Bala Kanda – 42 Sarga

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Om Asmadgurubhyo Namaha

Srimathe Ramanujaya Namaha

After the death of Sagara, people elected diligent Amsumanta as their King who

ruled the kingdom justly and wisely and became vary famous. He was blessed with

a son named Dilipan. After handing over the kingdom to his son Dilipan,

Amsumanta went to Himalayas and started penance which he continued for 32,000

years and eventually he reached swargaloka. King Dilipan came to know how his

forefathers died and started wondering how to bring Ganga to earth. He had a son

named Bhageeratha and after ruling the kingdom for 32,000 years, Dilipan died

with great grief of not being able to complete his grandfathers' last rites by

bringing Ganga to earth. Bhageeratha became king following the death of Dilipan,

and he was kind hearted in nature. His one grief was not having any children,

with that sorrow; he decided to hand over his kingdom to his ministers and went

to do penance to bring Ganga to earth. First he reached Gokarna Kshetra and

performed penance. His penance was very severe; he stood in the middle of a fire

that surrounded him completely, and by lifting his hands up in the air, looking

directly at the sun. He ate only once in a month and he continued his penance

for a few thousand years. Lord Brahma was pleased with Bhageeratha's Tapas and

along with other Devathas Brahma appeared before Bhageeratha and said, "Oh!

Great Bhageeratha, I am pleased with your meditation, ask me a boon."

Bhageeratha, with folded hands said, "Oh! Brahma, to complete the last rites of

Sagara's sons, (my grand fathers), I need Ganga, and without her waters they

will not get Moksha. Also, I have no sons to carry on with my dynasty, and it

may fail to continue". Brahma was pleased with his words and said "Your desire

will be fulfilled. Ganga is coming to earth. But, when she drops to earth no

body can stop her except Lord Shiva. Request Shiva to receive Ganga on His

head."

 

Jai Srimannarayana!

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