Story of Ganga's Birth (1)

Rishi Viswamitra began to recite the legend, "There were two most beautyfull daughters, blessed with all virtues, of the Himalayas, the king of mountains. Mena, the daughter of Sumeru mountain, was their mother. Ganga and Uma were the name of elder and younger daughters respectively. Ganga was very impressive and having extraordinary qualities of the divine. She could not accept any bond and used to follow the arbitrarily routes. Impressed with her extraordinary talents the gods took her, with the permission of Himalayas, for welfare of the world. Uma, the second daughter of king of mountains, performed great rigor and got Lord Shiva as her husband."

Listening the words of Viswamitra Ram said, "Sir! When gods took Ganga to "Surloka" (place of gods - heavens), how she incarnated on the Earth and why she is called "Tripathga"?" The Rishi Viswamitr told, "Though Lord Shiva married with Uma but he did not get any child up to next hundred years. Once there came an idea for generation of a child to Lord Shiva. When gods including Lord Brahma knew about his idea, they started to consider that who will be able to refrain the glory of the Son of Shiva? They presented their doubt to Lord Shiva. As instructed by him Agni (the fire god) took this burden and Kartikey, having glory like fire, was born. As the gods conspired, Uma cursed them that they will not be able to become a father in the future. In the meantime, Uma met with Ganga in the heavens. Ganga told Uma that since a long time I have been wandering in the heavens and now it my desire to come to my motherland on the Earth. Uma assured Ganga that she will try to make some arrangement for it."

"Vats Ram! There was a king named Sagar in your own Ayodhyapuri. He did not have any son. Keshini, daughter of the king of Vidarbha state, was his "Patrani" (head queen). Keshini was beautiful, virtuous and straightaway. Sumati, daughter of king Arishtanemi, was second wife of king Sagar. Having a desire for getting son, king Sagar went to a place named Bhriguprasravan in Himalayas with his queens and started there penance. Pleased with his penance Rishi Bhrigu blessed him that he will get a lot of sons. One queen will have only son who will grow his descendants and the other queen will have sixty thousand sons. Both the queens should decide with mutual consultation that who wants one son and who wants sixty thousand sons. Keshini opted for one son who will grow their descendants and Sumati, sister of Garuda, decided to have sixty thousand strong sons.

"In appropriate time, a son named Asamanj was born from the womb of Keshini. A gourd came out from the womb of queen Sumati breaking which sixty thousand small sons came out. They were kept in oil pitchers for nourishment. Cycle elapsed and all the sons became young. Asmanj, the eldest son of Sagar, was very immorel and he enjoys throwing the children of the city into Sarjoo river. It made Sagar sad and he exiled Asmanj from state. There was a son of Asmanj whose name was Anshuman. Amshuaman was extremely moralist and powerful. One day there came an idea to king Sagar to perform "Ashwamegh Yajna" (a sacrifice). Very soon he acted on his idea."

Ram said to Rishi Viswamitra, "Gurudeva! I am keenly interested in listening the story of my ancestor Sagar's veneration. So, please complete the whole episode." Rishi Viswamitra continued, "King Sagar built a huge "Yajna Mandap" (place to perform sacrifice) on a green land situated in between the Himalayas and Vindhyachal. Then a "Shyamkarn" horse was left followed by mighty Anshuman and his army for safeguard. Feared from the future success of the sacrifice, Indra, king of gods, converted himself in form of demon and stolen the horse. On getting information about theft of horse, Sagar instructed his sixty thousand sons to get back the horse by arresting or killing the stealer. They searched the horse all over the world but could not get it back. Doubting that someone would hide the horse in any basement, all the sixty thousand sons of Sagar began to dig the Earth. Due digging of the Earth, innumerable creatures residing inside the Earth were killed. Digging continuously, they reached "Patalloka" (inferno). The gods complained about this heinous act to Lord Brahma. Brahma said that the princes were doing so as they had become blind in anger. Rishi Kapil will surely do something in the matter as he is responsible for safeguard of the Earth.

"Even after digging the entire earth, the horse could not be searched. They informed about this to their father Sagar. Indignant Sagar ordered to search the horse in inferno. In inferno they reached to the ashram of Kapil. They saw that Kapil was sitting with closed eyes and the horse was tied near him. They concluded that Kapil Muni is the stealer of the horse and, therefore, they abused and rushed to beat him. The "Samadhi" (trance) of Kapil dissolved due to this. Angry Kapil calcined all of them."