Stories From The Bhagawatham - The Quest For A Celestial River

 


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There was a king named Sagara who wanted to perform the Ashwamedha Yajna. The ceremonial horse for the Yajna had been let out to roam over the kingdom. However Indra stole the horse and kept it hidden in a place unknown to anyone. 

When the horse didn’t return after a very long time, Sagara advised his sons to search for the same. They all left the kingdom and searched for the horse all over the world. Not finding it anywhere, they decided to search for it in the nether world. They dug the earth with their powerful arms and went into the nether world.

After searching for a while they came across a cave inside which a Rishi was sitting in meditation with his eyes closed. The sons of Sagara also found the ceremonial horse grazing outside the cave.

Anger overtook them. “Look at this thief!” One of the princes exclaimed. “He steals our horse and is now sitting here with his eyes closed as if he doesn’t know a thing!” The princes drew out their swords from their scabbards and rushed towards the Rishi.

The Rishi was no ordinary sage. He was Kapila, noblest and wisest among the sages. He had accumulated such power through his meditation that when he opened his eyes and glances at the princes, they all burnt and turned into a heap of ashes.

When the princes didn’t return to their kingdom after a long time, Sagara sent his grandson Anshuman in search of them. He traveled over the world and when he saw the earth dug up fiercely, he realized that the princes must have gone to the netherworld. He too went down in search of them.

He arrived at the cave and saw Rishi Kapila sitting in meditation. Inside the cave, there was also a giant heap of ashes.

Anshuman was wiser than his ancestors and at once recognized the greatness in Kapila. He bowed his head and with folded hands, he said, “How is it possible for me to meet you, whom even Lord Brahma finds difficult to comprehend! You are the Ancient one, the Lord of the lords. I bow to you. Now that I have met you, I know that I have been cured of the bonds of Maya and Karma.”

Kapila was pleased with the humility of Anshuman and blessed him. “Take this horse with you. This was kept here by Indra when I was engrossed in meditation. The princes who came before you were burnt because of their arrogance and impulsive behavior. The only water which can cleanse their souls and take them to Pitraloka is Mandakini, the river of the heavens.”

Anshuman bowed to the Rishi and left for his kingdom with the horse. Sagara performed the due Ashwamedha Yajna but was disheartened after losing all his sons. He crowned Anshuman as the new king and retired to the forests to find peace and liberation.

Anshuman performed all kinds of Tapas to bring down the heavenly Mandakini but his efforts did not pay. Eventually he died of old age. His son Dileepa too couldn’t succeed in his efforts to bring the river down and died before the work could be completed.

For a while it seemed as if Sagara and his dynasty would never reach the exalted realm of Pitraloka. But then came Bhagirath, the son of Dileep and he was the one who turned the course of history forever.

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