7. BHAGIRATHA AND THE STORY OF GANGA :

KING Sagara waited in vain for the
return of the princes who had gone in
search of the sacrificial horse.


After some days he called his
grandson, Amsuman, and said: "I am
anxious to know what has happened to the
princes who went to Patala. You are
brave; go thither, well-armed and find out
what has happened and come back
crowned with success."


Amsuman went closely following the
path of the princes and reached the nether
world where he saw and paid salutations
to the mighty elephants standing guard at
the four quarters. These guardians of the
quarters uttered encouraging words and
said he would succeed in his mission.


When in due course Amsuman entered
and went round Patala he was delighted
when he found the sacrificial horse
grazing contentedly there, but was
perplexed and distressed when he saw
heaps of ashes all over the place. Could
they be all that remained of his valiant
uncles?


Garuda, the bird-king, brother of
Sumati, Sagara's second wife, who
chanced to be there told Amsuman:
"Those ash heaps are all that is left of the
sixty thousand sons of Sagara who were
consumed by the wrathful glance of Sage
Kapila. Dear child, take the horse and
complete the yaga. If these ashes are to be
watered according to custom so that the
souls of the princes may rest in peace,
Ganga should be brought down here from
the land of the Devas."


Amsuman rushed home with the horse
and told the king all that he had found and
learnt.


Sagara was immersed in sorrow at the
fate that had overtaken his sons. However,
the horse having been brought back, he
completed the yaga. Grieving over his lost
sons and despairing of ever bringing
Ganga down to the nether world, he died
disconsolate.


According to the Ramayana, Sagara
lived for 30,000 years. Figures like 30,000
and 60,000 need not confuse us. Thirty
thousand may mean either a very large
number or just thirty. If we so like, we
may take these figures literally.


Amsuman succeeded Sagara as King of
Ayodhya and was, in turn, succeeded by
Dilipa. Bhagiratha came after Dilipa.
Amsuman and Dilipa though happy
and blessed in other respects, died
grieving that they were unable to bring
Ganga to Patala for the salvation of their
forefathers.


Bhagiratha was a valiant king. He was
childless. Desiring progeny and hoping to
bring Ganga down, he left for Gokarna for
performing penance, leaving the kingdom
in the hands of his ministers.


Bhagiratha went through severe
austerities. With fire on all sides and head
exposed to the hot sun, and taking food
but once a month, he continued his tapas.
Bhagiratha's name has come to signify
great perseverance in any good cause.
Brahma, pleased with the tapas,
appeared before Bhagiratha and asked:
"What would you have?"


Bhagiratha told him two wishes: "If
you have pity on me, bless me with a
child to continue the line of my forebears.
Secondly, cursed by Kapila Muni, my
ancestors lie a heap of ashes in Patala. The
ashes should be washed by the waters of
Ganga so that their souls may ascend top
heaven. May you be pleased to order
Ganga to go down."


Brahma replied: "The Devas are
pleased with your tapas. You wishes are
granted. But there is one difficulty. The
earth cannot withstand the force of
Ganga's descent. Siva alone can stand it.
Therefore direct your penance and prayers
to him."


Bhagiratha renewed his tapas and
continued long without food or water, and
at last won Siva's grace. Siva appeared
and said to Bhagiratha: "I shall fulfil your
wish. I shall receive Ganga on my head.
May her grace be upon you."


When Mahadeva promised help to
Bhagiratha, Ganga began her descent as
ordered by Brahma. In her arrogance, she
thought she would fall on Mahadeva's
head and sweep him away towards Patala.
The three-eyed God decided to teach
Ganga a lesson. And the moment he
willed it, the flood of waters that fell on
his head were held by his matted hair as in
an infinite receptacle. Ganga tried her best
but not a drop could emerge from the
tangled maze of Siva's matted locks.


This was a lesson to Ganga to be sure,
but a heart-braking disappointment to
Bhagiratha. There was nothing for him but
to propitiate Siva with tapas. This he did
to such good purpose that Siva took pity
on him and gently let out the waters of
Ganga in Bindu Saras from where they
flowed down in seven small separate
streams.


Three of them flowed west and three
east; and the seventh river followed
Bhagiratha who was full of joy at the
approaching salvation of his ancestors.
Ganga followed Bhagiratha's triumphal
chariot; the waters danced and shone like
lightning flashes as the river made its
course and the Devas and Gandharvas
assembled above to witness the grand
sight. Sometimes slow and sometimes
fast, now sliding down and now jumping
up, the river went on dancing behind
Bhagiratha's chariot and the folk of
heaven enjoyed the sight all the way.
On her course, Ganga damaged the
yaga platform of a rishi by name Jahnu.
The rishi took the entire flood in his palm
and sipped it off. Ganga disappeared again
and Bhagiratha was sorely perplexed.


The Devas and other rishis approached
Jahnu and begged him to forgive Ganga
and allow Bhagiratha to reap the fruit of
his great austerities and perseverance. The
sage relented and let Ganga out through
his right ear. The Devas were glad and
blessed Ganga thus: "Coming out of the
rishi's body as out of your mother's womb,
you are now Jahnavi, Jahnu's daughter."
There was no further hindrance or
mishap and Ganga reached Patala through
the ocean. With the holy waters,
Bhagiratha performed the funeral rites for
his arcestors and secured for them their
entry to heaven.


Bhagiratha's efforts having brought
Ganga down, she is known as Bhagirathi.
After concluding this narrative,
Viswamitra blessed the princes. "The sun
is setting," he said. "Let us say our
evening prayers in the waters of Ganga
whom your ancestor brought down to this
world."


Those who bathe in the holy waters of
Ganga or read or listen to this divine story
with devotion, will be cleansed of sin and
endowed with virtue, strength and
unflagging zeal.