Bhagīratha Brings Gaṅgā; Saudāsa’s Curse; Khaṭvāṅga’s Instant Renunciation
सा वै सप्त समा गर्भमबिभ्रन्न व्यजायत । जघ्नेऽश्मनोदरं तस्या: सोऽश्मकस्तेन कथ्यते ॥ ३९ ॥
sā vai sapta samā garbham abibhran na vyajāyata jaghne ’śmanodaraṁ tasyāḥ so ’śmakas tena kathyate
Dinala ni Madayanti ang bata sa kanyang sinapupunan sa loob ng pitong taon at hindi nanganak. Kaya't pinalo ni Vasistha ang kanyang tiyan ng bato, at pagkatapos ay ipinanganak ang bata. Dahil dito, ang bata ay nakilala bilang Asmaka.
Aśmaka is a king in the Ikṣvāku dynasty; this verse explains his birth and why he received the name Aśmaka.
Because he struck the stone (aśman) in his mother’s abdomen at birth; the name Aśmaka is linked to that event.
It shows how the Bhagavatam preserves sacred history with meaningful name-origins, encouraging students to study dharmic lineages with attention and reverence.