पाताले चाश्वं परिभ्रमंतं तमवनीपतितनयास्ते ददृशुः
In the netherworld, Sagara's sons saw the horse wandering about.
नातिदूरेऽवस्थितं च भगवंतमपघने शरत्कालेर्कमिव तेजोभिरवनतमूर्द्धमधश्चाश्षोदिशश्चोद्भासयमानं हयहर्त्तारं कपिलर्षिमपश्यन्
Not far away, they saw the Lord, radiant like the sun in autumn, his head bowed, illuminating all directions, the horse thief—sage Kapila.
ततश्चोद्यतायुधा दुरात्मानोऽयमस्मदपकारी यज्ञविघ्नकारी हन्यतां हयहर्त्ता हन्यतामित्यवोचन्नभ्यधावंश्च
Then, those evil-minded ones, weapons raised, said: 'This enemy has harmed us, obstructed the sacrifice, let the horse thief be killed!' and rushed forward.
ततस्तेनापि भगवता किंचिदीषत्परिवर्त्तितलोचनेनावलोकितास्स्वशरीरसमुत्थेनाऽग्निना-दह्यमाना विनेशुः
But the Lord glanced at them with eyes slightly turned, and they were burned up by fire arising from his own body.
सगरोप्यवगम्याश्वानुसारि तत्पुत्रबलमश्षॐ परमर्षिणा कपिलेन तेजसा दग्धं ततॐशुमंतमसमंजसपुत्रमश्वानयनाय युयोज
Sagara, realizing his sons had been destroyed by the great sage Kapila's power while pursuing the horse, appointed his grandson Amshuman to retrieve the horse.
स तु सगरतनयखातमार्गेण कपिलमुपगम्य भक्तिनम्रस्तदा तृष्टाव
Following the path dug by Sagara's sons, Amshuman approached Kapila with devotion and humility, and stood before him.
अथैनं भगवानाह
Then the Lord spoke to him.
गच्छैनं पितामहायाश्वं प्रापय वरं वृणीष्व च पुत्रक पौत्राश्च ते स्वर्गाद्गंगां भुवमानेष्यन्त इति
'Go, bring the horse to your grandfather, and ask for a boon. Your descendants will bring the Ganga from heaven to earth.'
अथांशुमानपि स्वर्यातानां ब्रह्मदंडहतानामस्मत्पितॄणामस्वर्गयोग्यानां स्वर्गप्राप्तिकरं वरमस्माकं प्रयच्छेति प्रत्याह
Amshuman replied: 'Grant us a boon that will enable my ancestors, who have ascended to heaven and been destroyed by Brahma's curse, to attain heaven.'
तदाकर्ण्य तं च भगवानाह उक्तमेवैतन्मयाद्य पौत्रस्ते त्रिदिवाद्गंगां भुवमानयिष्यतीति
Hearing this, the Lord said: 'What you ask has already been spoken by me—your grandson will bring the Ganga from heaven to earth.'
तदंभसा च संस्पृष्टेष्वस्थिभस्मसु एते च स्वर्गमारोक्ष्यन्ति
When their bones and ashes are touched by that water, they will ascend to heaven.
भगवद्विष्णुपादांगुष्ठनिर्गतस्य हि जलस्यैतन्माहात्म्यम्
This is the greatness of the water that emerged from the toe of Lord Vishnu.
यन्न केवलमभिसंधिपूर्वकं स्नानाद्युपभोगेषूपकारकमनभिसांधितमप्यस्यां प्रेतप्राणस्यास्थिचर्मस्नायुकेशाद्युपस्पृष्टं शरीरजमपि पतितं सद्यश्शरीरिणं स्वर्गं नयतीत्युक्तः प्रणम्य भवगतेऽश्वमादाय पितामहयज्ञमाजगाम्
It is said that not only does intentional bathing and enjoyment in this water bring benefit, but even unintentional contact with it—by the bones, skin, sinews, hair, or anything from the body of the deceased—immediately leads the soul to heaven. Having bowed, Amshuman took the horse and returned to his grandfather's sacrifice.
सगरोप्यश्वमासाद्य तं यज्ञं समापयामास
Sagara, having recovered the horse, completed the sacrifice.
सागरं चात्मजप्रीत्या पुत्रत्वे कल्पितवान्
Out of affection for his son, he imagined the ocean as his own child.
तस्यांशुमतो दिलीपः पुत्रोभवत्
From him, Aṃśumat’s son Dilīpa was born.
दिलीपस्य भगीरथः योऽसौ गंगां स्वर्गादिहानीय भागीरथीसंज्ञां चकार
Dilīpa’s son was Bhagīratha, who brought the Ganges down from heaven to earth and gave her the name Bhāgīrathī.
भगीरथात्सुहोत्रस्सुहोत्राच्छ्रुतः तस्यापि नाभागः ततॐबरीषः तत्पुत्रस्सिंधुद्वीपः सिंधुद्वीपादयुतायुः
From Bhagīratha came Suhotra, from Suhotra came Śruta, and his son was Nābhāga; from him was Ambarīṣa, whose son was Sindhudvīpa, and Sindhudvīpa’s son was Ayutāyu.
तत्पुत्रश्च ऋतुपर्णः योऽसौ नलसहायोक्षहृदयज्ञोभूत्
His son was Ṛtuparṇa, who became the companion of Nala and was known for his expertise in the sacrifice of horses.
ऋतुपर्णपुत्रस्सर्वकामः
Ṛtuparṇa’s son was Sarvakāma.
तत्तनयस्सुदासः
His son was Sudāsa.
सुदासात्सौदासो मित्र सहनामा
From Sudāsa came Saudāsa, also known as Mitrasaha.
स चाटव्यां मृगयार्थी पर्यटन् व्याघ्रद्वयमपश्यत्
Once, while roaming in the forest for hunting, he saw two tigers.
ताभ्यां तद्वनमपमृगं कृतं मत्वैकं तयोर्बाणेन जघान
Thinking that those two had made the forest devoid of other animals, he shot one of them with an arrow.
म्रियमाणश्चासावतिभीषणाकृतिरतिकरालवदनो राक्षसोऽभूत्
As it was dying, that being took on a most terrifying form, with a dreadful face—it was a Rākṣasa.
द्वितीयोपि प्रतिक्रियां ते करिष्यामीत्युक्त्वांतर्धानं जगाम
The second one said, 'I will take revenge on you,' and then vanished.
कालेन गच्छता सौदासो यज्ञमयजत्
In the course of time, Saudāsa performed a sacrifice.
परिनिष्ठितयज्ञे आचार्ये वसिष्ठे निष्क्रांते तद्र क्षो वसिष्ठरूपमास्थाय यज्ञावसाने मम नरमांसभोजनं देयमिति तत्संस्क्रियतां क्षणादागमिष्यामीत्युक्त्वा निष्क्रांतः
When the sacrifice was completed and the priest Vasiṣṭha had left, that Rākṣasa, assuming Vasiṣṭha’s form, said at the end of the ritual, 'Give me human flesh to eat,' and, saying he would return soon, departed.
भूयश्च सूदवेषं कृत्वा राजाज्ञया मानुषं मांसं संस्कृत्य राज्ञे न्यवेदयत् ४७ असावपि हिरण्यपात्रे मांसमादाय वसिष्ठागमनप्रतीक्षकोऽभवत्
Again, taking the guise of a cook, by the king’s order he prepared human flesh and presented it to the king; the king, placing the meat in a golden vessel, waited for Vasiṣṭha’s arrival.
आगताय वसिष्ठाय निवेदितवान्
When Vasiṣṭha arrived, he informed him.