Witnessing Vṛndā in her final state, a great host of apsarases gathered in the sky, their hearts filled with delight and reverence. They praised her with sweet words and, in their joy, showered her with a gentle rain of celestial flowers. Then, gathering dry wood, they carefully placed Vṛndā’s body upon the pyre. As the fire was lit, the messenger of love entered the flames with her, and her mortal remains were consumed. The orb formed from the dust of her body was burned to ashes, and, when nothing but ashes remained, these were solemnly cast into the sacred Mandākinī river. At that very place where Vṛndā had relinquished her body and attained the supreme path of Brahman, the sacred forest of Vṛndāvana arose, near Govardhana. The goddesses, having fulfilled their duties, ascended to heaven and spoke among themselves of the virtues of the wives of the lords of the gods. All the celestials and other divine beings, hearing these praises, were filled with joy; the dreadful fear caused by the powerful enemy demon was dispelled. Those assembled there heard the resounding beat of mighty drums, while the divine retinue brought forth an atmosphere of auspiciousness and splendor. Later, Śrī Mahādeva spoke to the foremost sage among the gods: “Listen, O wise one, to the story of Haridvāra, the place of great merit where the holy Ganges flows. This is declared to be the supreme holy site. There, the gods themselves dwell, alongside sages and Manus, and the god Keśava, Lord Viṣṇu, is eternally present. Long ago, child, that great holy site came into being, and merely seeing it from afar is enough to remove all sins. There, the Ganges—exceedingly beautiful and especially sacred—arose. The water that flowed from Viṣṇu’s feet was born there, made holy by his touch. O learned one, it was Bhagiratha who, through his great efforts, brought the Ganges to earth, uplifting his ancestors by this act of devotion. Nārada then asked, ‘Who is this Bhagiratha, O god—this great ascetic you describe, by whom the holy site was brought for the benefit of the worlds? The holy site of the Ganges, of great merit, destroys all sins; all people proclaim it to be the highest of holy places. Whoever utters “Ganga, Ganga,” even from hundreds of yojanas away, is freed from all sins and attains the world of Viṣṇu. How was the Ganges brought, and for what purpose? Please tell me, O virtuous one.’ Mahādeva replied, ‘Listen, O Nārada, and I will tell you everything in order, step by step, beginning with the lineage that led to this event. First, there was Hariśchandra, the protector of truth in the three worlds. His son was Rohita, devoted to Viṣṇu; Rohita’s son was Vṛka, steadfast in righteousness. Vṛka’s son was Subāhu, and Subāhu’s son was Gara, who was not particularly virtuous. Once, by the force of time, Gara became sorrowful for reasons beyond his understanding. Threatened in his own land for the sake of righteousness, he took his family and went to the hermitage of Bhārgava. There, through Bhārgava’s compassion, he was protected. In that holy hermitage, his son Sagara was born and raised, nurtured by Bhārgava’s care. As Sagara grew, all the rites appropriate for a Kṣatriya were performed: his investiture with the sacred thread, the practice of arms, and the study of the Vedas. When the time came, Bhārgava granted Sagara the powerful missile of Agni. Armed with this weapon and his own strength, Sagara set forth and struck down the Tāla-jaṅghas and the Haihayas, traversing the earth. He also vanquished the Śakas and the Pāradas. Nārada then asked, ‘O Śaṅkara, tell in detail the greatness of Sagara.’ Mahādeva continued, ‘Sagara was a renowned king of the solar dynasty, exceedingly powerful. When calamity befell his family and his kingdom was taken from him by the Haihayas, Tāla-jaṅghas, Śakas, Yavanas, Pāradas, Kāmbojas, and Pahlavas—five groups who allied against him—Sagara, deprived of his kingdom, retreated to the forest with his wife, who was pregnant and steadfast in her vows. Though afflicted with sorrow, he did not abandon his life. Previously, Bhārgava had been chosen by Sagara’s co-wife in her desire for a son. However, after Sagara’s death, she performed his funeral rites in the forest and lamented for him. The sage Aurva restrained her, assuring her that her unborn son would be righteous and virtuous. Hearing this, she refrained from dying, and after two months, her child grew in Aurva’s hermitage. Aurva performed all the birth and sacred thread ceremonies for the child. Under his guidance, the child learned the Vedas and all branches of knowledge, including the science of weapons. Aurva bestowed upon him the missile of Agni, difficult even for the gods to withstand. With this and his own might, Sagara became powerful in battle. In his wrath, he struck down the Haihayas and gained great fame among the people. The Śakas, Yavanas, Kāmbojas, and Pallavas, having been defeated, sought refuge with the sage Vasiṣṭha. Vasiṣṭha, brilliant and compassionate, made an agreement with them and restrained Sagara, granting them protection. Sagara, honoring his teacher’s words and remembering his vows, subdued these groups by righteous means and caused them to be transformed: he shaved half the heads of the Śakas and released them; he shaved all the heads of the Yavanas and Kāmbojas; he subdued the Pāradas, the shaven-headed, the Pallavas, and the bearded protectors. Having conquered all, Sagara established righteousness throughout the land. Victorious over his foes and having established dharma, the king then prepared for the great horse sacrifice, eager to fulfill his duties as ruler of the earth.