The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty 3.106

3.106.1

lomaśa uvāca |
te taṃ dṛṣṭvā hayaṃ rājansaṃprahṛṣṭatanūruhāḥ |
anādṛtya mahātmānaṃ kapilaṃ kālacoditāḥ |
saṃkruddhāḥ samadhāvanta aśvagrahaṇakāṅkṣiṇaḥ || 1 ||

3.106.2

tataḥ kruddho mahārāja kapilo munisattamaḥ |
vāsudeveti yaṃ prāhuḥ kapilaṃ munisattamam || 2 ||

3.106.3

sa cakṣurvivṛtaṃ kṛtvā tejasteṣu samutsṛjan |
dadāha sumahātejā mandabuddhīnsa sāgarān || 3 ||

3.106.4

tāndṛṣṭvā bhasmasādbhūtānnāradaḥ sumahātapāḥ |
sagarāntikamāgacchattacca tasmai nyavedayat || 4 ||

3.106.5

sa tacchrutvā vaco ghoraṃ rājā munimukhodgatam |
muhūrtaṃ vimanā bhūtvā sthāṇorvākyamacintayat |
ātmānamātmanāśvāsya hayamevānvacintayat || 5 ||

3.106.6

aṃśumantaṃ samāhūya asamañjaḥsutaṃ tadā |
pautraṃ bharataśārdūla idaṃ vacanamabravīt || 6 ||

3.106.7

ṣaṣṭistāni sahasrāṇi putrāṇāmamitaujasām |
kāpilaṃ teja āsādya matkṛte nidhanaṃ gatāḥ || 7 ||

3.106.8

tava cāpi pitā tāta parityakto mayānagha |
dharmaṃ saṃrakṣamāṇena paurāṇāṃ hitamicchatā || 8 ||

3.106.9

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
kimarthaṃ rājaśārdūlaḥ sagaraḥ putramātmajam |
tyaktavāndustyajaṃ vīraṃ tanme brūhi tapodhana || 9 ||

"Yudhishthira said, 'O saint, whose sole wealth consists in religious practices! Tell me for what reason, Sagara, the foremost of kings, abandoned his own begotten son, endued with valour--an act so difficult (for all other men)."

3.106.10

lomaśa uvāca |
asamañjā iti khyātaḥ sagarasya suto hyabhūt |
yaṃ śaibyā janayāmāsa paurāṇāṃ sa hi dārakān |
khureṣu krośato gṛhya nadyāṃ cikṣepa durbalān || 10 ||

"Lomasa said, 'A son was born to Sagara, known by the name of Asamanjas, he who was given birth to by the princess of Sivi. And he used to seize by throat the feeble children of the townsmen, and threw them while screaming into the river. And thereupon the townsmen, overwhelmed with terror and grief, met together, and all standing with joined palms, besought Sagara in the following way, 'O great king! Thou art our protector from the dreaded peril of attack from a hostile force. Therefore it is proper for thee to deliver us from the frightful danger, proceeding from Asamanjas.' And the most righteous of the rulers of men, having heard this frightful news from his subjects, for nearly an hour remained sad and then spake to his ministers, saying, 'This day from the city let my son Asamanjas be driven forth. If ye wish to do what will be acceptable to me, let this be quickly done. 'And, O protector of men! those same ministers, thus addressed by the king, performed in a hurry exactly what the king had commanded them to do. Thus have I narrated to thee how the magnanimous Sagara banished his son, with a view to the welfare of the residents of the town. I shall now fully narrate to thee what Ansuman of the powerful bow was told by Sagara. Listen to me!

3.106.11

tataḥ paurāḥ samājagmurbhayaśokapariplutāḥ |
sagaraṃ cābhyayācanta sarve prāñjalayaḥ sthitāḥ || 11 ||

3.106.12

tvaṃ nastrātā mahārāja paracakrādibhirbhayaiḥ |
asamañjobhayādghorāttato nastrātumarhasi || 12 ||

3.106.13

paurāṇāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā ghoraṃ nṛpatisattamaḥ |
muhūrtaṃ vimanā bhūtvā sacivānidamabravīt || 13 ||

3.106.14

asamañjāḥ purādadya suto me vipravāsyatām |
yadi vo matpriyaṃ kāryametacchīghraṃ vidhīyatām || 14 ||

