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the stolen horse but the thief also, and
they rushed on Kapila shouting, "Here is
the thief pretending to be a yogi." Kapila
thus disturbed opened his eyes and the
sixty thousand princes were reduced to a
heap of ashes. Indra, the real thief, had
artfully left the horse here with this very
intent.
7. BHAGIRATHA AND THE
STORY OF GANGA
KING Sagara waited in vain for the
return of the princes who had gone in
search of the sacrificial horse.
After
some
days
he
called
his
grandson, Amsuman, and said: "I am
anxious to know what has happened to the
princes who went to Patala. You are
brave; go thither, well-armed and find out
what has happened and come back
crowned with success."
Amsuman went closely following the
path of the princes and reached the nether
world where he saw and paid salutations
to the mighty elephants standing guard at
the four quarters. These guardians of the
quarters uttered encouraging words and
said he would succeed in his mission.
When in due course Amsuman entered
and went round Patala he was delighted
when
he
found
the
sacrificial
horse
grazing
contentedly
there,
but
was
perplexed and distressed when he saw
heaps of ashes all over the place. Could
they be all that remained of his valiant
uncles?
Garuda,
the
bird-king,
brother
of
Sumati,
Sagara's
second
wife,
who
chanced to be there told Amsuman:
"Those ash heaps are all that is left of the
sixty thousand sons of Sagara who were
consumed by the wrathful glance of Sage
Kapila. Dear child, take the horse and
complete the yaga. If these ashes are to be
watered according to custom so that the
souls of the princes may rest in peace,
Ganga should be brought down here from
the land of the Devas."
Amsuman rushed home with the horse
and told the king all that he had found and
learnt.
Sagara was immersed in sorrow at the
fate that had overtaken his sons. However,
the horse having been brought back, he
completed the yaga. Grieving over his lost
sons and despairing of ever bringing
Ganga down to the nether world, he died
disconsolate.
According to the Ramayana, Sagara
lived for 30,000 years. Figures like 30,000
and 60,000 need not confuse us. Thirty
thousand may mean either a very large
number or just thirty. If we so like, we
may take these figures literally.
Amsuman succeeded Sagara as King of
Ayodhya and was, in turn, succeeded by
Dilipa. Bhagiratha came after Dilipa.
Amsuman and Dilipa though happy
and
blessed
in
other
respects,
died
grieving that they were unable to bring
Ganga to Patala for the salvation of their
forefathers.
Bhagiratha was a valiant king. He was