Lomasha said: The Grandsire of creatures Brahma thus spoke to the assembly (of celestials) “O gods, go wherever you like and desire to go.

A very long time must pass before the ocean would be able to resume its natural state by making the relatives of the great king Bhagiratha as its cause."

Having heard the words of the Grandsire, all those foremost of celestials went away where they liked and they waited for the time (when the ocean would be refilled).

Yudhishthira said : O Brahmana, O Rishi, why and how did the relations (of Bhagiratha) become the cause (of refilling the ocean)? How was the ocean refilled by the interference of Bhagiratha?

O ascetic, O Brahmana, I desire to hear all this in detail, the excellent history of that king (Bhagiratha) narrated by you.

Vaishampayana said : Having been thus addressed by the highsouled Dharmaraja, Yudhishthira, that foremost of Brahmanas narrated the glory of the illustrious Sagara.

Lomasha said: In the race of the Ikshvaku there was born a king, named Sagara, possessing beauty of person and prowess. That mighty king was son-less.

O descendant of Bharata, exterminating the Haihayas and Talrangas and subjugating many kings, he ruled over his own kingdom.

O best of the Bharata race, he had two wives, proud of their beauty and of their youth, one a princess of Vaidarbhi and the other a princess of Shaibya.

O king of kings, desiring to get a son, that king practised great austerities with his two wives on the Kailasa mountain.

Being engaged in great austerities and in Yoga and in contemplation, he saw the illustrious three-eyed deity, the chastiser of Tripura, Shankara, Bhava, Ishana, Pinaki, Shulapani, Traymbaka, Shiva, Ugresha of many forms, the husband of Uma.

As soon as he saw that giver of boons, that mighty-armed king bowed to him along with his two wives and prayed for a son. Hara (Shiva) being pleased said to that best of kings with his wives. “O king, considering the moment in which you have asked the boon.

O foremost of men, sixty thousand heroic and proud sons will be born in one of your two wives. O ruler of men, they will all together meet with destruction. In the other wife will be born a heroic son who will perpetuate your race."

Having said this, Rudra (Shiva) then and there disappeared. The king Sagara also went back to his own abode.

Accompanied by his two wives who were exceedingly glad at heart. O foremost of men, he returned' home. His two lotus-eyed wives, the princesses of Vaidarbhi and of Shaibya conceived. In due time, the Vidarbha princess gave birth to a gourd.

The princess of Shaibya gave birth to a son as handsome as a celestials. That king then thought of throwing away the gourd.

But he heard a voice in the sky uttered in a grave and solcinn voice; it said "O king, do not be guilty of this hasty acts. You should not abandon your sons.

Take out the seeds from the gourd and let inem be preserved with care in họt vessels partly filled with Ghee.

O descendant of Bharata, you will then get sixty thousand sons in this manner. Let not your mind be diverted.