Bhagiratha gets Ganga

Bhagiratha went to the Himalayas and started severe austerities. The sages around were amazed to see his dedication. He started his meditation first living on fruits, then on leaves, then on air and finally gave up that too. He was reduced to only skin and bones.

Pleased Ganga came to him to give him a boon, With folded hands Bhagiratha said that his ancestors had been burnt by the sage Kapila and they would attain salvation only when they were touched by the waters of Ganga.

Ganga said she would come but who would be able to bear the force of her waters when she started her journey towards earth.

Bhagiratha then went and started praying to Shiva. Pleased, Shiva appeared before him. Listening to Bhagiratha, Shiva agreed to help him. He went to the Himalayas and asked the mountain range to release Ganga.

Ganga jumped on Shiva's head and from there she began flowing in three different directions. The river flowing towards heaven became known as Mandakini. The river flowing towards earth became Alaknanda and the one flowing to the nether world became known as Bhogvati.

Ganga then said to Bhagiratha - I have come to earth on your invite. Tell me in which direction should I flow. Where are your ancestors?

Bhagiratha started leading the way and Ganga started flowing behind him. She soon got lost in the Himalayan mountains. Ganga then thought of Airavata, the elephant. When the elephant came, Bhagiratha asked the elephant to create a way for Ganga. The elephant said he would be willing to do so if Ganga pleased him.

Bhagiratha, ashamed, told Ganga what Airavata had said. Ganga said to Bhagiratha - Go tell the elephant, if he can withstand my waves, I will please him.

Airavata then created a path with his tusks. Ganga gushed out and soon Airavata was fighting for his life. He appealed to Ganga to save him. Ganga slowed herself, and the elephant fled from there.

They soon reached the ashrama of the sage Jahnu. The sage seeing the river, drank it up. Not seeing the flowing river behind him, Bhagiratha appealed to the sage. The sage, released the river from his knee, by tearing open his flesh. From then on, Ganga became known as Jhanavi.

People were pleased to see Ganga flowing on earth. Flowing behind Bhagiratha, Ganga reached the ashrama of the sage Kapila.

Touched by the waters of Ganga, the sons of Sagara attained salvation and went towards Vaikuntha.

Flowing onwards, Ganga went into the ocean and the ocean was full again.

Story of Sagara

Hearing this, Yudhistira asked Who is this Bhagiratha? What did he do?

The sage Lomesh said - There was a king called Sagara. He was a great just king, an enemy of all evil. With his wives Shiavya and Vaidharvi, he went to pray to Shiva to have a son.  Pleased Shiva asked the king to ask for a boon.

The king asked for sixty thousand sons.

Shiva said So be it. You will have sixty thousand sons who will die together. One son will be left who will take care of your dynasty. That son would be born to Shaivya.
Saying this, Shiva vanished.

After sometime Shaivya gave birth to a beautiful boy. Vaidharvi gave birth to a lump of flesh. The king was wondering what to do with this and was about to give orders to discard the lump, when a voice said Why do you discard the seed of your dynasty. Get sixty thousands pots full of clarified butter and divide the lump equally and place the parts in the pots.
The king did as told and soon sixty thousand sons were born.

After a few years the king started the Ashwamedha (horse) sacrifice and asked the sixty thousand sons to guard the horse.

Indra fearing the power of the king stole the horse and hid it in the nether world where the sage Kapila was meditating.

The princes went back and reported to the king that the horse was missing. The king asked them why they had returned empty handed. He asked them to go in search of the horse. The princes went forth. Searching the whole earth, they then dug a hole into the nether world

Reaching the nether world they saw the sage Kapila meditating. Next to him to him was the horse. Thinking the sage was the horse thief, they insulted the sage.

The sage was disturbed. He opened his eyes. Fire came out and the sixty thousand sons of Sagara were burnt instantly.

Narada told Sagara about the incident. The king asked Anshuman, son of Asmanjas to go and get the horse. Asmanjas was the other son of the king. The king said I have forsaken your father as he was a misbehaved prince. You have all the qualities of a good person. Go and fetch the horse and let the sacrifice complete.

Yudhistira at this point wanted to know about Asmanjas. The sage said :

Asmanjas's behavior was bad since childhood. He used to push children and enjoy them being hurt. The king's subjects complained about the behavior of the prince. The king ordered the prince to be exiled.

Anshuman went where the sage Kapila was meditating. He prayed to the sage and asked for forgiveness. The sage was pleased and asked the prince what he wanted. The prince said he wanted the horse and also wanted to know how his uncles would be liberated.

The sage As per destiny, your grandson will the one who will liberate your uncles. He will please Shiva and get Ganga. For now, take the horse and complete the sacrifice.

Anshuman took the horse. The sacrifice was completed.

After some years, Sagara passed away, making Anshuman the king. Anshuman ruled the kingdom well. He had a son named Dilip. Dilip hearing about his ancestors, tried to please Shiva but was unable to. Dilip has a son called Bhagiratha.

When Bhagiratha heard about how his ancestors had burned, he gave the control the kingdom to his ministers and went to the forests to please Shiva.