Those who abandoned their own sacred duties were cast out by the Brahmins and became known as mlecchas, outsiders to the dharma. Meanwhile, King Sagara returned to his own realm and ruled the earth—encompassing all seven continents—with unwavering authority and justice. Sage Parāśara continued: Sagara had two wives. The first was Sumati, daughter of Kāśyapa, and the second was Keśinī, daughter of the king of Vidarbha. Deeply desiring offspring, Sagara undertook intense worship of the sage Aurva, seeking his blessing. Pleased with Sagara’s devotion, Aurva granted him a boon. He declared that one wife could bear a single son who would continue the royal lineage, while the other could bear sixty thousand sons. The choice was theirs. Keśinī chose to have one son, while Sumati wished for sixty thousand sons. Soon, Keśinī gave birth to a single son, whom they named Asamañjasa—he would continue the royal line. To Sumati, the daughter of Kāśyapa, sixty thousand sons were born. In time, Asamañjasa himself had a son named Aṃśumān. However, from his earliest years, Asamañjasa’s conduct was troubling. His father hoped that wisdom would come with age, but even after Asamañjasa grew past childhood, his behavior did not improve. Sagara, grieved by his son’s wickedness, eventually abandoned him. The sixty thousand sons of Sumati, too, followed the example set by Asamañjasa, adopting his unrighteous ways. Because of this, the sacrifices performed by the Sagaras were ruined. The gods—faultless and all-knowing—sought refuge in Kapila, a portion of the Supreme Person, and bowed before him, explaining their plight: “O Lord, Sagara’s sons have followed the conduct of Asamañjasa. How can the world endure if such wickedness prevails?” The Lord assured them, “Do not fear. In just a few days, these unrighteous ones will perish, and the world will be protected.” Meanwhile, Sagara began the great horse sacrifice. As his sons guarded the sacrificial horse, someone stole it and disappeared into a hole in the earth. Determined to recover it, each of Sagara’s sons dug the earth for a yojana, following the trail left by the horse’s hooves. Eventually, in the netherworld, they found the horse wandering freely. Not far from the horse sat the Lord himself—sage Kapila—radiant like the autumn sun, his head bowed, illuminating all directions. Believing him to be the thief and the enemy who had obstructed their sacrifice, the sixty thousand sons, blinded by anger, raised their weapons and rushed forward, declaring, “Let this horse thief be killed!” But the Lord merely glanced at them, his eyes slightly turned. Instantly, fire arose from his own body and burned them all to ashes. When Sagara learned that his sons had been destroyed by the great sage Kapila’s power while pursuing the horse, he appointed his grandson, Amshuman, to retrieve the horse. Following the path his uncles had dug, Amshuman approached Kapila with devotion and humility, and stood before him. The Lord spoke kindly to Amshuman: “Go, take the horse back to your grandfather and ask for a boon. Your descendants will bring the Ganga from heaven to earth.” Amshuman replied, “Grant us a boon that will enable my ancestors—who have been destroyed by Brahma’s curse and now dwell in the heavens—to truly attain heaven.” The Lord answered, “What you ask has already been declared: your grandson will bring the Ganga from heaven to earth. When the bones and ashes of your ancestors are touched by her waters, they will ascend to heaven. Such is the greatness of the water that emerged from the toe of Lord Vishnu. Not only does intentional bathing or enjoyment in this water bring benefit, but even unintentional contact—by bones, skin, sinews, hair, or any part of the deceased—immediately leads the soul to heaven.” Having offered his respects, Amshuman took the horse and returned to his grandfather’s sacrifice. Sagara, having recovered the horse, completed the great ritual. Out of affection for his lost sons, he even regarded the ocean as his own child. In time, Aṃśumān’s son Dilīpa was born. Dilīpa’s son was Bhagīratha, who fulfilled the prophecy and brought the Ganges down from heaven to earth, giving her the name Bhāgīrathī. From Bhagīratha came Suhotra; from Suhotra, Śruta; and from Śruta, Nābhāga. Nābhāga’s son was Ambarīṣa, whose son was Sindhudvīpa; from Sindhudvīpa came Ayutāyu, and his son was Ṛtuparṇa, famed as the companion of Nala and renowned for his expertise in the horse sacrifice. Finally, Ṛtuparṇa’s son was Sarvakāma, continuing this illustrious lineage.