8 - The Glory of the Ganga (Contd.)

Sanaka said 

1. O leading sage! Thus, in the hermitage of Aurva, the two wives of Bahu continued to render services with the feeling of devotion, every day. 

2. O Brahmana! After the lapse of half the year, the elder queen became evil-minded towards the good fortune of her co-wife (since she was pregnant) 

3. Then poison was administered to the junior queen by the elder sinful lady.¹ But the poison was not effective, thanks to her service to the sage. 

1. According to BN. (Bruhan-Naradiya) Aurva had one queen only with whom he spent his exile. That queen was poisoned by his enemies (Haihayas and Talajanghas) and not by her cowife as in the NP. (BN.7.41-48). It was due to the merit accrued in the service of the sage Aurva, which did not kill her or the child in the embryo (BN.8.2-3).

4. As she served the sage very well by scrubbing and smearing the ground (with cowdung, etc.) and other activities, the poison became digested as the effect of her holy (meritorious) acts. 

5. After three more months, she, all of whose sins were wiped out due to her services (to the sage), gave birth to her son along with the poison, at a highly auspicious time. 

6. O! What sin in the world is there which association with righteous men does not destroy? What happiness does it not give unto the men of meritorious acts? 

7. Services rendered unto the noble-souled, immediately destroyed the sins committed knowingly or otherwise or those one is compelled to do by others. 

8. Even the dull attains to the state of being worshipped in this world, thanks to the association with the good, even as a digit of the moon when accepted (on his forehead) by god Shiva (became so to the world). 

9. O leading Brahmana! Indeed, association with the good always bestows on men the greatest prosperity, both here and hereafter. Hence good men are the worthiest to be worshipped. 

10. O leading sage! Who is competent to describe adequately the good qualities of the great? It was miraculous that the poison that was administered to the child in the womb became digested (and came out after) three months. 

11. On seeing the son born along with the poison, the sage, a receptacle of brilliance, performed the post-natal rites² and named the son Sagara³ (a child with the poison). 

2. Jatakarma --

The rites to be performed after the birth of a child. It is a very old rite, as it is mentioned in Tait. Sam.II.2.5.3-4. In Upanishadic times, it consisted of a homa, repeating thrice the word 'speech' in the child's car, making it lick curds, honey and ghee in a gold spoon, giving the child its secret name (namakarana), putting the child to the breast (by the mother), and addressing the mother with mantra. A great deal of these was dropped, and a variety of practices arose in the Gruhya-sutras and Smrutis. Now-a-days some ceremonies (with little connection with Gruhya-sutras) are performed on the 5th and 6th day after birth.

3. This is a popular etymology, but is supported by Bh.P. IX.8.4. The Sagara legend is very popular with Puranas, vide Va.P. 3.88.123-67; Br. P. III.Ch. s 47-55, Shiva P.-Uma samhita 38.29-57.

12. The child's mother brought up the boy Sagara with great affection. The prominent sage performed the rites of tonsure⁴ and the investiture with the sacred thread in the appropriate manner. 

4. Chaula or Chūdakarma 

The first cutting of the hair on the child's head. It is a rite the purpose of which is keeping a lock of hair. According to Gruhyasutras, it is to be performed in the third year from birth. After cutting the hair on an auspicious day, feeding of Brahmanas, receiving their benedictions, the cut hair is to be so disposed as nobody can find them.

13 & 14. Observing that Sagara had outgrown the stage of early childhood, and that he was very capable, the leader of sages who was a past master in the knowledge of mantras, taught him scriptures (science and arts) that were befitting and essential for kingship. He granted him mastery over (the use of weapons) and miraculous missiles along with the requisite mantras incantation of mystic formulae), Osage. Sagara was trained well by that sage Aurva. 

15. The virtuous Sagara became powerful, righteous, grateful and intelligent. He possessed all good qualities. Every day he brought sacrificial twigs, kusha grass, water, flowers, etc., for immense splendour. 

16. On one occasion Sagara, full of modesty, and store-house of good qualities, bowed down to his mother with palm joined in reverence and inquired. 

Sagara inquired 

17. “O mother! Where is my father? What is his name? In which family was he born? Kindly narrate to me all these details as I am interested in hearing about them. 

