The sons of King Sagara, driven by anger and determination, journeyed toward the renowned northeastern direction. There, they began to dig furiously into the earth, their might and fury shaking the very ground. In the depths they uncovered, these great-souled, vigorous princes came upon a most extraordinary sight: Kapila, the eternal Vāsudeva, radiant and serene in his divine form. Not far from this divine being, they saw the sacrificial horse, wandering freely. At this discovery, incomparable joy filled their hearts—they had found the object of their long and arduous search. Yet, upon recognizing Kapila as the one who had thwarted their father’s sacrifice, their joy turned to blazing anger. Eyes wild, they seized spades, ploughs, trees, and stones, and rushed at him, shouting, “Stop! Stop! You have stolen our sacrificial horse!” With harsh words, they accused him: “Wicked-minded one! Know us as the sons of Sagara who have now arrived!” But Kapila, the immeasurable and great-souled, was roused to wrath by their accusations. With a mighty roar, he unleashed his power—and in an instant, all the sons of Sagara were reduced to ashes by the divine energy of Kapila. Now, listen to what happened next. When Sagara realized that his sons had been gone for a long time, he called for his grandson, Aṃśumān, a young man radiant with his own splendor. Sagara addressed him with affection and gravity: “You are brave and wise, equal in brilliance to your ancestors. Seek out the path your fathers took, and find where the horse was led away. Within the earth dwell powerful beings—take your sword and bow for protection. Show respect to those worthy of it, but do not hesitate to remove any who stand in your way. Return successful, and complete my sacrifice.” Thus instructed, Aṃśumān, glowing with resolve, swiftly armed himself and set out, following the subterranean path his ancestors had carved. As he journeyed, the gods, demons, yakshas, spirits, birds, and serpents all honored him. In his travels he beheld the mighty elephant that supports one of the directions of the world. With reverence, Aṃśumān circled the elephant, inquired after its well-being, and asked about his ancestors and the horse-stealer. The wise elephant responded, “Aṃśumān, your purpose will be fulfilled. You will soon return with the horse.” Encouraged, Aṃśumān visited each of the elephants of the directions in turn, honoring them and receiving their blessings. Each guardian assured him, “You will return with the horse.” With their words in his heart, Aṃśumān pressed on until he reached the place where his ancestors, the sons of Sagara, lay reduced to heaps of ash. Overcome by grief, he cried out in anguish at their fate. Not far from there, as he wandered in sorrow, he saw the sacrificial horse. Wishing to perform the water-rite for his fallen kin, Aṃśumān searched for a reservoir, but none could be found. As he looked about, he saw Suparṇa, the king of birds—Vainateya, the maternal uncle of his ancestors—swift as the wind. The mighty Suparṇa spoke gently: “Do not grieve, noble one. Such death is accepted by the world. These mighty princes were burned by the immeasurable Kapila’s power. It is not fitting to offer them ordinary water.” “Only when the sacred Gaṅgā, eldest daughter of Himavat, washes over these ashes, will your ancestors be purified. When the beloved Gaṅgā moistens their remains, all sixty thousand sons will ascend to the heavenly realm. Go now, gather the horse, and complete the sacrifice for your ancestors.” Heartened by Suparṇa’s words, Aṃśumān swiftly took the horse and returned to his grandfather, the consecrated king. There he faithfully recounted all that had transpired, including the message from Suparṇa. Hearing these dreadful tidings, Sagara completed his sacrifice as prescribed, but he could find no way to bring the Gaṅgā down to earth for the final rites. Thus, Sagara, having performed the great sacrifice, returned to his city. Yet, despite all his efforts, he could not resolve the matter of the Gaṅgā’s descent. After ruling for thirty thousand years, the great king departed for heaven, leaving this sacred task unfulfilled. When Sagara passed away according to the law of time, the people chose Aṃśumān, supremely righteous, as their king. Aṃśumān was a ruler of exceptional virtue, and his son was the illustrious Dilīpa. Entrusting the kingdom to Dilīpa, Aṃśumān withdrew to the Himalayas, where he performed severe austerities for thirty-two thousand years and ultimately attained heaven, his soul enriched by penance. Yet, even Dilīpa, endowed with great energy, was overcome by grief when he heard of his ancestors’ destruction. Despite his efforts, he too could not find a way to bring the Gaṅgā to earth and thus could not reach a resolution for their deliverance.