भगीरथस्तु राजर्षिर्धार्मिको रघुनंदन | अनपत्यो महाराजः प्रजाकामः स च प्रजाः || १-४२-११
Oh ! descendent of the Raghus, righteous Bhageeratha who was highly lustrous rajarshi was without sons. He was desirous of progeny but did not beget children. [1-42-11]
Oh ! Rama, the descendent of Raghu, king Bhageeratha, interested in the alighting of River Ganga on earth, delegated his kingdom and people to the custody of his ministers and firmed up himself in sustained asceticism on Mt. Gokarna in Himalayas. [1-42-12]
He practised ascesis standing amid five-fires, upraising his hands, with a monthly sustenance and with his sense conquered ( carried out panchatapa for a number of years ). While he ( Bhageeratha ) stood practising his severe ascesis, thousands of years..... - [1-42-13]
- had rolled by. Oh ! mighty-armed (Rama), then the lord and master of all beings, god Brahma, was well pleased with that great-souled king's ascesis. [1-42-14]
Then forefather Brahma arrived along with assemblages of gods, and spoke this way to the great-souled Bhageeratha who was deep in the practise of ascesis. [1-42-15]