After some time had passed in the lineage of the great King Sagara, his queen Keśinī gave birth to their firstborn son, who was named Asamañja. Meanwhile, Sagara’s other queen, Sumati, gave birth in a most extraordinary manner: she delivered a single womb shaped like a gourd. When this unusual womb was split open, it revealed sixty thousand sons, who emerged from within. These sixty thousand sons were entrusted to the care of nurses, who raised them in jars filled with ghee. In due course, all the children grew strong and attained the full bloom of youth, each one radiant with beauty and vigor. Thus, after a long period, Sagara was blessed with sixty thousand sons, all youthful and handsome. As for Asamañja, Sagara’s eldest son, his ways were troubling. He would seize the children of the city and, to the horror of the people, cast them into the waters of the Sarayu river, delighting in their distress and laughing as he watched them struggle. His actions were sinful and caused great suffering among the good citizens. Because of this, his father Sagara banished him from the city. Yet, Asamañja’s son, Aṃśumān, grew to be a man of great strength. He was beloved by the people, always speaking kindly to all, and in time, wisdom and virtue blossomed within him. In due course, King Sagara resolved to perform a grand Vedic sacrifice. With firm determination, he gathered his teachers and made all the necessary preparations for the sacred ritual. Now, listen to the next part of this tale from the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa. When Viśvāmitra had finished recounting this story, Rāma, his heart delighted and his face radiant like fire, addressed the sage: “O Brāhmaṇa, I wish to hear in detail how my ancestor Sagara completed his sacrifice. Please tell me this story.” Viśvāmitra, pleased and smiling, replied, “Listen carefully, O Rāma, to the story of the great-souled Sagara. His father-in-law was the renowned Himavat, lord of the mountains. The sacrifice was to take place at Mount Vindhya, where Sagara and Himavat gazed upon each other, and the sacred ritual was set in that highly esteemed region. At this time, Aṃśumān, the mighty archer and Sagara’s grandson, was entrusted with tending the sacrificial horse, in accordance with Sagara’s will. But during the sacrifice, Indra, king of the gods, took the form of a demoness and stole the horse belonging to the sacrificer. As the noble horse was being carried away, the assembled priests cried out to King Sagara: ‘O King, the sacrificial horse is being led away during the ceremony! Slay the thief and retrieve the horse, or else the sacrifice will be tainted and bring misfortune upon us all.’ Hearing the priests’ earnest words, Sagara addressed his sixty thousand sons: ‘O best among men, the only way forward is for you, my sons, to pursue the thief. I am engaged in this great sacrifice, purified by mantras and attended by noble priests. Therefore, go forth, search everywhere across the earth encircled by the ocean, each of you covering a stretch of one yojana in breadth. Dig the earth as far as the horse’s tracks are visible, and seek out the thief who took the horse, as I command. I, along with my grandsons and the priests, will remain here until the horse is found. May good fortune be yours.’ Obedient to their father’s command, the sixty thousand princes, filled with might and joy, set out to search the earth. Though they traversed the whole world, they did not find the horse. Undeterred, they began to break open the ground, using their arms as strong as thunderbolts, each covering a yojana in breadth. With spears flashing like lightning and terrible ploughs, they pierced the earth, which roared under their assault, sounding like the clamor of elephants, demons, and formidable rakshasas being slain. They broke open the earth for sixty thousand yojanas, reaching the deep region of Rasatala. Thus, the princes dug everywhere, traversing the entire Jambudvipa, which was crowded with mountains. Witnessing this upheaval, all the gods, Gandharvas, Asuras, and Nagas became deeply troubled. Their minds agitated, they approached the Grandfather, Brahma, seeking his favor and, with fearful faces, spoke: ‘O Lord, the sons of Sagara are digging up the entire earth, slaying many great beings who dwell in the waters. All creatures are being harmed because the sacrificial horse has been stolen.’ Now, listen to what happened next. Hearing the words of the gods, the revered Grandfather Brahma replied to the troubled assembly: ‘This entire earth belongs to the wise Vāsudeva; she is the consort of Mādhava, and that blessed Lord alone is her master. Assuming the form of Kapila, he constantly upholds the earth. By the fire of his wrath, the sons of Sagara will be burned.’ Thus, the stage was set for the fate of Sagara’s sons, and the great events that would follow.