# Bāla Kāṇḍa 41 — Story of Sagara: Bhagīratha takes up the ancestral task *Aṃśumat & Dilīpa leave the ancestral task unfinished, Bhagīratha wins permission for Gaṅgā’s descent and learns that Śiva must receive her* Portion: Story of Sagara · Verses: 24 · Ref format: 1.41. ## Sequence - The people choose Aṃśumat as King after Sagara's death → he eventually entrusts the Kingdom to his son Dilīpa and practices austerity in the Himālaya for thirty-two thousand years before reaching heaven (41.1–4) - Dilīpa is preoccupied with bringing Gaṅgā down and redeeming the dead, but finds no means → his son Bhagīratha is born (41.5–7) - after many sacrifices and thirty thousand years of rule, Dilīpa installs Bhagīratha and dies of illness, his purpose still unfulfilled (41.8–10). Bhagīratha too is childless - at Gokarṇa he undertakes prolonged austerity, standing with raised arms amid five fires, eating once a month, and controlling his senses (41.11–12) - after thousands of years Brahmā appears with the Suras and offers a boon (41.13–15) - Bhagīratha asks for Gaṅgā's water to purify Sagara's sons and for descendants to preserve his own line (41.16–19) - Brahmā agrees but explains that the earth cannot withstand Gaṅgā's fall → only Śiva can receive her force → after speaking to the King and Gaṅgā, Brahmā departs (41.20–24). ## Verses **1.41.1** kāladharmaṃ gate rāma sagare prakṛtījanāḥ rājānaṃ rocayām āsur aṃśumantaṃ sudhārmikam When Sagara had gone the way of time (died), O Rāma, the subject people chose as their king the most righteous Aṃśumat. **1.41.2** sa rājā sumahān āsīd aṃśumān raghunandana tasya putro mahān āsīd dilīpa iti viśrutaḥ That king Aṃśumat was very great, O joy of the Raghus; his son too was great, renowned as Dilīpa. **1.41.3** tasmin rājyaṃ samāveśya dilīpe raghunandana himavacchikhare ramye tapas tepe sudāruṇam Having entrusted the kingdom to Dilīpa, O joy of the Raghus, (Aṃśumat) performed most severe austerity on a lovely peak of Himavat. **1.41.4** dvādtriṃśac ca sahasrāṇi varṣāṇi sumahāyaśāḥ tapovanagato rājā svargaṃ lebhe tapodhanaḥ And for thirty-two thousand years the illustrious king, gone to the penance-grove and rich in austerity, dwelt (there and) attained heaven. **1.41.5** dilīpas tu mahātejāḥ śrutvā paitāmahaṃ vadham duḥkhopahatayā buddhyā niścayaṃ nādhyagacchata But the mighty Dilīpa, hearing of the destruction of his forefathers, his mind stricken with grief, could reach no certain means (of redeeming them). **1.41.6** kathaṃ gaṅgāvataraṇaṃ kathaṃ teṣāṃ jalakriyā tārayeyaṃ kathaṃ caitān iti cintā paro 'bhavat “How is Gaṅgā's descent to be brought about, how the water-rite for them, and how may I deliver these?” — with such thought he became wholly absorbed. **1.41.7** tasya cintayato nityaṃ dharmeṇa viditātmanaḥ putro bhagīratho nāma jajñe paramadhārmikaḥ To him, ever pondering, his soul realized through righteousness, a son named Bhagīratha was born, supremely righteous. **1.41.8** dilīpas tu mahātejā yajñair bahubhir iṣṭavān triṃśadvarṣasahasrāṇi rājā rājyam akārayat The mighty Dilīpa offered many sacrifices, and the king ruled the kingdom for thirty thousand years. **1.41.9** agatvā niścayaṃ rājā teṣām uddharaṇaṃ prati vyādhinā naraśārdūla kāladharmam upeyivān Not having reached any certainty regarding their deliverance, the king, O tiger among men, met the law of time (death) through illness. **1.41.10** indralokaṃ gato rājā svārjitenaiva karmaṇā