Gangasagar Story
One of the legends
associated with the life of Kapil Muni talks about the times when the
Suryavanshi King Sagar had planned the Ashwamedha Yagna. When Indra came to
know about the yagna, he was desperate to stop the same and thus stole King
Sagar's sacrificial horse and hid it near Kapil Muni's ashram in Gangasagar.
When King Sagar's 60,000 sons were sent out to find and bring the horse back,
they spotted the horse near the Ashram. They accused Kapil Muni of stealing
their horse so as to stop their father from performing the Yagna. The Muni in
the fit of rage, for being falsely accused, used his powers and burnt all
60,000 princes to ashes. On hearing about the slaying of all his sons, King
Sagar rushed his grandson Anshuman to Kapil Muni's ashram who begged before the
muni asking him the way to bring his uncles back to life. Although willing to
help the muni told Anshuman that only when the ashes of his uncles charred
bodies are immersed in the holy water of Ganga (Nirvapanjali) that the souls of
his uncles can be ascended to heaven. The legend further mentions that none of
King Sagar's descendants before Bhagirath's (great great grandson of King
Sagar) were successful in bringing the Ganga down to Earth.
Bhagirath with his
unending perseverance was able to please Lord Shiva and convince him to make
Ganga descend to Prithvilok.
