Shloka 60
Bhāgīratha’s Tapas and the Petition to Gaṅgā (गङ्गावतरण-प्रसङ्गः)
मूर्थ्नि तेनाप्युपाप्रातस्तस्मै सर्व न्यवेदयत् । यथा दृष्ट॑ श्रुते चापि सागराणां क्षयं तथा,“तात! महात्मा सगरका यज्ञ पूर्ण करो।” महात्मा कपिलके ऐसा कहनेपर अंशुमान् उस अश्वको लेकर महामना सगरके यज्ञमण्डपमें आये और उनके चरणोंमें प्रणाम करके उनसे सब समाचार निवेदन किया। सगरने भी स्नेहसे अंशुमान्का मस्तक सूँघा। अंशुमानने सगर- पुत्रोंका विनाश जैसा देखा और सुना था, वह सब बताया, साथ ही यह भी कहा कि *यज्ञिय अश्व यज्ञममण्डपमें आ गया है।” यह सुनकर राजा सगरने पुत्रोंके मरनेका दुःख त्याग दिया
mūrdhni tenāpy upāprātas tasmai sarvaṃ nyavedayat | yathā dṛṣṭaṃ śrutaṃ cāpi sāgarāṇāṃ kṣayaṃ tathā |
Having come to him, he bowed his head and reported everything in full. He recounted, exactly as he had seen and heard, the destruction of Sagara’s sons. He also conveyed that the sacrificial horse had been recovered and brought back to the place of the rite—so that Sagara might complete the yajña. Hearing this, King Sagara set aside his grief for his sons and turned his mind to the completion of the sacred duty.
सगर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights disciplined kingship: even amid personal loss, a ruler is expected to uphold dharma by completing rightful obligations (here, the yajña), while receiving truthful counsel delivered with humility and respect.
Aṃśumān returns to King Sagara, bows in reverence, and reports the fate of Sagara’s sons as he saw and heard it. He also announces the recovery and return of the sacrificial horse, enabling the completion of the sacrifice; Sagara then restrains his grief and focuses on finishing the rite.