18-20. Those who are devoid of father in this world, are as good as dead ones, even though they may be alive. A person whose father is alive is comparable to Kubera, the lord of wealth, even though he may be indigent. He who is bereft of both father and mother has no happiness. Just as a foolish person devoid of virtues is censured both here and hereafter, so also futile is the life (lit. birth) of a parentless orphan, of an ignorant fellow, of a thoughtless person, of a childless man, and of one immersed in debt.⁵

5. Are subhashitas describing the greatness of one's father. 

21. Like a night devoid of the moon, like a lake devoid of lotuses and like a woman devoid of her husband is a boy without his father. 

22. A child without his father is like a creature without a virtue, or like a householder not practising holy religious rites or like a person from Vaishya community (whose main job is agriculture and tending of cows) without having any cattle or animals. 

23. A child without his father is like a statement devoid of truth, or like an assembly without good men or like a penance without (the sense of) mercifulness. 

24. A child without his father is like a forest without trees, or like a river devoid of water or a horse without quickness or speed. 

25. O mother! just as a man engaged in begging is considered despicable and wretched, so also a son without his father is overwhelmed by many miseries." 

26. Hearing what was so far spoken by her son, the poor miserable mother sighed deeply, and in reply to his questions, she narrated to him everything as it had taken place. 

27. On hearing it, Sagara flung into rage and with his eyes turned red due to fury, he immediately took the pledge: 'I shall kill the enemies one and all'. 

28. After circumambulating the sage Aurva and bowing down to his mother, he set out and was given a due send-off by the sage himself. 

29. Starting from the hermitage of Aurva, the pure and truthful Sagara approached with great pleasure Vasishtha,⁶ his family preceptor. 

6. Vasishtha--

Name of the family preceptor of Sagara and other kings of the solar race. There appear at least three different persons called Vasishtha: (1) The son of god Brahma, who died at the time of the destruction of Daksha’s sacrifice, (ü) Born from the sacrificial fire of god Brahma and died by king Nimi's curse, and (ii) Born from a pot by Mitråvaruna and a brother of the sage Agastya. In all these births the same woman-Arundhati-took new married him. It is difficult to say which of these Vasishthas composed or 'saw’ the Eighth Mandala of the Rugveda, who carried on a feud with Vishvamitra and who, after king Bähuka, carried on the struggle against the Talajanghas and inspired and helped Sagara to overthrow them. It seems to be a family of royal priests, loyal to kings of the solar race for many generations, and a variety of episodes in the life of these have clustered around Vasishtha as if he was a single individual.

30. He bowed down to Vasistha, his noble-souled preceptor. He reported to him everything, although the sage had known it all through his vision of knowledge. 

31. Prince Sagara acquired the miraculous missiles specially empowered by gods Indra, Varuna, Brahma and Agni, through that sage (Vasishtha). So also, he obtained from him a sword and a bow comparable to Indra's thunderbolt. 

32. Honoured by the blessings of the sage and permitted by him, Sagara paid respects to Vasishtha and started immediately. 

33. Only with his single bow, that heroic prince converted his enemies along with their sons, grandsons and followers into residents of the other world (i.e., slew them). 

34. His enemies were distressed by the fire generated from the arrows discharged from his bow. Some of them perished, while others became frightened and fled. 

35. Some of them lay dead on anthills with their hair dishevelled and scattered. Some of them ate grass. Even as they were naked some entered water (to hide themselves). 

36. In their ardent desire to save their lives the Shakas, the Yavanas as well as other kings immediately sought refuge in Vasishtha. 

37. Getting the intelligence through his spies, of the approach of his enemies to his preceptor, Bahu’s son, now the conqueror of the world, promptly came to the presence of his preceptor. 

38. On hearing that Bahu's son has arrived, Vasishtha reflected for a while as he wanted to save Bahu's enemies who had sought refuge in him and also to carry out what his disciple had conveyed to him. 

39. He made Shabaras⁷ shave off their heads and made Yavanas wear long tresses of hair. He made Andhras retain the moustaches but shave off their heads. All these were ex-communicated from the Vedic fold.

7. Out of these tribes, Shabaras were the aboriginal hill-tribe, Yavanas or the Ionians were Indo-Greeks who settled in the former NWF, province and adjoining areas, while Andhras & probably the Pkt. form of Andhras who were once beyond the border of Aryan India. Here their custom of cutting the hair and moustaches are recorded. Bh.P.IX.8 records the story of king Sagara and in verses 5B to 7A mentions Talajanghas, Yavanas, Shakas, Haihayas and Barbaras as the tribes subdued by king Sagara.

40. On seeing that they had been made no better than dead by sage Vasishtha, Sagara laughingly said to his preceptor, the store-house of penance.

