SAGARA, KAPILA, AND AMSHUMĀN
Now the story of Sagara was fully told.
He was an ancestor of Rāma who ruled Ayodhya.
Indra once stole the horse that Sagara had released
To start his own Horse-sacrifice.
Sagara’s sixty thousand sons began
To dig deep down looking for the stolen horse.
The terrified devas reported this to Brahmā.
Brahmā asked them not to worry
Because all Sagara’s sons would be destroyed
As a result of Sage Kapila’s curse.
Sagara’s sons, during their arduous search,
Came finally face to face with Kapila.
Because they treated him with scant respect,
They were turned to ash by Kapila’s fury.
Upon Sagara’s orders his grandson Amshumān
Went to Rasātala through a subterranean tunnel
That had been constructed by his uncles.
They brought back the sacrificial horse
And reported what had happened to his uncles.
BHAGĪRATHA AND THE GAṄGA.
Bhagīratha was Amshumān’s grandson.
They did austerity with this goal in mind:
They wanted River Gaṅga to flow down to earth.
Brahmā granted a boon to Bhagīratha.
He also urged him to appeal to Shiva
To host River Gaṅga on his head.
Pleased with the devotions of Bhagīratha
Lord Shiva agreed to have Gaṅga on his head.
Furthermore, He let it flow into Bindusarovara.
The river split into seven streams.
Then went with Bhagīratha to Rasātala,
It also released his forebears as it moved along.
Brahmā applauded Bhagīratha for this.
He instructed him to bring peace
To the souls of his ancestors with Gaṅga water.
Bhagīratha acted accordingly , and went back
To his capital, recognizing the spiritual value
In the knowledge of the genesis of Gaṅga.
Spurts of Thought 