after a hundred years' severe austerities, r>hrigu, the saint, bcL-anie favorable to his wishes, and granted him posterity. Kesini bore liim a son, -who was named Asanianjas, and Sumati brought forth a gourd, wlience sprang 60,000 sons, who in time became as many he- roes. Asanianjas, however, in growing up, was ad- dicted to cruel practices, and was therefore banished by his father from tlie kingdom. His son was Ansu- mat, who thus became heir to the throne of Aj-odhj'a. Now it happened that Sagara resolved to perform a great horsc-sacritice ; and, in accordance with the sa- cred law, chose for this purpose a beautiful horse, which lie confided to the care of Ansumat. But while the latter was engaged in the initiator}- rites of the sacri- fice, a huge serpent emerged from the soil, and carried off the horse to the infernal regions. Thereupon Sa- gara, being informed of the obstruction which had be- fallen his pious undertaking, ordered his G0,000 sons to recover the horse from the subterranean robber. These then set to work, digging the earth, and strik- ing terror into all creation. Having explored, for many years, tlie infernal regions, they at last found the sacred horse grazing, and watched by a fiery saint, in whom they recognised the serpent, the cause of their troubles. Enraged, they attacked him ; but the saint, wlio was no other being than Vishnu, at once re- duced them to ashes. Waiting in vain for the return of his sons, Sagara sent his grandson, Ansumat, in search of them and the sacred horse. Ansumat Tyent, and soon ascertained the fate of his relatives ; but when — mindful of his duties — he wished to sprinkle consecrated water on their ashes, so as to enable their souls to rise to heaven, Garuda, the bird of Vishnu, and brother of Sumati, came in sight, and told Ansu- mat tliat it was improper to use terrestrial water for such a lil)ation, and that he ought to provide the wa- ter of the Gaiiga, the heavenly daiighter of Ilimavat (the Himalaya). Ansumat, bowing to the behest of the king of birds, went home with the horse to Sagara; and the sacrifice being achieved, Sagara strove to cause the descent of the Ganga, but all his devices remained fruitless; and, after 30,000 years, he went to heaven. Nor was Ansumat more successful in his attempt with the austerities he performed for the same purpose, nor his son Dwilipa, who, obeying the law of time, after 30,000 years, Avent to the lieaven of Indra. Dwilipa had obtained a son, named Bhagiratha. He, too, was eager to obtain the descent of the Ganga ; and having completed a course of severe austerities, he obtained the favor of Brahman, who told him he Avould yield to liis prayers provided that Siva consented to receive the sacred river on his head, as the earth would be too feeble to bear its fall when coming from heaven. And now Bhagiratha recommenced his penance, until Siva consented, and told the Ganga to descend from heaven. The river obeyed ; but, enraged at his command, she assumed a form of immense size, and increased her ce- lerity, thinking tlius to carry him off to the infernal regions. Yet the god, becoming aware of lier inten- tions, caught and entangled her in his matted hair, out of whicli she could find no means of extricating her- self, though erring there for many A'ears. Nor would she iiavc l)ecn released had not Bhagiratha, bj^ his re- newed penance, appeased the god, who then allowed her to descend from his head in seven streams — Hla- dini, I'avini, and Nalini, which went eastwards; and Situ, Suchakshus, and Sindhu, which went westwards, while the seventh stream followed Biiagiratha wherev- er he proceeded. But it so happened that the king, on his journey, passed by tlie hermitage of an irascible saint, whose name was .lahnu. The latter, seeing the Ganga overflooding in her arrogance the precincts of his sacrificial spot, and destroying his sacred vessels, became impatient, and drank up all her waters-; there- upon all the gods became terrified, and promised him that, in future, the Ganga, would pay him filial respect, and become his daughter, if he would restore her again
to existence. Quieted by this promise, Jahnu then al- lowed her to flow out from his ear, and therefore she is still called Jalinavi, or the daughter of Jahnu. But, because Bhagiratha, by dint of his exertions, enabled his ancestors, now sprinkled with the waters of the Ganga, to ascend to heaven. Brahman allowed him to consider her as his daughter, whence she is called Bha- girathi. And she is also called the river of ' the three paths,' because her waters flow in heaven, on earth, and pervaded the suliterranean regions. Such is the account of the Rihndyuna, and its substance is repeated Ijy the Mahdbhdrata and several of the Puriinas, though they differ in the names of the streams formed in her de- scent by the Gangii, some (for instance, the Vishnu- and Vdyu-Purdiiu') restricting their number from seven to four, called by the Vishnu-Purdna Sita, Alakananda, Chakshu, and Bhadra. A further deviation may be seen in that, while in the Rdmdyana the Ganga springs from the Himavat (Hiinalaj-a), whoso daughter she is, the Vishnu-Purdna assigns her source to the nail of the great toe of Vishnu's left foot, and allows Siva merely to receive her on his head. The following passage from this Puriina will show the ideas on the history and the properties of this river : ' From that third region of the atmosphere, or seat of Vishnu, pro- ceeds the stream that washes away all sin, the river Ganga, embrowned with the unguents of the nymphs of heaven, who have sported in her waters. Having her source in the nail of the great toe of Vishnu's left foot, Dhruva (Siva) reverses her, and sustains her day and night devoutly on his head, and thence the seven Eishis practice the exercises of austerity in her waters, wreathing their braided locks with her waves. The orb of the moon, encompassed by her accumulated cur- rent, derives augmented lustre from her contact. This applies to the heavenly Ganges. Falling from on high, as she issues from the moon she alights on the summit of Meru, and thence flows to the four cjuarters of the earth for its purification. The Sita, Alakananda, Chak- shu, and Bhadra, arc four branches of but one river, divided according to the regions towards which it pro- ceeds. The branch fhat is known as Alkananda was borne affectionately by Siva upon his head for more than a hundred years, and was the river which raised to heaven the sinful sons of Sagara by washing their ash- es. The offences of any man who bathes in this river are immediately expiated, and unprecedented virtue is engendered. Its waters, offered bj' sons to their an- cestors in faith for three years, yield to the latter rare- ly attainable gratification. Men of the twice-born orders, who offer sacrifice in this river to the lord of sacrifice, Pumshottama, obtain whatever they desire, either here or in heaven. Saints who are purified from all evil bv bathing in its waters, and whose minds are intent on Kesava (Vishnu), accjuire thereby final liberation. This sacred stream, heard of, desired, seen, touched, bathed in, or hymned day by day, sanctilies all beings ; and those who, even at a distance of a hun- dred leagues, exclaim " Ganga, Ganga," atone for the sins committed during three previous lives' " (Cham- bers, s. v.).