After bowing respectfully to those worthy of honor, King Sagara instructed his grandson Aṃśumān, “If any obstacles arise, remove them—even by force if needed. Return victorious, and ensure my sacrifice is completed.” Thus commanded by the great-souled Sagara, the radiant Aṃśumān swiftly took up his bow and sword and departed, moving with light and eager steps. He entered the deep subterranean path that his ancestors—the mighty sons of Sagara—had excavated before him, urged forward by the king’s command. As he journeyed, gods, demons, yakshas, spirits, birds, and serpents all honored him. Along the way, the mighty prince beheld the great elephant who supports one of the world’s directions. With reverence, Aṃśumān circled the elephant, inquired about its well-being, and then questioned both his ancestors and the one who had stolen the sacrificial horse. Hearing his earnest inquiry, the wise and great-minded elephant of the direction replied, “Aṃśumān, your purpose will be fulfilled. Soon, you will return together with the horse.” Encouraged by these words, Aṃśumān went on to question each of the elephants of the four directions in proper order. All the guardians of the directions, skilled and wise in speech, honored him and assured, “You will return with the horse.” With these blessings, the swift-footed prince proceeded to the place where his ancestors—the sons of Sagara—had been reduced to heaps of ashes. Overcome with sorrow, Aṃśumān cried out in great distress, deeply afflicted by their terrible fate. Not far from this scene of loss, the tiger among men, filled with grief, saw the sacrificial horse wandering nearby. Desiring to perform the water-rite for his ancestors, Aṃśumān searched for water but found no reservoir anywhere. As he cast his keen gaze around, he beheld Suparṇa, the king of birds—his ancestors’ maternal uncle, swift as the wind. The mighty Vainateya spoke words of comfort: “Do not grieve, O tiger among men. This death is accepted by the world. These mighty ones were burned by the immeasurable Kapila; you should not offer them ordinary water.” He continued, “Gaṅgā, the eldest daughter of Himavat, is the one in whom you must perform the water-rite for your ancestors. When Gaṅgā, the purifier of worlds, washes over these ashes, your sixty thousand ancestors will attain the heavenly realm. Go now, fortunate one—gather the horse and complete the ancestral sacrifice.” Hearing Suparṇa’s words, Aṃśumān, radiant and powerful, quickly took the sacrificial horse and returned to the place of the great ascetic. There, he approached the consecrated King Sagara and reported all that had occurred, including the words of Suparṇa. Upon hearing these dreadful tidings from Aṃśumān, Sagara completed the sacrifice according to all the prescribed rites and procedures. The illustrious king, having fulfilled his sacred vow, returned to his city. Yet, regarding the descent of Gaṅgā to sanctify the ashes of his sons, he found no solution. Without achieving this final resolution, the great king Sagara ruled for thirty thousand years before departing for heaven in due course. When Sagara passed away according to the law of time, the people chose Aṃśumān—supremely righteous and noble—as their king. This Aṃśumān was exceedingly great, and his illustrious son was Dilīpa. After entrusting the kingdom to Dilīpa, Aṃśumān undertook severe austerities on the beautiful peak of the Himalaya. There, dwelling among ascetics for thirty-two thousand years, the famed king attained heaven, enriched by the merit of his penance. Dilīpa, endowed with great energy, was deeply grieved upon learning of his ancestors’ destruction and could not find a way to deliver them. He pondered: “How might the descent of Gaṅgā be accomplished? How could I perform the funeral rites with water for them? How may I deliver them?” Absorbed in such thoughts, yet steadfast in righteousness and self-control, Dilīpa was blessed with a supremely virtuous son named Bhagīratha. Dilīpa, resplendent and devoted to sacrifice, ruled the kingdom for thirty thousand years. Yet, despite all his efforts, he found no resolution for his ancestors’ deliverance. Overtaken by disease, he departed this world in accordance with the law of time, but by his accumulated merit, he ascended to the world of Indra, having anointed his son Bhagīratha as king. Bhagīratha, the royal sage and righteous king, was without offspring but earnestly desired progeny and the welfare of his people. Entrusting the kingdom to his ministers, he became intent on bringing down the sacred Gaṅgā. Journeying to Gokarna, he undertook severe austerities. With arms raised, practicing the fivefold penance, subsisting on food once a month, and mastering his senses, he stood in terrible penance for a thousand years. O mighty-armed one, when that great-souled king’s austerities were complete, the blessed Lord Brahmā, master and ruler of all beings, was greatly pleased. He appeared before Bhagīratha and said, “O King, I am pleased with you. Because of your well-performed austerity, choose a boon, O steadfast one.” Standing with joined palms, radiant Bhagīratha, mighty of arm, addressed the Grandsire of all worlds, ready to make his humble request.