There, at that sacred place, a great ascetic, engaged in supreme austerity, beheld the Ganga herself. Deeply pleased by her radiant presence, O delight of the Raghu lineage, he rejoiced at this divine vision. Then, Lord Hara—Shiva—released the Ganga toward the lake called Bindusaras, and as she was set free, seven mighty streams emerged from her flow. Three of these auspicious streams—Hladini, Pavani, and Nalini—flowed eastward, carrying with them the blessings of Shiva. The other three, Suchakshu, Sita, and the great river Sindhu, journeyed toward the west. The seventh stream, however, faithfully followed behind Bhagiratha’s chariot. Bhagiratha, the royal sage, ascended his celestial vehicle, and Ganga, the mighty river, swept ahead of him, descending from the heavens, from the very crown of Shiva, down to the earth below. As she cascaded down, the waters of Ganga thundered with a fierce, resounding noise, teeming with crowds of fish, turtles, and playful dolphins. The earth shone brilliantly as her waters landed, and hosts of divine sages, Gandharvas, Yakshas, and Siddhas gathered together, drawn by this wondrous descent. From the sky to the earth, they watched as Ganga poured down, and the heavens were filled with flying palaces shaped like cities, adorned with horses and noble elephants. The gods, stationed there, moved about in boats, marveling at this supreme, miraculous descent of Ganga into the world. All the gods, immeasurably powerful, gathered together, eager to witness this sight; their ornaments gleamed as they soared through the air. The sky itself shone like a hundred suns, filled with clouds and alive with dolphins, serpents, and restless fish. Lightning flashed across the heavens, and the pale, surging waters of Ganga spread out in thousands of streams. Like clouds of autumn, flocks of swans drifted in the sky, and the river, at times, rushed swiftly, at times wound crookedly, and at times stretched broadly across the land. In some places, she surged upward with force; in others, she moved gently and slowly, and at times, her waters clashed and danced together. Again and again, her waves would rise high, only to fall back to earth. The waters that fell from Shankara’s head tumbled down and blessed the ground. These pure, cleansed waters shone with dazzling brilliance, and the sages and Gandharvas dwelling on earth gathered to touch the sacred flow that had fallen from Bhava’s body. Those who had once fallen from the sky to earth by a curse now performed ablutions in these holy waters; their impurities washed away, their sins cleansed, they became filled with auspiciousness. Freed from their burdens, they rose again to the heavens and returned to their own worlds, while all the people rejoiced, delighted by the radiant waters of Ganga. Those who bathed in her became purified, and Bhagiratha, the royal sage, once again mounted his divine chariot. The great king proceeded ahead, and the glorious Ganga followed behind him. All the gods, sages, Daityas, Danavas, Rakshasas, foremost Gandharvas and Yakshas, Kinnaras, great serpents, and all the Apsarases—O Rama—joined the procession, following behind Bhagiratha’s chariot. All the creatures of the water, pleased and joyful, followed Ganga as she flowed. Wherever King Bhagiratha went, there, too, went the radiant Ganga, the best of rivers and destroyer of all sins. In her course, she reached the sacrificial ground of the sage Jahnu, renowned for his wondrous rites. There, Ganga’s waters flooded the sage’s sacrificial ground. Perceiving her impetuousness, Jahnu became angry, O Raghava, and in a feat of extraordinary power, he drank up all the waters of Ganga. The gods, Gandharvas, and sages were astonished at this marvel. They honored the great-souled Jahnu, the best of men, and beseeched him to accept Ganga as his daughter. Pleased by their prayers, the radiant sage released Ganga from his ears; thus, she came to be known as the daughter of Jahnu, and is also called Jahnavi. Ganga once again followed Bhagiratha’s chariot, and the foremost of rivers at last reached the ocean. There, to fulfill the purpose of Bhagiratha’s deed, she entered the netherworld, and the royal sage carefully guided her. He beheld his ancestors, reduced to ashes and bereft of consciousness. With the sanctified waters of Ganga, he washed the heap of ashes, and, purified of their sins, his ancestors attained heaven, O best of the Raghu line. Having followed the course of the Ganga, the king reached the ocean and entered the depths of the earth, where the ashes of his ancestors lay. As the ashes were immersed in the sacred waters of Ganga, Brahma, lord of all worlds, appeared and spoke to Bhagiratha: “O tiger among men, the sixty thousand sons of the great Sagara have been delivered and have ascended to heaven like the gods. As long as the waters of the ocean endure in this world, O king, so long shall the sons of Sagara remain in heaven, like the gods. And this Ganga shall be your eldest daughter; by your deed, she will be celebrated in the world by your name. The divine Ganga is known as Tripathaga, for she traverses three paths, and she is also called Bhagirathi, bearing your name. You, O king of men, are the ancestor of all the forefathers here. Now, perform the water-rite and fulfill your vow.” Thus, through Bhagiratha’s devotion and the descent of Ganga, the ancestors were redeemed, and the river became a source of holiness for all the worlds.