Vaishampāyana said:—Sagara had two wives whose sons had been consumed by
ascetic observances. The oldest of them, the daughter of the king of
Vidarbha, was celebrated by the name Keshini (2). His youngest wife was
the pious daughter of Arishthanemi, who was unequalled on earth in
beauty (3). Hear, O king, what boons Aurva conferred upon them. He
wanted one of them to take sixty thousand sons and the other to pray for
one son (only) after her heart who will perpetuate the race. Of them
she, who was avaricious, prayed for many mighty sons (4-5). The other
prayed for only one son, who will keep up the prestige of the family.
The ascetic conferred on her the same boon. Sagara begat on Keshini a
son named Asmanjā (6). That highly powerful king also passed by the name
of Panchajana. The other, as the rumour is, gave birth to a long gourd
consisting of seeds (7). Therein lay like corns sixty thousand embryos.
They grew up duly in proper time (8). The father threw those embryos
into vessels full of clarified butter and appointed equal number of
nurses to look after them (9). When ten months were complete thence came
out with ease and in proper time those sons of Sagara enhancing his
delight (10). In this way, O king, there originated from bottle gourd
the sixty thousand sons of Sagara (11). When they were consumed by
Nārāyana’s energy one of them only survived namely, Panchajana who
became the king (12). Panchajana’s son was the energetic Angsumān. His
son Dilipa also passed by the name of Khattānga (13). Coming down to
this earth from heaven and taking birth there he, within a moment,
ransacked the three worlds by virtue of his intelligence and
truthfulness, O sinless one (14). Dilipa’s son was the great king
Bhagiratha who, powerful as he was, brought down the best of rivers
Gangā (15). That noble and illustrious king, equal to Sakra in prowess,
brought her to the ocean and then considered her as his daughter.
Therefore by the Rishis who keep account of families she has been styled
Bhāgirathi (16). Bhagiratha’s son was the celebrated king Shruta. The
highly pious Nābhāga was Shruta’s son (17) Nābhāga’s son was Ambarisha
who was the father of Sindhudwipa, whose son was the powerful Ayutajit
(18). The illustrious Rituparna was Ayutajit’s son. He was powerful,
well-versed in the game of celestial dice and a friend of king Nala
(19). The king Artaparni was Rituparna’s son, whose son was the king
Sudāsa who became the friend of Indra (20). The king Soudāsa was
Sudāsa’s son. He was celebrated by the name of Kalmashapāda and was
greatly attached to his friends (21). Kalmāshapāda’s son was known by
the name of Sarvakarmā whose son was the celebrated Anaranya (22).
Anaranya’s son was Nighna who had two sons, both leading kings, by name
Anamitra and Raghu (23). Anamitra’s son was the educated and pious
Duliduho. His son was Dilipa, the grandfather of Rāma (24). Dilipa’s son
was the large-armed Raghu. The highly powerful king Raghu reigned in
Ayodhya (24).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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