ramye bhagīrathaṃ putram abhiṣicya nararṣabhaḥ That bull among men, having consecrated his son Bhagīratha (to the throne), went, by his own well-earned deeds, to the lovely world of Indra. **1.41.11** bhagīrathas tu rājarṣir dhārmiko raghunandana anapatyo mahātejāḥ prajākāmaḥ sa cāprajaḥ But Bhagīratha, a righteous royal seer, O joy of the Raghus, was without offspring; mighty and longing for progeny, he was yet childless. **1.41.12** sa tapo dīrgham ātiṣṭhad gokarṇe raghunandana ūrdhvabāhuḥ pañcatapā māsāhāro jitendriyaḥ He undertook long austerity at Gokarṇa, O joy of the Raghus — arms upraised, amid the five fires, eating but once a month, his senses subdued. **1.41.13** tasya varṣasahasrāṇi ghore tapasi tiṣṭhataḥ suprīto bhagavān brahmā prajānāṃ patir īśvaraḥ As he stood at his dreadful austerities for thousands of years, the venerable lord Brahmā, lord of creatures, was well pleased with him. **1.41.14** tataḥ suragaṇaiḥ sārdham upāgamya pitāmahaḥ bhagīrathaṃ mahātmānaṃ tapyamānam athābravīt Then the Grandsire, coming together with the hosts of gods, said to the great-souled Bhagīratha as he performed his austerities: **1.41.15** bhagīratha mahābhāga prītas te 'haṃ janeśvara tapasā ca sutaptena varaṃ varaya suvrata “Bhagīratha, O illustrious one, I am pleased with you, O lord of men; by your well-performed austerity — choose a boon, O firm in vows.” **1.41.16** tam uvāca mahātejāḥ sarvalokapitāmaham bhagīratho mahābhāgaḥ kṛtāñjalir avasthitaḥ The mighty and illustrious Bhagīratha, standing with palms joined, said to him, the Grandsire of all the worlds: **1.41.17** yṛadi me bhagavān prīto yady asti tapasaḥ phalam sagarasyātmajāḥ sarve mattaḥ salilam āpnuyuḥ “If the venerable one is pleased with me, if there is any fruit of my austerity, may all the sons of Sagara obtain the water-offering from me. **1.41.18** gaṅgāyāḥ salilaklinne bhasmany eṣāṃ mahātmanām svargaṃ gaccheyur atyantaṃ sarve me prapitāmahāḥ And when the ashes of these great-souled ones are moistened by the water of Gaṅgā, may all my forefathers go forever to heaven. **1.41.19** deyā ca saṃtator deva nāvasīdet kulaṃ ca naḥ ikṣvākūṇāṃ kule deva eṣa me 'stu varaḥ paraḥ And, O god, may posterity be granted, so that our line may not perish; O god, in the line of the Ikṣvākus, let this be my highest boon.” **1.41.20** uktavākyaṃ tu rājānaṃ sarvalokapitāmahaḥ pratyuvāca śubhāṃ vāṇīṃ madhurāṃ madhurākṣarām To the king who had thus spoken, the Grandsire of all the worlds replied in an auspicious, sweet voice, with honeyed syllables: **1.41.21** manoratho mahān eṣa bhagīratha mahāratha evaṃ bhavatu bhadraṃ te ikṣvākukulavardhana “This is a great wish, Bhagīratha, O great warrior; so be it — blessings on you, O increaser of the Ikṣvāku line. **1.41.22** iyaṃ haimavatī gaṅgā jyeṣṭhā himavataḥ sutā tāṃ vai dhārayituṃ rājan haras tatra niyujyatām This Gaṅgā, the Himālayan, the eldest daughter of Himavat — to hold her, O king, let Hara (Śiva) be appointed there. **1.41.23** gaṅgāyāḥ patanaṃ rājan pṛthivī na sahiṣyate tau vai dhārayituṃ vīra nānyaṃ paśyāmi śūlinaḥ The earth will not endure the fall of Gaṅgā, O king; to hold her, O hero, I see none other than the trident-bearer (Śiva). **1.41.24** tam evam uktvā rājānaṃ gaṅgāṃ cābhāṣya lokakṛt jagāma tridivaṃ devaḥ saha sarvair marudgaṇaiḥ Having spoken thus to the king and having addressed Gaṅgā, the maker of the worlds, the god, went to heaven with all the hosts of the Maruts.