नारद उवाच भगीरथं च राजानं मृतं सृञ्जय शुश्रुम। येन भागीरथी गङ्गा चयनैः काञ्चनैश्चिता॥
Narada said () Srinjaya, we also heard that king Bhagiratha, fell a prey to death, Bhagiratha who caused the banks of Ganga-called Bhagirathi after him-to be covered with flights of golden steps.
यः सहस्रं सहस्राणां कन्या हेमविभूषिताः। राज्ञश्च राजपुत्रांश्च ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ह्यमन्यत॥
He gave away to Brahmanas, kings and princes, a thousand times thousand damsels, all adorned with ornaments of gold.
सर्वा रथगताः कन्या रथा: सर्वे चतुर्युजः। रथे रथे शतं नागाः सर्वे वै हेममालिनः॥
All those damsels were mounted on chariots; and to all the chariots were harnessed four steeds; and again every chariot was attended with a hundred elephants all decked with chains of gold.
सहस्रमश्वाश्चैकैकं गजाना पृष्ठतोऽन्वयुः। अश्वे अश्वे शतं गावो गवां पश्चादजाविकम्॥
A thousand horses followed each king and after each horse, came a hundred cows and after the cows came sheep and deer, countless in number.
तेनाक्रान्ता जलौघेन दक्षिणा भूयसीर्ददत्। उपहरेऽतिव्यथिता तस्याङ्के निषसाद ह॥
Bhagiratha gave away enormous gifts at his sacrifices in consequence of which, large used to be the concourse of people at them. Afflicted with the heavy burden of men, Ganga saying 'protect me', sat down upon his lap.
तथा भागीरथी गङ्गा उर्वशी चाभवत् पुरा। दुहितृत्वं गता राज्ञः पुत्रत्वमगमत् तदा॥
And because in the days of yore Ganga sat on his lap, she, like Urvashi, came to be regarded as his daughter and was named after him. Then having become the kings daughter, she became his son (i.e. she procured, like a son, the salvation of his ancestors).
तां तु गाथां जगुः प्रीता गन्धर्वाः सूर्यवर्चसः। पितृदेवमनुष्याणां शृण्वतां बल्गुवादिनः॥
Gandharvas of melodious voice and solar effulgence, greatly pleased, sang this song in the hearing of the anscertral manes, the celestials and the human beings.
भगीरथं यजमानमैक्ष्वाकुं भूरिदक्षिणम्। गङ्गा समुद्रगा देवी वने पितरमीश्वरम्॥
Thus, O Srinjaya, that Goddess namely the ocean-going Ganga, chose the Lord Bhagiratha that descendant of Ikshvaku, that performer of sacrifices with profuse gifts, to be her father.
तस्य सेन्द्रैः सुरगणैर्देवैर्यज्ञ: स्वलङ्कृतः। सम्यक्परिगृहीतश्च शान्तविघ्नो निरामयः॥
His sacrifices were always honoured by the presence of the celestials with Indra at their head. Removing all obstructions, the Gods used to appropriate their respective shares and to facilitate those sacrifices in every way.
यो य इच्छेत विप्रो वै यत्र यत्रात्मनः प्रियम्। भगीरथस्तदा प्रीतस्तत्र तत्राददद् वशी॥
That self-controlled king Bhagiratha highly pleased used to give to the Brahmanas all their objects of desire and all things that any one of the Brahmanas used to set his hcart upon.
नादेयं ब्राह्मणस्यासीद् यस्य यत्स्यात् प्रियं धनम्। सोऽपि विप्रप्रसादेन ब्रह्मलोकं गतो नृपः॥
He had nothing that he would have hesitated to give to the Brahmanas. Every one obtained from him everything he wanted; that king also, through the grace of the Brahmanas, ascended to regions of Brahma.
येन यातौ मखमुखौ दिशाशाविह पादपाः। तेनावस्थातुमिच्छन्ति तं गत्वा राजमीश्वरम्॥
For the self-same object for which the sages living on the rays of the sun, used to dance attendance upon the Sun, for that very object they used to wait upon the Lord Bhagiratha, that ornament of the three worlds.
स चेन्ममार सृञ्जय चतुर्भद्रतरस्त्वया। पुत्रात् पुण्यतरस्तुभ्यं मा पुत्रामनुतप्यथा:॥ अयज्वानमदाक्षिण्यमभि श्वैत्येत्युदाहरत्।
When, O Srinjaya, even such a king had to suffer death, who was superior to you in respect of the four cardinal virtues and consequently far superior to your son you should not lament for your son saying, 'Oh Shvaitya’-who did not perform any sacrifice or make any sacrificial gift.