Ganga-Janma ki Katha

Rishi Vishvamitra ne kaha, “Vats Ram! tumhari hi tarah Ayodhyapuri men Sagar nam ke ek raja the. Ve putraviheen the. Sagar ki patrani ka nam keshini tha jo ki vidarbh prant ke raja ki putri thi. Keshini roopvati, dharmatma aur satyaparayan thi. Sagar ki doosari rani, jo raja Arishtnemi ki kanya thi, ka nam sumati tha. Maharaj Sagar apani donon raniyon ko lekar Himalay ke Bhriguprasavan namak prant men gaye aur putra prapti ke liye tapasya karane lage. Unki tapasya se maharshi Bhrigu prasanna huye aur unhen var diya ki tumhen anek putron ki prapti hogi. Donon raniyon men se ek ka kewal ek hi putra hoga jo ki vansh ko badhayega aur doosari rani ke sath hajar putra honge. Kaun si rani kitane putra chahati hai isaka nirnay ve apas men milkar kar len. Keshini ne vansh ko badhane wale ek putra ki kamna ki aur Garuda ki bhagini Sumati ne sath hajar balwan putron ki.
“Kuchh kal ke pashchat rani Keshini ne Asamanj namak putra ko janm diya. Rani Sumati ke garbh se ek tumba nikala jise fodane par chhote-chhote sath hajar putra nikale. Un sabka palan-poshan ghee ke ghadon men rakh kar kiya gaya. Kalchakra vyatit hote gaya aur sabhi rajkumar yuva ho gaye. Sagar ka jyeshtha putra Asamanj bada durachari tha aur use nagar ke balakon ko saryu nadi men fenk kar unhen dubate huye dekhane men bada anand aata tha. Is durachari putra se dukhi hokar Sagar ne use apane rajya se nirvasit kar diya. Asamanj ke Anshuman nam ka ek putra tha. Anshuman atyant sadachari aur parakrami tha. Ek din raja Sagar ke man men ashvamedh yagya karvane ka vichar aaya. Sheeghra hi unhone apane is vichar ko karyarup men parinit kar diya.”
Ram ne rishi Vishvamitra se kaha, “Gurudev! meri ruchi apane poorvaj Sagar ki yagya gatha ko vistarpurvak sunane men hai. Atah kripa karke is vrittant ko pura-pura sunaiye.”
Ram ke is prakar se jigyasa vyakt karane par rishi Vishvamitra prasanna hokar kahane lage, “Raja Sagar ne Himalay evam Vindhyachal ke beech ki haritimayukt bhoomi par ek vishal yagya mandap ka nirman karvaya. Fir ashvamedh yagy ke liye shyamkarn ghoda chhodkar uski raksha ke liye parakrami anshuman ko sena ke sath uske pichhe bhej diya. Yagya ki sambhavit safalta ke parinam ki ashanka se bhayabhit hokar Indra ne ek rakshas ka rup dharan kiya aur us ghode ko chura liya. Ghode ki chori ki suchana pakar Sagar ne apane sath hajar putron ko agya di ki ghoda churane wale ko pakad kar ya mar kar ghoda vapas lao. Puri prithvi men khojane par bhi jab ghoda naheen mila to, is ashanka se ki kisi ne ghode ko tahkhane men na chhupa rakha ho, Sagar ke putron ne sampurna prithvi ko khodana arambh kar diya. Unke is kary se asankhya bhoomital nivasi prani mare gaye. Khodate-khodate ve Patal tak ja pahunche. Unke is nrishans kritya ke vishay men devataon ne Brahma ji ko bataya to Brahma ji ne kaha ki ye rajkumar krodh evam mad men andhe hokar aisa kar rahe hain. Prithvi ki raksha ka dayitva Kapil rishi par hai isliye ve is vishay me avashya hi kuchh na kuchh karenge. Puri prithvi ko khodane ke bad bhi jab ghoda aur usko churane vala chor naheen mila to nirash hokar rajkumaron ne iski suchan apane pita ko di. Kruddh Sagar ne adesh diya ki ghode ko Patal men jakar dhoondho. Patal men ghode ko khojate-khojate ve sanatan Vasudev Kapil ke ashram men pahunch gaye. Unhone dekha Kapildev tapasya men leen hain aur unheen ke pas yagya ka vah ghoda bandha hua hai. Unhone Kapil muni ko ghode ka chor samajh kar unke liye anek durvachan kahe aur unhen marne ke liye daude. Sagar ke putron ke in kukrityon se Kapil muni ki samadhi bhang ho gai. Unhone kruddh hokar Sagar ke un sabhi putron ko bhasm kar diya.”