Led by Narmadā, Purukutsa descended into the netherworld. There, empowered by the energy of the Lord, he vanquished all the Gandharvas. Once his task was accomplished, Purukutsa returned to his own city. In gratitude, the lords of serpents granted Narmadā a boon: whoever, united in remembrance, utters her name shall have no fear of snake venom. A verse celebrates this blessing: "Salutations to Narmadā in the morning, salutations to Narmadā at night; salutations to you, Narmadā—protect me from venomous serpents." By reciting this day and night, or when entering darkness, one is protected from serpents and their poison, and those who perform such remembrance are unharmed. The serpent lords also bestowed another boon: the lineage of Purukutsa would remain unbroken. Purukutsa begot Trasaddasyu through Narmadā. Trasaddasyu’s son was Anaraṇya, who later fell to Rāvaṇa during the demon king’s conquest of the directions. Anaraṇya’s son was Pṛṣadaśva, whose son was Haryaśva, followed by Hasta. Then came Sumanā, whose son was Tridhanvā, and from him, Trayyāruṇi. Trayyāruṇi’s son was Satyavrata, who became known as Triśaṃku. Triśaṃku, through circumstance, attained the state of a caṇḍāla. During a twelve-year drought, for the sustenance of Viśvāmitra's wife and children—and to avoid accepting gifts from caṇḍālas—Triśaṃku hunted deer daily at the banyan tree by the bank of the Jahnavi. Greatly pleased by his devotion, Viśvāmitra took Triśaṃku to heaven in his own body. From Triśaṃku descended Hariścandra, then Rohitāśva, then Harita, followed by Caṃcu, then Vijayavasudeva, then Ruruka, and then Vṛka. Vṛka’s son was Bāhu, who, defeated by the Haihayas, Tāla-jaṃghas, and others, retreated into the forest with his wife. Bāhu’s co-wife, seeking to prevent conception, administered poison. Thus, the embryo remained within his wife’s womb for seven years. Bāhu, weakened by age, died near the hermitage of the sage Aurva. His wife, faithful and resolute, prepared the funeral pyre and placed her husband upon it, intending to follow him in death. At that moment, the venerable Aurva, knower of past, present, and future, emerged from his hermitage and addressed her: "Enough, enough of this wrongful resolve! Within your womb abides a universal emperor, lord of the whole earth, of immense strength and valor, performer of many sacrifices, destroyer of enemy hosts." Hearing this, she abandoned her intention to follow her husband. Aurva brought her to his hermitage. Within a few days, a boy of great brilliance was born from that long-held embryo. Aurva performed the birth rites and ceremonies, naming him Sagara. When Sagara received his sacred thread, Aurva taught him the Vedas, scriptures, and the Bhārgava missile called Āgneya. As Sagara’s understanding grew, he questioned his mother: "Mother, tell me—where are we? Where is our father?" She revealed everything to him. Stirred by anger over the usurpation of his father’s kingdom, Sagara vowed to destroy the Haihayas, Tālajaṅghas, and others. He slew most of the Haihayas and Tālajaṅghas. The Śakas, Yavanas, Kāmbojas, Pāradas, and Pahlavas, facing destruction, sought refuge with their family preceptor, the sage Vasiṣṭha. Vasiṣṭha, making them as living dead, spoke to Sagara: "My child, enough of these living dead and those who have followed them in death. These, by me alone, for the sake of upholding your vow, have been made to abandon their own duties and the company of twice-borns." Sagara accepted the sage’s words gladly, causing these groups to adopt different appearances: the Yavanas shaved their heads, the Shakas shaved the tops of their heads, the Paradas wore their hair long, the Pahlavas kept beards, and he made them, and other Kshatriyas, abandon recitation of sacred texts and ritual utterances. Thus, the lineage continued, shaped by divine boons, sage interventions, and the trials of kings.