भगीरथको कथा

Narada said () Srinjaya, we also heard that king Bhagiratha, fell a prey to death, Bhagiratha who caused the banks of Ganga-called Bhagirathi after him-to be covered with flights of golden steps.

He gave away to Brahmanas, kings and princes, a thousand times thousand damsels, all adorned with ornaments of gold.

All those damsels were mounted on chariots; and to all the chariots were harnessed four steeds; and again every chariot was attended with a hundred elephants all decked with chains of gold.

A thousand horses followed each king and after each horse, came a hundred cows and after the cows came sheep and deer, countless in number.

Bhagiratha gave away enormous gifts at his sacrifices in consequence of which, large used to be the concourse of people at them. Afflicted with the heavy burden of men, Ganga saying 'protect me', sat down upon his lap.

And because in the days of yore Ganga sat on his lap, she, like Urvashi, came to be regarded as his daughter and was named after him. Then having become the kings daughter, she became his son (i.e. she procured, like a son, the salvation of his ancestors).

Gandharvas of melodious voice and solar effulgence, greatly pleased, sang this song in the hearing of the anscertral manes, the celestials and the human beings.

Thus, O Srinjaya, that Goddess namely the ocean-going Ganga, chose the Lord Bhagiratha that descendant of Ikshvaku, that performer of sacrifices with profuse gifts, to be her father.

His sacrifices were always honoured by the presence of the celestials with Indra at their head. Removing all obstructions, the Gods used to appropriate their respective shares and to facilitate those sacrifices in every way.

That self-controlled king Bhagiratha highly pleased used to give to the Brahmanas all their objects of desire and all things that any one of the Brahmanas used to set his hcart upon.

He had nothing that he would have hesitated to give to the Brahmanas. Every one obtained from him everything he wanted; that king also, through the grace of the Brahmanas, ascended to regions of Brahma.

For the self-same object for which the sages living on the rays of the sun, used to dance attendance upon the Sun, for that very object they used to wait upon the Lord Bhagiratha, that ornament of the three worlds.

When, O Srinjaya, even such a king had to suffer death, who was superior to you in respect of the four cardinal virtues and consequently far superior to your son you should not lament for your son saying, 'Oh Shvaitya’-who did not perform any sacrifice or make any sacrificial gift.