Chapter 58

“Narada said, ‘Even king Bhagiratha, O Srinjaya, we hear, was dead. Hecaused the shores of Ganga, called after his name Bhagirath to be coveredwith flights of steps made of gold.[99] Surpassing all kings and allprinces, he gave unto the Brahmanas a thousand times thousand damselsdecked with ornaments of gold. All those damsels were upon cars. And untoevery car were yoked four steeds, and behind each car were a hundredkine. And behind each cow were (many) goats and sheep. King Bhagirathagave enormous presents at his sacrifices. For that reason a largeconcourse of men assembled there. Afflicted there with Ganga was muchpained. ‘Protect Me,’ she said and sat down on his lap. And because Gangathus sat upon his lap in days of old, therefore, she, like the celestialdancer Urvasi came to be regarded as his daughter and was named after hisname. And having become the king’s daughter, she became his son (bybecoming like a son, the means of salvation unto his deceasedancestors).[100] Sweet-speeched Gandharvas of celestial splendour,gratified, sang all this in the hearing of the Rishis, the gods, andhuman beings.[101] Thus, O Srinjaya, did that goddess, viz., theocean-going Ganga, select lord Bhagiratha, descendant of Ikshvaku, theperformer of sacrifices with profuse gifts (to the Brahmanas), as herfather. His sacrifices were always graced with (the presence of) the verygods with Indra at their head. And the gods used to take their respectiveshares, by removing all impediments, to facilitate those sacrifices inevery way. Possessed of great ascetic merit, Bhagiratha gave unto theBrahmanas whatever benefit they desired without obliging them to stirfrom the place wherever they might entertain those desires. There wasnothing which he could withhold from the Brahmanas. Every one receivedfrom him everything he coveted. At last, the king ascended to the regionof Brahman, through the grace of the Brahmanas. For that object on whichthe Rishis that subsisted on the rays of the sun used to wait upon thesun and the presiding deity of the sun, for that very object they used towait upon the lord Bhagiratha, that ornament of the three worlds. When hedied, O Srinjaya, who was superior to thee, as regards the four cardinalvirtues, and who, superior to thee, was much superior to thy son, thoushouldst not grieve, saying ‘Oh, Swaitya, Oh, Swaitya,’ for the latterwho performed no sacrifice and made no sacrificial present.'”