Hearing the heartfelt requests of Sagara’s two wives, the supremely righteous sage Bhṛgu addressed them with gentle, wise words. “Let it be as each of you desires,” he said, granting them the freedom to choose their own boons. “Let one have a single son to continue the royal line, or let there be many mighty, renowned, and energetic sons—each may select the blessing she wishes.” Keśinī, standing before the king, chose to have a single son who would carry forth their lineage. Sumati, the sister of Suparṇa, requested sixty thousand sons, all to be energetic and famed. With reverence, the king and his wives circumambulated Bhṛgu and bowed to him, then returned to their city. In time, Keśinī gave birth to Sagara’s firstborn, a son named Asamañja. Sumati, meanwhile, bore a gourd-like womb. When it was split open, sixty thousand sons emerged. These newborns were raised by nurses in jars filled with ghee, and as the years passed, they grew into handsome, youthful princes. Thus, Sagara came to have sixty thousand sons, all endowed with vigor and beauty. Yet, among them, Asamañja, Sagara’s eldest, displayed disturbing behavior. He would seize children and throw them into the waters of the Sarayu, laughing as he watched them drown, obstructing the good and acting sinfully. Seeing his actions harming the citizens, Sagara banished Asamañja from the city. However, Asamañja’s son, Aṃśumān, was a man of great strength, beloved by all, speaking kindly to everyone, and in time, wisdom blossomed in him. Determined to perform a grand sacrifice, Sagara resolved to undertake a Vedic ritual. With his teachers, he prepared for the sacred ceremony. At this point, Rāma, listening to Viśvāmitra’s tale, felt delight and asked the sage, “Please, tell me in detail: how did my ancestor complete the sacrifice?” Viśvāmitra, smiling with pleasure, replied, “Listen, O Rāma, to the story of the great-souled Sagara. His father-in-law was the renowned Himavat. Sagara’s sacrifice took place between Mount Vindhya and Himavat, a region esteemed for such rites. There, Aṃśumān, a mighty archer, tended the sacrificial horse, following Sagara’s will.” During the sacrifice, Indra, assuming the form of a demoness, stole the horse belonging to Sagara. As the noble horse was carried away, the priests cried out, “This sacrificial horse is being led away during the ceremony! O descendant of Kakutstha, slay the thief and bring back the horse, or else a flaw will mar the sacrifice and bring misfortune to us all.” Sagara, hearing these urgent words, turned to his sixty thousand sons. “O best among men,” he said, “I see no way for you except to pursue the demons. I am engaged in this great sacrifice, purified by mantras and attended by noble priests. Therefore, go forth, my sons, search everywhere. May good fortune be yours. Follow the entire earth encircled by the ocean, each covering a stretch of one yojana in breadth. Dig the earth as far as the horse’s tracks are visible, seeking the thief by my command. I, consecrated and accompanied by my grandsons and priests, will remain here until the horse is found. May good fortune be yours.” Obediently, the royal princes, mighty and joyful, set out across the earth, compelled by their father’s command. Having traversed the whole earth and not finding the horse, they began to break open the ground with arms as hard as thunderbolts. The earth resounded as they pierced it with spears like lightning and terrible ploughs. The noise echoed like elephants, demons, and rakshasas being slain. They dug for sixty thousand yojanas, reaching the excellent region of Rasatala. In their quest, the princes traversed the entire Jambudvipa, crowded with mountains, digging everywhere. Witnessing this upheaval, all the gods, Gandharvas, Asuras, and Nagas, their minds troubled, approached the Grandfather Brahma. With anxious faces, they sought his favor and, greatly frightened, spoke: “O Lord, Sagara’s sons are digging up the entire earth, and many great beings who dwell in the waters are being slain.” Thus unfolded the extraordinary tale of Sagara’s sons, their quest, and the disturbance caused across the realms.