple of tigers who had cleared the forest of the deer. He killed of these tigers with an arrow. At the time of dying the form of the animal was changed and it assumed that of a dreadful and hideous fiend. And the second disappeared saying—"I shall take vengeance upon you".