Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 4
Mahārāja Sagara, Kapila Muni, and the Deliverance of the Sixty Thousand Sons
आज्ञायास्यै सपत्नीभिर्गरो दत्तोऽन्धसा सह । सह तेनैव सञ्जात: सगराख्यो महायशा: । सगरश्चक्रवर्त्यासीत् सागरो यत्सुतै: कृत: ॥ ४ ॥
ājñāyāsyai sapatnībhir garo datto ’ndhasā saha saha tenaiva sañjātaḥ sagarākhyo mahā-yaśāḥ sagaraś cakravarty āsīt sāgaro yat-sutaiḥ kṛtaḥ
Knowing that she was pregnant, the co-wives of the wife of Bāhuka conspired to give her poison with her food, but it did not act. Instead, the son was born along with the poison. Therefore he became famous as Sagara [“one who is born with poison”]. Sagara later became the emperor. The place known as Gaṅgāsāgara was excavated by his sons.
FAQs
This verse states that Sagara was born when his mother was secretly given the poison Gara by her co-wives—yet the poison itself became the cause of his birth and future fame.
The verse explains that the ocean came to be known as Sāgara because of King Sagara’s sons, whose actions led to the ocean being identified by his name.
It highlights how envy and harm intended by others can be overturned by providence, and encourages steadiness in adversity while avoiding jealousy and rivalry.