Sagara said: 

41. “O Sir, in vain do you try to protect these wicked persons. By all means I shall see to it, that all these fellows who deprived my father of his ancestral land are killed. 

42-43. If in spite of being capable of annihilating the enemies of righteousness, one was to neglect them and look upon the entire world at first, as being one's relatives, he himself becomes the cause of total destruction. For those very wicked persons, if powerless, pretend (lit, outwardly resort to) extreme piety to be extremely righteous. 

44. Alas! All the (pseudo-) righteous acts (mentioned above) are done fraudulently to deceive others. The wicked ones are sinfully disposed by nature. So long as one's army is powerful, they behave and perform good acts or obey. 

45. A person who desires to gain his own ultimate good, should not believe in the assumption of the role of servants or slaves by the enemies, in the professions of loving friendliness of prostitutes and in the innocent appearance of serpents. 

46. Showing off their teeth, the wicked always indulge in jokes and pleasantries (while we are powerful). But when there is a reversal of one's power, they quickly show those very teeth (in a different way). 

47. Vile persons at first (while in power) speak stern and abusive language with their tongue. But when they become powerless, they use it to speak in extremely pitiable words. 

48. He who desires his welfare and he who is adept in treatises on polity, shall not believe in the outward goodness or (pseudd-) equability or equanimity of wicked persons. 

49. Undoubtedly, a person who believes in the following is no better than dead: —a wicked man who (outwardly) shows submission, a friend who indulges in roguery and a wife of evil unfaithful nature. 

50. Hence, verily, please do not afford protection to these persons who are like cows in (outward) appearance but are (cruel) like tigers in their deeds. After killing all these wicked persons, I shall rule over the earth with your grace". 

51. On hearing his words, Vasishtha, the excellent sage, was highly pleased with him. Stroking (patting) Sagara's body gently with his hands (to express his approbation), he spoke to him as follows:

Vasishtha said: 

52. “Well done! Well done! O blessed one. What you speak is the truth, O prince of noble rites. Still, you will attain great peace of mind by paying heed to my words. 

53. These persons who stood against your pledge have already been killed by me. Tell me, what fame can accrue to you by killing those who have already been killed? 

54. O Lord of the Earth, all creatures are fettered by shackles of their own actions. They are, however, already killed by their own sinful acts. Why do you kill them again? 

55. This is the decisive conclusion of all scriptures that the physical body produced by sins is already killed at the outset by those very sins, but the soul is impregnable because it is full and perfect. 

56. Creatures are but instruments in the enjoyment of fruits of their own actions. The karmas are the outcome or the result of Fate (lit. have the Fate as their root). The entire universe is subject to the control of Fate. 

57. Since Fate alone is the protector of the good and the chastiser of the wicked what is it that can be achieved by men who are not free (have no free will). Tell me. 

58. The physical body is born through sin and it functions through sin. Why did you attempt to kill even after knowing that all this is rooted in evil? 

59. Though the soul (atman) is pure, it is called the embodied one, by learned men, since it abides in the body. Hence, O king, there is no doubt in this that the physical body is rooted in evil. 

60. O son of Bahu, what renown can come to you by killing the body rooted in evil? Thinking decisively (on these lines) O son, do not do them to death”. 

61. On hearing these words of the preceptor, the prince refrained from his angry venture. The sage patted his son-like disciple with his hands and consoled him. 

62. Then (sage Vasishtha) expert in the Atharva Veda performed the coronation ceremony⁸ of the noble-souled Sagara with the co-operation of sages who were strict observers of religious vows. 

8. Royal coronation was a very important solemn ceremony. Different procedures of coronation are given in the Aitareya, Gopatha and Samavidhana Brahmanas and in Puranas like Brahma and Vishnudharmottara. The puranic procedures were probably meant for Sudra kings. The mediaeval writers tried for a synthesis of these procedures. For example, Rajaniti Prakasha states that following the dictum of Shabara on Jaimini II.4.9, the coronation rite should comprehend all the different items mentioned in several Vedic texts (if not contradictory to each other) or the royal priest should follow that which is nearest to his own branch of Veda. 

(tadevam yasya purohitasya sva-shakhavihitatvena yah pakshak samhitas tenaiva tenåbhishekah karyaḥ)

-Rajanitiprakasha, p. 112.

The last was the easiest solution of the problem. Descriptions of the various procedures of such coronation is beyond the scope of this note. 

