Thus, when the great king Sagara had spoken, the radiant and noble Aṃśumān, his grandson, swiftly took up his bow and sword. With light and determined steps, he set out on his quest, entering the vast subterranean passage that had been excavated by his mighty ancestors at the king’s command. This path, carved through the earth by those illustrious souls, led Aṃśumān deep below, where few mortals had ever ventured. As he journeyed, gods, demons, yakshas, spirits, birds, and serpents all honored him, recognizing his courage and lineage. Soon, Aṃśumān beheld the mighty elephant who supports one of the directions of the world. With reverence, he circled the great elephant, respectfully inquired about its well-being, and then questioned both his ancestors and the mysterious horse-thief. Hearing his earnest words, the wise and great-minded elephant spoke gently: “Āsamañja’s son, your purpose will be fulfilled. You shall soon return together with the sacrificial horse.” Encouraged, Aṃśumān proceeded to visit each of the elephants guarding the directions, honoring each in turn and asking his questions according to proper order. All the guardians of the directions, skilled in speech and wisdom, honored him and assured him, “You will return with the horse.” With their words in his heart, the swift-footed prince pressed on until he reached the place where the Sagaras—his ancestors—had been reduced to heaps of ashes. There, overwhelmed with grief and distress at their tragic fate, Aṃśumān cried out in sorrow, mourning the loss of so many royal sons. Not far from this sorrowful scene, he saw the sacrificial horse wandering. Though his heart was heavy, Aṃśumān, desiring to perform the water-rite for his departed ancestors, searched for water but found no reservoir anywhere. As he cast his keen gaze about, he saw the king of birds, Suparṇa—Garuda—swift as the wind and the maternal uncle of his ancestors. The mighty Vainateya, Garuda, spoke kindly to Aṃśumān: “Do not grieve, tiger among men. The world accepts such destinies. These mighty ones were burned by the immeasurable sage Kapila; you should not offer them ordinary water, O wise one. Instead, you must perform their water-rites with the sacred Gaṅgā, eldest daughter of Himavat. When Gaṅgā, purifier of worlds, washes over these ashes, all sixty thousand sons will attain the heavenly realm. Go now, gather the horse, and complete the ancestral sacrifice, O best of men.” Hearing these words of Suparṇa, the radiant and powerful Aṃśumān quickly took the horse and returned to the great ascetic king Sagara. Approaching the consecrated king, Aṃśumān reported all that had transpired, including the message of Suparṇa. Upon hearing these dreadful tidings from Aṃśumān, the king completed the sacrifice with all the prescribed rites and procedures. Having performed the great sacrifice, the illustrious Sagara returned to his city, yet he found no means to bring Gaṅgā down to earth, and thus could not fulfill the deliverance of his sons. Without resolving this sorrow, the great king ruled for thirty thousand years before departing to heaven in due time. Now, listen further. When Sagara ascended to heaven according to the law of time, the people chose Aṃśumān, who was supremely righteous, to be their king. Aṃśumān was a ruler of great renown, and his illustrious son was named Dilīpa. Entrusting the kingdom to Dilīpa, Aṃśumān set out to perform severe austerities upon the beautiful peak of the Himalayas. There, in the forest of ascetics, he dwelled for thirty-two thousand years, enriching himself with penance until he too attained heaven. Dilīpa, endowed with great energy, learned of his ancestors’ destruction and was overcome by grief, unable to find a solution. He pondered deeply: “How might I bring down the Gaṅgā? How can I perform the water-rites for my ancestors? How may I deliver them?” Thus, he was absorbed in constant thought. While Dilīpa, ever self-controlled and devoted to righteousness, pondered these matters, a son was born to him—Bhagīratha, supremely virtuous. Dilīpa, of great splendor, performed many sacrifices and ruled the kingdom for thirty thousand years. Yet, even after all this, he could not achieve the deliverance of his ancestors. Overtaken by disease, the king met his end according to the law of time, and by his merit ascended to the world of Indra, having anointed his son Bhagīratha as king. Bhagīratha, the royal sage, was a righteous king but had no offspring. Desiring both progeny and the deliverance of his ancestors, he entrusted the kingdom to his ministers and set out with unwavering resolve to bring down the Gaṅgā. At Gokarna, he undertook long and arduous austerities, standing with arms raised, practicing the fivefold penance, subsisting on food taken only once a month, and mastering his senses. For a thousand years, he stood in terrible penance. At last, O mighty-armed one, when Bhagīratha’s great austerities were complete, the blessed Lord Brahmā, master and ruler of all beings, was greatly pleased. The Grandsire appeared and said, “O King Bhagīratha, I am pleased with you. By your well-performed austerity, choose a boon, steadfast one.” Standing with joined palms, radiant and mighty-armed, Bhagīratha addressed Lord Brahmā: “If the Blessed One is truly pleased with me, if my austerity has borne fruit, may all the sons of Sagara receive water from me.