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.
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तयोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भृगु: परमधार्मिक:। उवाच परमां वाणीं स्वच्छन्दोऽत्र विधीयताम्।।1.38.11।।
Meaning
Hearing their words, the greatly righteous Bhrigu spoke this supreme reply: let your own free choice decide this matter.
एको वंशकरो वाऽस्तु बहवो वा महाबला:। कीर्तिमन्तो महोत्साहा: का वा कं वरमिच्छति।।1.38.12।।
Meaning
Let one be the upholder of the lineage, or let there be many of great strength, renown, and enterprise; who desires which boon?
मुनेस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा केशिनी रघुनन्दन। पुत्रं वंशकरं राम जग्राह नृपसन्निधौ।।1.38.13।।
Meaning
Hearing the sage's word, delight of Raghu, Keshini, in the king's presence, chose the son who would uphold the lineage.
षष्ठिं पुत्रसहस्राणि सुपर्णभगिनी तदा। महोत्साहान् कीर्तिमतो जग्राह सुमति: सुतान्।।1.38.14।।
Meaning
Then Sumati, sister of Garuda, chose the sixty thousand sons of great enterprise and renown.
प्रदक्षिणमृषिं कृत्वा शिरसाऽभिप्रणम्य च। जगाम स्वपुरं राजा सभार्यो रघुनन्दन ।।1.38.15।।
Meaning
Delight of Raghu, having circumambulated the sage and bowed his head to him, the king returned to his own city with his wives.
अथ काले गते तस्मिन् ज्येष्ठा पुत्रं व्यजायत। असमञ्ज इति ख्यातं केशिनी सगरात्मजम्।।1.38.16।।
Meaning
After some time had passed, the elder queen gave birth to a son, known as Asamanja, Keshini's child by Sagara.
सुमतिस्तु नरव्याघ्र गर्भतुम्बं व्यजायत। षष्ठि: पुत्रसहस्राणि तुम्बभेदाद्विनि:सृता:।।1.38.17।।
Meaning
Tiger among men, Sumati gave birth to a gourd-like mass; when it split open, sixty thousand sons emerged from it.
घृतपूर्णेषु कुम्भेषु धात्र्यस्तान् समवर्धयन्। कालेन महता सर्वे यौवनं प्रतिपेदिरे।।1.38.18।।
Meaning
The nurses raised them all in jars filled with ghee, and after a long time all of them attained youth.
अथ दीर्घेण कालेन रूपयौवनशालिन:। षष्टि: पुत्रसहस्राणि सगरस्याभवंस्तदा।।1.38.19।।
Meaning
After a long time, Sagara's sixty thousand sons became youths, endowed with beauty and vigor.
स च ज्येष्ठो नरश्रेष्ठ सगरस्यात्मसम्भव:। बालान् गृहीत्वा तु जले सरय्वा रघुनन्दन।।1.38.20।। प्रक्षिप्य प्रहसन्नित्यं मज्जतस्तान् समीक्ष्य वै।
Meaning
Best of men, delight of Raghu, that eldest son of Sagara used to seize children and cast them into the waters of the Sarayu, laughing as he watched them drown.