लोमश उवाच तानुवाच समेतांस्तु ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः। गच्छध्वं विबुधाः सर्वे यथाकामं यथेप्सितम्॥
Lomasha said: The Grandsire of creatures Brahma thus spoke to the assembly (of celestials) “O gods, go wherever you like and desire to go.
महता कालयोगेन प्रकृतिं यास्यतेऽर्णवः। ज्ञातीश्च कारणं कृत्वा महाराजो भगीरथः॥ पूरयिष्यति तोयौघैः समुद्र निधिमम्भसाम्।
A very long time must pass before the ocean would be able to resume its natural state by making the relatives of the great king Bhagiratha as its cause."
पितामहवचः श्रुत्वा सर्वे विबुधसत्तमाः। कालयोगं प्रतीक्षन्तो जग्मुश्चापि यथागतम्॥
Having heard the words of the Grandsire, all those foremost of celestials went away where they liked and they waited for the time (when the ocean would be refilled).
युधिष्ठिर उवाच कथं वै ज्ञातयो ब्रह्मन् कारणं चात्र किं मुने। कथं समुद्रः पूर्णश्च भगीरथप्रतिश्रयात्॥
Yudhishthira said : O Brahmana, O Rishi, why and how did the relations (of Bhagiratha) become the cause (of refilling the ocean)? How was the ocean refilled by the interference of Bhagiratha?
एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं विस्तरेण तपोधन। कथ्यमानं त्वया विप्र राज्ञां चरितमुत्तमम्॥
O ascetic, O Brahmana, I desire to hear all this in detail, the excellent history of that king (Bhagiratha) narrated by you.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु विप्रेन्द्रोधर्मराज्ञा महात्मना। कथयामास माहात्म्यं सगरस्य महात्मनाः॥
Vaishampayana said : Having been thus addressed by the highsouled Dharmaraja, Yudhishthira, that foremost of Brahmanas narrated the glory of the illustrious Sagara.
लोमश उवाच इक्ष्वाकूणां कुले जातः सगरो नाम पार्थिवः। रूपसत्त्वबलोपेतः स चापुत्रः प्रतापवान्॥
Lomasha said: In the race of the Ikshvaku there was born a king, named Sagara, possessing beauty of person and prowess. That mighty king was son-less.
स हैहयान् समुत्साद्य तालजङ्घांश्च भारत। वशे च कृत्वा राजन्यान् स्वराज्यमन्वशासत॥
O descendant of Bharata, exterminating the Haihayas and Talrangas and subjugating many kings, he ruled over his own kingdom.
तस्य भार्ये त्वभवतां रूपयौवनदर्पिते। वैदर्भी भरतश्रेष्ठ शैब्या च भरतर्षभ॥
O best of the Bharata race, he had two wives, proud of their beauty and of their youth, one a princess of Vaidarbhi and the other a princess of Shaibya.
स पुत्रकामो नृपतिस्तप्यते स्म महत्तपः। पत्नीभ्यां सह राजेन्द्र कैलासं गिरिमाश्रितः॥
O king of kings, desiring to get a son, that king practised great austerities with his two wives on the Kailasa mountain.
स तप्यमानः सुमहत् तपो योगसमन्वितः। आससाद महात्मानं त्र्यक्षं त्रिपुरमर्दनम्॥ शंकरं भवमीशानं शूलपाणिं पिनाकिनम्। त्र्यम्बकं शिवमुग्रेशं बहुरूपमुमापतिम्॥
Being engaged in great austerities and in Yoga and in contemplation, he saw the illustrious three-eyed deity, the chastiser of Tripura, Shankara, Bhava, Ishana, Pinaki, Shulapani, Traymbaka, Shiva, Ugresha of many forms, the husband of Uma.
स तं दृष्ट्वैव वरदं पत्नीभ्यां सहितो नृपः। प्रणिपत्य महाबाहुः पुत्रार्थे समयाचत॥ तं प्रीतिमान् हरः प्राह सभार्यं नृपसत्तमम्। यस्मिन् वृतो मुहूर्तेऽहं त्वयेह नृपते वरम्॥
As soon as he saw that giver of boons, that mighty-armed king bowed to him along with his two wives and prayed for a son. Hara (Shiva) being pleased said to that best of kings with his wives. “O king, considering the moment in which you have asked the boon.
षष्टिः पुत्रसहस्राणि शूराः परमदर्पिताः। एकस्यां सम्भविष्यन्ति पल्यां नरवरोत्तम॥ ते चैव सर्वे सहिताः क्षयं यास्यन्ति पार्थिव। एको वंशधरः शूर एकस्यां सम्भविष्यति॥
O foremost of men, sixty thousand heroic and proud sons will be born in one of your two wives. O ruler of men, they will all together meet with destruction. In the other wife will be born a heroic son who will perpetuate your race."
एवमुक्त्वा तु तं रुद्रस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत। स चापि सगरो राजा जगाम स्वं निवेशनम्॥
Having said this, Rudra (Shiva) then and there disappeared. The king Sagara also went back to his own abode.
पत्नीभ्यां सहितस्तत्र सोऽतिहृष्टमनास्तदा। तस्य ते मनुजश्रेष्ठ भार्ये कमललोचने॥ वैदर्भी चैव शैब्या च गर्भिण्यौ सम्बभूवतुः। ततः कालेन वैदर्भी गर्भालावं व्यजायत॥
Accompanied by his two wives who were exceedingly glad at heart. O foremost of men, he returned' home. His two lotus-eyed wives, the princesses of Vaidarbhi and of Shaibya conceived. In due time, the Vidarbha princess gave birth to a gourd.
शैब्या च सुषुवे पुत्रं कुमारं देवरूपिणम्। तदालावू समुत्स्रष्टुं मनश्चक्रे स पार्थिवः॥
The princess of Shaibya gave birth to a son as handsome as a celestials. That king then thought of throwing away the gourd.
अथान्तरिक्षाच्छुश्राव वाचं गम्भीर निःस्वनाम्। राजन् मा साहसं कार्षीः पुत्रान् न त्यक्तुमर्हसि॥
But he heard a voice in the sky uttered in a grave and solcinn voice; it said "O king, do not be guilty of this hasty acts. You should not abandon your sons.
अलावुमध्यान्निष्कृष्य बीजं यलेन गोप्यताम्। सोपस्वेदेषु पात्रेषु घृतपूर्णेषु भागशः॥
Take out the seeds from the gourd and let inem be preserved with care in họt vessels partly filled with Ghee.
ततः पुत्रसहस्राणि षष्टिं प्राप्स्यसि पार्थिव। महादेवेन दिष्टं ते पुत्रजन्म नराधिप। अनेन क्रमयोगेन मा ते बुद्धिरतोऽन्यथा।॥
O descendant of Bharata, you will then get sixty thousand sons in this manner. Let not your mind be diverted.