Brāhmī, Godāvarī, Nandā, Sunandā, and the wish-granting river—all these sacred rivers sprang forth from the very energy of Brahma, and they are renowned as destroyers of all sins. Among them, simply remembering the Godāvarī is enough to dissolve even the greatest heaps of sin; she is ever dear to me. Of the five elements, water is exalted above the rest, and within all waters, those found at holy fords are considered the most sacred. Among these, the Bhāgīrathī is supreme, and the Gautamī stands as her equal. The Gaṅgā, drawn down with matted locks, brings auspiciousness beyond compare; nothing else can match her sanctity. Whether she flows in heaven, on earth, or in the realms below, her sacred fords grant all the aims of life. O sage, this truth was once spoken by Hari himself, pleased, to the great-souled Gautama, and now I have passed it on to you. Thus, the Gautamī Gaṅgā is held superior to all others, and her true nature has been revealed—what need is there to hear of any other river? Although she is one, the Gaṅgā has been described as twofold, O best of the gods. One portion was brought to earth by a Brahmin, while another was brought by a Kshatriya and remained in the matted locks of Bhava, the god of gods. Let me tell you the tale. In the illustrious lineage of Vaivasvata, descending from the Ikshvaku dynasty, there lived a righteous king named Sagara. He was steadfast in sacrifice and charity, constantly engaged in the practice and contemplation of dharma. Sagara had two wives, both deeply devoted to him. Yet, he was troubled, for he had no children. Anxious, he invited the sage Vasiṣṭha to his palace, honored him with great respect, and confided his yearning for offspring. Having listened, the sage reflected and then advised the king: “O king, always honor the sages, together with your wives.” With these words, Vasiṣṭha departed. Later, the sage—treasury of austerity—visited the royal sage’s house again. Sagara worshiped him with devotion, and the satisfied sage offered him a boon. Sagara asked for sons. Vasiṣṭha then pronounced: “May one of your wives bear a son who will continue your lineage, and may the other bear sixty thousand sons.” After granting this boon, the sage departed. In time, sons were born by the thousands. Sagara performed many grand sacrifices, including horse-sacrifices, giving generously. During one such horse-sacrifice, the king was ritually initiated and assigned his sons and their armies to guard the consecrated horse. At one point, Indra seized the horse. Sagara’s sons searched everywhere, but could not find it. These sixty thousand sons, skilled in every kind of warfare, saw demons as they searched, but the demons, masters of illusion, remained hidden. Failing to find the horse, the mighty sons wandered the earth, searching tirelessly but with no success. They journeyed to the world of the gods, scouring mountains, lakes, and forests, but the horse was nowhere to be found. Sagara, having completed the auspicious rites and received the priests’ blessings, grew anxious at the absence of the sacred animal. The sons, called “the Oceans,” scoured all the oceans and reached the world of the gods in their search, but still did not find the horse. Returning to earth, they searched the mountains and forests, but their efforts were in vain. At that moment, a divine voice proclaimed: “The horse is bound in the netherworld, not elsewhere, O Oceans.” Hearing this, Sagara’s sons, determined to recover the horse, began to dig up the entire earth. Hungry from their efforts, they consumed dry earth day and night, digging swiftly down to the netherworld. When the accomplished sons of the king arrived, the demons dwelling there became terrified and fled to the sage Kapila. Kapila, the great sage, lay resting in the netherworld, having performed a great service for the gods in ancient times. Weary and sleepless after his divine task, Kapila had asked the gods for a place to rest. They granted him the netherworld, and he declared: “Whoever foolishly awakens me should be reduced to ashes at once.” Thus, he lay there, saying, “If I am not asleep, it is only as if in a dream.” Knowing Kapila’s power, the demons, skilled in illusion, devised a plan to destroy all the Oceans. Fearing battle, they hurried to Kapila’s side, bound the consecrated horse at his head, and stood at a distance, waiting to see what would happen. When Sagara’s sons entered the netherworld, they saw the horse tied up and a man lying there. Mistakenly believing Kapila to be the thief and destroyer of their sacrifice, they said, “Let us slay this great sinner and take the horse back to the king.” Some suggested simply taking the horse, while others, proud of their royal lineage, insisted, “We are the rulers.