Mb044. Bhagiratha Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

MAHABHARATA

The story of Bhagiratha,
How he brought Ganga,
Heard the pilgrim Yudhishthira,
From the sage Romasa.

Sixteen year old Bhagiratha,
The youngest king of Kosala.
He was brought up by his mother.
As a child he lost his father.

Many days he had in mind,
The secret of Sagara to find?
His mother told the story
Of Sagara and his glory.

The Kosala King Sagara,
A performer of not one yaga,
Did Ashwamedha yagas ninetynine
To become emperor number one.

He had sixty thousand sons.
They were all blessed ones,
From the sage Bhrigu's boon,
When the king prayed for one.

Marched a horse in this yaga,
Followed by the sons of Sagara.
From kings who gave up fight,
He collected royalty as a right.

He claimed his role as an emperor,
It made him an all time superior.
No king had enough courage,
To face him and challenge.

Hundred yagas performed by one,
He would gain Indra's position.
When the hundredth Yaga was on,
Indra came there for obstruction.

The horse he stole unseen
By his sons or else anyone.
In Patala deep under ground
He took and had it bound.

Indra tied up the horse,
In sage Kapila's premises.
Searching the world whole
They dug a wide-deep hole.

The horse they found,
Deep under the ground,
The sage was the culprit
What the sons thought?

They shouted at the sage,
Who went into a rage.
A spark from his eyes,
Burnt them into ashes.

The divine eagle, Garuda,
Once told his father, Dilipa
If Ganga was brought down,
They would reach the heaven.

After hearing this story,
Bhagiratha started to worry,
River Ganga from the heaven
How to bring her down?

He prayed to Lord Brahma,
Who agreed to send Ganga,
But out of fear the Lord told,
Her force would end this world.

He did severe penance,
For Lord Shiva's presence.
Ready to receive was Shiva,
Brahma sent down Ganga.

River Ganga came down in force
The Lord controlled its course,
Thru' the locks of His tresses,
And water flowed over the ashes.

Bhagiratha's great endeavors
In the end sent his ancestors
To their heavenly destination.
The world praised his determination.