3.106.15

evamuktā narendreṇa sacivāste narādhipa |
yathoktaṃ tvaritāścakruryathājñāpitavānnṛpaḥ || 15 ||

3.106.16

etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ yathā putro mahātmanā |
paurāṇāṃ hitakāmena sagareṇa vivāsitaḥ || 16 ||

3.106.17

aṃśumāṃstu maheṣvāso yaduktaḥ sagareṇa ha |
tatte sarvaṃ pravakṣyāmi kīrtyamānaṃ nibodha me || 17 ||

3.106.18

sagara uvāca |
pituśca te'haṃ tyāgena putrāṇāṃ nidhanena ca |
alābhena tathāśvasya paritapyāmi putraka || 18 ||

"Sagara said, 'O my boy! sore am I at heart for having abandoned thy father, on account of the death of my sons, and also on being unsuccessful in getting back the horse. Therefore, O grandson! harassed with grief and confounded with the obstruction to my religious rites as I am, thou must bring back the horse and deliver me from hell.' Thus addressed by the magnanimous Sagara, Ansuman went with sorrow to that spot where the earth had been excavated. And by that very passage he entered into the sea, and beheld that illustrious Kapila and that same horse. And having beheld that ancient saint, most righteous of his order, looking like a mass of light, he bowed with his head to the ground, and informed him of the reason of his visit. Then, O great king, Kapila was pleased with Ansuman, and that saint of a virtuous soul told him to ask for a favour from him. And he in the first place prayed for the horse, for the purpose of using it in the sacrifice; in the second place he prayed for the purification of his fathers. Then the mighty chief of saints, Kapila spake to him, saying, 'I shall grant thee everything that thou desirest, O stainless (prince). May good luck be thine! In thee are fixed (the virtues of) forbearance, and truth, and righteousness. By thee hath Sagara had all his desires fulfilled. Thou are (really) a son to thy father. And by thy ability the sons of Sagara will go to heaven (i.e., will be delivered from the consequences of their unhallowed death). And the son of thy son, with a view to purifying the sons of Sagara, will obtain the favour of the great god Siva, (by means of practising great austerities), and will (thus) bring (to this world) the river that floweth in three (separate) streams, Ganga, O chief of men! May good luck be thine! Take thou with thee the sacrificial horse. Finish, my lad! the sacrificial rites of the magnanimous Sagara.' Thus addressed by the illustrious Kapila, Ansuman took the horse with him, and came back to the sacrificial yard of the mighty-minded Sagara. Then he fell prostrate at the feet of the high-souled Sagara, who smelt him on the head and narrated all the events to him, all that had been seen and heard by him, and likewise the destruction of Sagara's sons. He also announced that the horse had been brought back to the sacrificial yard. And when king Sagara heard of this, he no more grieved on account of his sons. And he praised and honoured Ansuman, and finished those same sacrificial rites. His sacrifice finished, Sagara was greeted honourably by all the gods; and he converted the sea, Varuna's dwelling place, into a son of himself. And the lotus-eyed (King Sagara) having ruled his kingdom for a period of exceeding length, placed his grandson on the throne, (full of) responsibilities and then ascended to heaven. And Ansuman likewise, O great king! virtuous in soul, ruled over the world as far as the edge of the sea, following the foot-prints of his father's father. His son was named Dilipa, versed in virtue. Upon him placing the duties of his sovereign post, Ansuman like-wise departed this life. And then when Dilipa heard what an awful fate had overtaken his forefathers, he was sorely grieved and thought of the means of raising them. And the ruler of men made every great effort towards the descent of Ganga (to the mortal world). But although trying to the utmost of his power, he could not bring about what he so much wished. And a son was born to him, known by the name of Bhagiratha beauteous, and devoted to a virtuous life, and truthful, and free from feelings of malice. And Dilipa appointed him as king, and betook himself to the forest life. And, O best of all the scions of Bharata's race! that same king (Dilipa), devoted himself to a successful course of austerities, and at the end of (sufficient) period, from the forest departed to heaven."

