May 11 - Sargas 41 and 42 of Balakanda.
We read now of the retrieval of the yajna horse and the advice of how Sagara's 60,000 sons' souls will be emancipated only when their ashes are awash with the waters of the sacred river Ganga from heaven. King Bhagiratha accomplishes this with great effort.
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शूरश्च कृतविद्यश्च पूर्वैस्तुल्योऽसि तेजसा।
पितॄणां गतिमन्विच्छ येन चाश्वोऽपवाहितः ॥
अभिवाद्याभिवाद्यांस्त्वं हत्वा विघ्नकरानपि।
सिद्धार्थः संनिवर्तस्व मम यज्ञस्य पारगः ॥
King Sagara now spoke to his grandson, Anshuman: "You're equally brave and learned like your forefathers. Please pursue the path taken by your uncles and find out who has carried away the horse.
Worship those who are worshippable that you will meet, and destroy those who caused disruption to the yajna. Please come back only when you're successful in retrieving the horse so this yajna may be duly completed."
***
Prince Anshuman's work was now cut out. He travelled in the same direction taken by his uncles and followed their route of excavation down to the netherworld. Enroute he met those mighty, divine, guardian elephants worshipped by all the gods, demons, celestials and spirits. He paid his respects to them and earned their grace.
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तैश्च सर्वदिशापालैर्वाक्यज्ञैर्वाक्यकोविदैः।
पूजितः सहयश्चैवागन्तासीत्यभिचोदितः ॥
The prince was felicitated by those guardian elephants, who displayed celestial wisdom and eloquence, and assured that he would soon find the yajna horse and return with success.
***
भस्मराशीकृता यत्र पितरस्तस्य सागराः।
यज्ञियं च हयं तत्र चरन्तमविदूरतः।
ददर्श पुरुषव्याघ्रो दुःखशोकसमन्वितः ॥
Just a while later, Anshuman reached the spot where lay the mountain of ashes caused by the burning down of his uncles, 60,000 sons of Sagara. Also, the yajna horse was grazing nearby. On seeing their remains, the brave prince broke down in sorrow.
स तेषां राजपुत्राणां कर्तुकामो जलक्रियाम् ।
सलिलार्थी महातेजा न चापश्यज्जलाशयम् ॥
The prince soon pulled himself together, and wanted to perform the last rites and water oblations for the deceased princes. He looked far and near but found no body of water.
***
The prince used his occult power and cast his eye far. He then spotted at a great distance god Garuda, who was his forefathers' uncle. (The relationship is not explained). Garuda descended and consoled him. He pacified the prince saying that this burning to ashes of his uncles was a part of destiny's play to bring welfare to mankind in the long run. Also their sin of offending the inestimably great rishi Kapila cound not be atoned easily. So no earthly waters would suffice for the rites.
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गङ्गा हिमवतो ज्येष्ठा दुहिता पुरुषर्षभ ।
तस्यां कुरु महाबाहो पितॄणां तु जलक्रियाम् ॥
Garuda advised, "Oh brave prince, Ganga is the elder daughter of Himavan and she flows in heaven. Bring her down and perform your forefathers' rites in Ganga water."
***
Anshuman returned with the horse and informed Sagara the fate of his uncles. The yajna was completed as per norm. The king found no way to carry out Garuda's advice to bring Ganga waters from heaven. He died a sad man
After him, Anshuman became the king. He ruled very well. He soon handed over the kingdom to his able son, Dileepa, and went to Himalayas. He performed extreme tapas for long to achieve the goal of bringing Ganga to earth. But he died without success.
Later Dileepa ruled well and performed many great yajnas. But he was clueless how to bring Ganga from heaven to perform the rites. In his old age, he anointed his son Bhagiratha as the king. Dileepa soon died owing to illness.
King Bhagiratha was a remarkably good king. He was a rajarshi (we saw earlier that this means he was a rishi as well as a great king). He was loved much by his subjects.
Bhagiratha was issue-less.
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मन्त्रिष्वाधाय तद्राज्यं गङ्गावतरणे रतः।
तपो दीर्घं समातिष्ठद्गोकर्णे रघुनन्दन ॥
"Oh Rama, He handed over the reins of administration to the ministers and went to Gokarna kshetra to do tapas. He wanted to achieve both ends - bring the heavenly river Ganga down to earth and also get the boon of a successor son. He did severe penance for long. "
***
King Bhagiratha did the penance for thousands of years. He surrounded himself with fire on all sides (The panchagni tapas is famous in Indian scriptures. Fire onnall four sides and the burning sun overhead). He stood on one leg with arms upraised. He ate only once a month. He did not give up the penance.
We should remember that in Indian cultural lore, the greatest example cited of someone who exerts unrelentingly and dutifully and energetically without giving up is that of king Bhagiratha. If someone achieves something after a lot of determined, focussed, and hard effort, we say it was "Bhagiratha prayatna".
Finally, pleased very much, Lord Brahma descended along with other gods to bless Bhagiratha. He said the tapas had been successful and the king may ask for boons.
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तमुवाच महातेजाः सर्वलोकपितामहम् ।
भगीरथो महाभागः कृताञ्जलिरुपस्थितः ॥
गङ्गायाः सलिलक्लिन्ने भस्मन्येषां महात्मनाम्।। स्वर्गं गच्छेयुरत्यन्तं सर्वे मे प्रपितामहाः ॥
देया च संततिर्देव नावसीदेत् कुलं च नः।
इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले देव एष मेऽस्तु वरः परः ॥
King Bhagiratha, a man of great glory, bowed down with reverence and earnestness, and said, "Oh Lord Brahma, by your grace, if celestial river Ganga's waters come and douse the ashes of my worthy forefathers, they will be emancipated and attain heaven. This is the first boon I request you.
Oh Lord, my second boon is that there should be a continuity of our Ikshwaku dynasty and you grant me children, as I do not yet have any successor. "
Lord Brahma gladly obliged. But he cautioned:
गङ्गायाः पतनं राजन् पृथिवीं न सहिष्यते।
तां वै धारयितुं वीर नान्यं पश्यामि शूलिनः ॥
" Oh king, when Ganga comes down in a deluge on earth, her impact will be unbearable. I can see no one capable of receiving and holding her, brave Bhagiratha, except the lord with the trident, Shiva."
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
