Overwhelmed by sorrow, the son of Asamañja cried out in anguish, deeply afflicted by the tragic loss of his kin. Nearby, the tiger among men—his heart heavy with grief—spotted the sacrificial horse wandering aimlessly. Wishing to honor the departed royal sons with the water-rite, the mighty prince searched for water but found no reservoir anywhere. Casting his sharp gaze around, he noticed Suparṇa, the king of birds, swift as the wind and maternal uncle to his ancestors, standing not far away. Vainateya, the mighty bird, spoke gently to him: “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. The eldest daughter of Himavat, the sacred Gaṅgā, is where you must perform the water-rite for your ancestors. When Gaṅgā, purifier of worlds, washes over these heaps of ashes, and the beloved river moistens them, all sixty thousand sons will attain the heavenly realm.” Suparṇa then urged him, “Go forth, O fortunate one. Gather the horse and complete the ancestral sacrifice, O hero.” Hearing these words, the radiant and exceedingly powerful prince quickly took the horse and returned to the great ascetic king. Approaching the consecrated sovereign, he recounted all that had transpired, including Suparṇa’s message. Upon hearing these dreadful words, the king performed the sacrifice according to the prescribed rites. Having completed the desired ritual, the illustrious king returned to his city. Yet, regarding the descent of Gaṅgā, he found no solution. Without achieving this resolution, the great king ruled for thirty thousand years and, in due course, departed for heaven. Listen now to the next chapter. When King Sagara passed away according to the law of time, the people chose Aṃśumān, supremely righteous, as their king. Aṃśumān was exceedingly great, and his renowned son was the illustrious Dilīpa. Entrusting the kingdom to Dilīpa, Aṃśumān withdrew to the beautiful peak of the Himalaya and performed severe austerities. Dwelling in the forest of ascetics for thirty-two thousand years, he attained heaven, enriched by his penance. Dilīpa, endowed with great energy, was overcome by grief upon hearing of his ancestors’ destruction and could not reach a decision. He pondered constantly: “How might the descent of Gaṅgā be accomplished? How could the funeral rites with water be performed for them? How might I deliver them?” While absorbed in these thoughts, being self-controlled and devoted to righteousness, a son named Bhagīratha, supremely virtuous, was born to him. Dilīpa, of great splendor, performed many sacrifices and ruled the kingdom for thirty thousand years. Yet, unable to find a solution for their deliverance, the king was overtaken by disease and met his end according to the law of time. By his accumulated merit, the king went to the world of Indra, having anointed his son Bhagīratha as king. Bhagīratha, the royal sage and righteous one, was a great king without offspring, yet desirous of progeny and subjects. Entrusting the kingdom to his ministers, he became intent on bringing down the Gaṅgā, and undertook long austerities at Gokarna. With arms raised, practicing the fivefold austerity, subsisting on food only once a month, and mastering his senses, he stood in terrible penance for a thousand years. When Bhagīratha’s great austerities had passed, the blessed Lord Brahmā, master and ruler of beings, was greatly pleased. He said, “O King Bhagīratha, I am pleased with you. By your well-performed austerity, choose a boon, O steadfast one.” Standing with joined palms, radiant Bhagīratha addressed the Grandsire: “If the Blessed One is pleased with me, if my austerity has borne fruit, may all the sons of Sagara receive water from me. May all those great souls, whose ashes are moistened by the waters of Gaṅgā, attain the highest heaven along with their ancestors. O god, I ask this for the sake of my lineage, so that our race does not perish; let this supreme boon be granted to me in the line of Ikshvaku, O Lord.” The Grandsire replied with auspicious and sweet words: “Great indeed is your desire, O Bhagiratha, mighty chariot-warrior. So let it be. Welfare be upon you, enhancer of the Ikshvaku line. This eldest daughter of the Himalaya, Gaṅgā, is to be sustained, O king; let Hara (Shiva) be appointed to bear her. The earth cannot endure the descent of Gaṅgā; I see no one but the trident-bearer fit to sustain her.” Having spoken thus to the king and addressed Gaṅgā, the creator of worlds departed to heaven with all the gods and hosts of Maruts. Thus ends the forty-second sarga in the Bālakāṇḍa of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, the first poem.