Sarga 38: The Sons of Sagara
Sagara Putra Janma
King Sagara, childless despite two wives, receives Bhrigu's boon of one lineage-son and sixty thousand sons; Keshini bears Asamanja, Sumati bears the sixty thousand from a gourd; Asamanja is banished for cruelty, and Sagara resolves to perform a horse sacrifice.
Jump to a shloka · 24 in this sarga
तां कथां कौशिको रामे निवेद्य कुशिकात्मज:। पुनरेवापरं वाक्यं काकुत्स्थ मिदमब्रवीत्।।1.38.1।।
Meaning
Having related that story to Rama, Kaushika's son, the sage of Kusha's line, spoke yet another word to Kakutstha.
अयोध्याधिपति श्शूर: पूर्वमासीन्नराधिप:। सगरो नाम धर्मात्मा प्रजाकामस्स चाप्रज:।।1.38.2।।
Meaning
Long ago there was a brave king, lord of Ayodhya, righteous-souled, named Sagara, who longed for offspring yet had none.
वैदर्भदुहिता राम केशिनी नाम नामत:। ज्येष्ठा सगरपत्नी सा धर्मिष्ठा सत्यवादिनी।।1.38.3।।
Meaning
Rama, his elder queen was Keshini by name, daughter of Vidarbha, virtuous and devoted to truth.
अरिष्टनेमेर्दुहिता रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि। द्वितीया सगरस्यासीत्पत्नी सुमतिसंज्ञिता ।।1.38.4।।
Meaning
Sagara's second wife, unmatched in beauty on earth, was Sumati, daughter of Arishtanemi.
ताभ्यां सह महाराज: पत्नीभ्यां तप्तवांस्तप:। हिमवन्तं समासाद्य भृगुप्रस्रवणे गिरौ।।1.38.5।।
Meaning
With these two wives the great king performed austerity, having reached the Himalayas, on the mountain called Bhrigu-prasravana.
अथ वर्षशते पूर्णे तपसाऽराधितो मुनि:। सगराय वरं प्रादाद्भृगुस्सत्यवतां वर:।।1.38.6।।
Meaning
When a hundred years had passed, the sage Bhrigu, foremost among the truthful, pleased by his austerity, granted Sagara a boon.
अपत्यलाभस्सुमहान् भविष्यति तवानघ। कीर्तिं चाप्रतिमां लोके प्राप्स्यसे पुरुषर्षभ।।1.38.7।।
Meaning
Sinless one, you shall obtain a great abundance of offspring, and you, bull among men, shall attain unmatched renown in the world.
एका जनयिता तात पुत्रं वंशकरं तव। षष्ठिं पुत्रसहस्राणि अपरा जनयिष्यति।।1.38.8।।
Meaning
Dear one, one wife shall bear you a son who upholds your lineage; the other shall bear sixty thousand sons.
भाषमाणं महात्मानं राजपुत्र्यौ प्रसाद्य तम्। ऊचतु: परमप्रीते कृताञ्जलिपुटे तदा।।1.38.9।।
Meaning
As the great-souled one spoke thus, the two princesses, delighted, spoke to him with joined palms, seeking his favor.
एक: कस्यास्सुतो ब्रह्मन् का बहून् जनयिष्यति। श्रोतुमिच्छावहे ब्रह्मन् सत्यमस्तु वचस्तव।।1.38.10।।
Meaning
Brahman, which of us shall bear one son, and which shall bear many? We wish to hear this, Brahman; let your word prove true.