3.106.19

tasmādduḥkhābhisaṃtaptaṃ yajñavighnācca mohitam |
hayasyānayanātpautra narakānmāṃ samuddhara || 19 ||

3.106.20

lomaśa uvāca |
aṃśumānevamuktastu sagareṇa mahātmanā |
jagāma duḥkhāttaṃ deśaṃ yatra vai dāritā mahī || 20 ||

3.106.21

sa tu tenaiva mārgeṇa samudraṃ praviveśa ha |
apaśyacca mahātmānaṃ kapilaṃ turagaṃ ca tam || 21 ||

3.106.22

sa dṛṣṭvā tejaso rāśiṃ purāṇamṛṣisattamam |
praṇamya śirasā bhūmau kāryamasmai nyavedayat || 22 ||

3.106.23

tataḥ prīto mahātejāḥ kalipoṃ'śumato'bhavat |
uvāca cainaṃ dharmātmā varado'smīti bhārata || 23 ||

3.106.24

sa vavre turagaṃ tatra prathamaṃ yajñakāraṇāt |
dvitīyamudakaṃ vavre pitṝṇāṃ pāvanepsayā || 24 ||

3.106.25

tamuvāca mahātejāḥ kapilo munipuṃgavaḥ |
dadāni tava bhadraṃ te yadyatprārthayase'nagha || 25 ||

3.106.26

tvayi kṣamā ca dharmaśca satyaṃ cāpi pratiṣṭhitam |
tvayā kṛtārthaḥ sagaraḥ putravāṃśca tvayā pitā || 26 ||

3.106.27

tava caiva prabhāvena svargaṃ yāsyanti sāgarāḥ |
pautraśca te tripathagāṃ tridivādānayiṣyati |
pāvanārthaṃ sāgarāṇāṃ toṣayitvā maheśvaram || 27 ||

3.106.28

hayaṃ nayasva bhadraṃ te yajñiyaṃ narapuṃgava |
yajñaḥ samāpyatāṃ tāta sagarasya mahātmanaḥ || 28 ||

3.106.29

aṃśumānevamuktastu kapilena mahātmanā |
ājagāma hayaṃ gṛhya yajñavāṭaṃ mahātmanaḥ || 29 ||

3.106.30

so'bhivādya tataḥ pādau sagarasya mahātmanaḥ |
mūrdhni tenāpyupāghrātastasmai sarvaṃ nyavedayat || 30 ||

3.106.31

yathā dṛṣṭaṃ śrutaṃ cāpi sāgarāṇāṃ kṣayaṃ tathā |
taṃ cāsmai hayamācaṣṭa yajñavāṭamupāgatam || 31 ||

3.106.32

tacchrutvā sagaro rājā putrajaṃ duḥkhamatyajat |
aṃśumantaṃ ca saṃpūjya samāpayata taṃ kratum || 32 ||

3.106.33

samāptayajñaḥ sagaro devaiḥ sarvaiḥ sabhājitaḥ |
putratve kalpayāmāsa samudraṃ varuṇālayam || 33 ||

3.106.34

praśāsya suciraṃ kālaṃ rājyaṃ rājīvalocanaḥ |
pautre bhāraṃ samāveśya jagāma tridivaṃ tadā || 34 ||

3.106.35

aṃśumānapi dharmātmā mahīṃ sāgaramekhalām |
praśaśāsa mahārāja yathaivāsya pitāmahaḥ || 35 ||

3.106.36

tasya putraḥ samabhavaddilīpo nāma dharmavit |
tasmai rājyaṃ samādhāya aṃśumānapi saṃsthitaḥ || 36 ||

3.106.37

dilīpastu tataḥ śrutvā pitṝṇāṃ nidhanaṃ mahat |
paryatapyata duḥkhena teṣāṃ gatimacintayat || 37 ||

3.106.38

gaṅgāvataraṇe yatnaṃ sumahaccākaronnṛpaḥ |
na cāvatārayāmāsa ceṣṭamāno yathābalam || 38 ||

3.106.39

tasya putraḥ samabhavacchrīmāndharmaparāyaṇaḥ |
bhagīratha iti khyātaḥ satyavāganasūyakaḥ || 39 ||

3.106.40

abhiṣicya tu taṃ rājye dilīpo vanamāśritaḥ |
tapaḥsiddhisamāyogātsa rājā bharatarṣabha |
vanājjagāma tridivaṃ kālayogena bhārata || 40 ||