In the presence of the gods and the sage Vasiṣṭha, the great ascetic Kauśika performed a wondrous feat: he raised Triśaṅku bodily up to heaven. In time, Triśaṅku’s wife, Satyarathā of the noble Kaikeyi lineage, bore him a son—Hariścandra, a king without sin. Hariścandra, famed as Triśaṅku’s son, performed the grand Rājasūya sacrifice and gained renown as a universal sovereign. His line continued: Hariścandra’s son was Rohita, Rohita’s son was Harita, and Harita’s son was Cañcu, also known as Hārita. From Cañcu was born Vijaya, foremost among sages, who conquered the earth and thus earned his name, Vijaya. Vijaya’s son was Ruruka, a king skilled in righteousness and wealth. Ruruka’s son was Vṛka, and from Vṛka was born Bāhu. But Bāhu’s reign was troubled: the Haihayas and Tālaṅghas drove him from his kingdom. His wife, carrying his unborn child, sought refuge in the hermitage of the sage Aurva. Bāhu was a righteous soul who lived during the age of righteousness. His son, Sagara, was conceived while his mother bore poison within her—poison given by a jealous co-wife. Protected by the sage Aurva, King Sagara was born in that hermitage, together with the poison, and grew into a mighty prince. Aurva performed all the sacred rites for Sagara, taught him the Vedas and scriptures, and bestowed upon him a powerful, fiery weapon—one feared even by the gods. Armed with this boon and his own strength, Sagara set out to reclaim his heritage. He defeated the Tālaṅghas and Haihayas, and then, in righteous anger, expelled the Śakas, Pahlavas, Kṣatriyas, and Pāradas from their ancient customs and dharma. The tale of Sagara’s birth and his actions aroused curiosity: why was he born with poison, and for what cause did he expel these mighty peoples from their traditions? In truth, Bāhu, addicted to vice, had lost his kingdom to the Haihayas, Tālaṅghas, and Śakas, aided by the Yavanas, Pāradas, Kāmbojas, and Pahlavas—five powerful groups. Bereft of his throne, Bāhu retreated to the forest with his sorrowful, pregnant wife, where he departed this life. His wife, a Yādava lady, prepared to ascend his funeral pyre, but the compassionate sage Aurva restrained her. In Aurva’s hermitage, her son Sagara was born—together with the poison she had endured. Aurva raised Sagara, performed his birth rites, instructed him in the sacred texts, and gave him the fiery weapon. With its power, Sagara went forth to battle. He destroyed the Haihayas like wild beasts, gaining great fame. Next, he resolved to annihilate the Śakas, Yavanas, Kāmbojas, Pāradas, and Pahnava peoples. As Sagara’s wrath fell upon them, these tribes sought refuge with the wise Vasiṣṭha, bowing before him. Vasiṣṭha, discerning the right moment, protected them and restrained Sagara. Obedient to his teacher but mindful of his vow, Sagara spared their lives but altered their appearance and status: he shaved half the heads of the Śakas, completely shaved the Yavanas and Kāmbojas, made the Pāradas wear their hair loose, and required the Pahnava people to keep beards. All were deprived of their right to Vedic study and ritual. Thus, the Śakas, Yavanas, Kāmbojas, Pāradas, Koṇisarpas, Māhiṣakas, Darvas, Colas, and Sakeralas—all once Kṣatriyas—lost their dharma at Sagara’s hands, following Vasiṣṭha’s command. Victorious and righteous, King Sagara prepared for the Aśvamedha, the great horse sacrifice, letting the consecrated horse roam the earth. But as the horse wandered, it was seized near the southern shore of the eastern ocean and drawn into the earth. Sagara and his sons began to dig, and as they delved into the great ocean, they reached its depths. There, they beheld the primeval Lord Hari—Kṛṣṇa, the progenitor, Viṣṇu himself in the form of Kapila—lying in deep meditation. As the Lord awoke, his blazing gaze consumed all the great sages, sparing only four: Barhiketu, Suketu, the righteous Dharmaratha, and the valiant Pañcanada, who became the progenitors of Sagara’s line. Moved by Sagara’s devotion, the blessed Lord Hari Nārāyaṇa granted him an unfailing boon: an unbroken lineage for Ikṣvāku and undiminishing fame. The Lord also gave Sagara a son—the ocean itself—and everlasting residence in heaven. The ocean, taking the offering, honored the great king, and from this act Sagara gained his name, “Sāgara.” He recovered the horse from the ocean and completed the Aśvamedha. Sagara, steadfast in austerity, performed a hundred horse sacrifices, and it is said he had sixty thousand sons. How these mighty and heroic sons of Sagara were born, and by what means, is a tale for another time.