As Vasishtha's expertise in the Atharva Veda is mentioned here. It appears that the author of NP. implies here the procedure of coronation laid down in the Gopatha Brahmana which belongs to the Atharva Veda and prescribes mantras from the Atharva Veda for the various acts prescribed in this ceremony. (For details see Rajanitiprakasha, pp. 42-43, Rajadharma Kaustubha, pp. 335-36).

63. He (Sagara) had two wives, Keshini and Sumati. They were the daughters of Vidarbha of Kåshyapa's family. 

64. Seeing that Sagara was well established in his kingdom the sage Aurva, the store-house of penance, came from the forest and after holding conversation with the king, returned to his hermitage. 

65. On one occasion the sage Aurva who knew the Bhargava mantra was requested by the two queens of that king. He granted them the boon of having children. 

66. The prominent sage, the knower of the past, the present and the future, remained in meditation for a moment. Giving delight to the queens Keshini and Sumati, he addressed them thus.

Aurva said: 

67. “One of you will give birth to a single son who will keep the continuity of your race. The other will give birth to sixty thousand sons O blessed ladies; choose either of the boons for the sake of having children. 

68. On hearing the words of the sage Aurva, O Narada, queen Keshini chose a single son who will be the cause of perpetuation of their family life. 

69. According to the boon sixty thousand sons were born of Sumati, O excellent sage, and the son of Keshini was Asamanjas by name. 

70. Asamanjas⁹ committed mischievous pranks like a mad man. On seeing him (act that way) the other sons of Sagara too became evil-minded and ill-behaved. 

9. Asamañjasa's pranks and his exile are confirmed in the Mbh. Vana 107.43 and Shånti 57.7-9. But Bh.P.IX.8.16-19 states that Asamanjasa was a yogi. He showed himself outwardly as being unreasonable. When he departed as an exile from Ayodhya, he showed people that all their children were alive and returned them to their parents hale and hearty and that king Sagara was filled with remorse at his order of banishment.

71. On seeing their childhood thus vitiated (by these mischievous deeds), king Sagara, the son of Bahu, pondered over anxiously about the despicable activities of his son as brought about Fate. 

72. He reflected: “Alas! Extremely painful indeed is the association with the wicked persons. Fire is always beaten by blacksmiths for its only fault of being in contact with iron. 

73. Asamanjas had a son named Amshuman. He was a knower of scriptures, righteous and engaged in what was beneficial to his grandfather. He was endowed with all good qualities. 

74. But all the sons of Sagara committed evil deeds and harassed the people. They always created obstacles in the undertaking of holy rites of those who practised them regularly. 

75. They drove off the gods (to whom oblations were offered) and partook of all sacrificial offerings duly submitted by the Brahmanas. 

76. They always brought by force celestial ladies like Rambha and others dragging them by the tresses of their hair, and the sons of Sagara enjoyed them against their will. 

77. Those wicked fellows were addicted to the drinking of wine. They plucked and brought the flowers of Parijata and other celestial trees and adorned their bodies with them. 

78. Those great sinners but very powerful ones, abducted women who were well-behaved and chaste and destroyed men of good conduct. They even began fighting with their friends. 

79. On seeing this, the gods, the leader of whom was Indra, became extremely distressed. They began to think deeply of the means of bringing about their destruction. 

80. Taking a decision in the matter, all the Devas assuming disguised forms approached Kapila, the Lord of the chiefs of gods, who was at that time present in the Nether world. 

81. The gods prostrated themselves on the ground before him like a staff and extolled him who was meditating in his mind on the Atman, who is the very embodiment of pure and absolute bliss. They eulogised him as follows:

The gods prayed: 

82. "Obeisance to you, the yogin who are absorbed and delightfully engaged in Sankhya-Yoga; salutations to you who are Lord Vishnu Himself, disguised in the form of a human being, but who is all the while victorious (Jishnu). 

83. Bow to the devotee of the Supreme Lord; obeisance to you who are the Cause and bestower of benediction to all the world. Salutations to you who like the forest conflagration are the destroyer of the forest of Samsara; we bow to you who are like a bridge affording protection to (the observers of) Dharma. 

84. We bow again and again to you who are the great one totally devoid of passions and attachment. Be pleased to save us who have been afflicted by the sons of Sagara and have. approached to you as a refuge for protection.”

Kapila said: 

85. "O excellent gods, only those who seek destruction of their own fame, power, wealth and longevity, harass the world. There is nothing surprising in this. 

86. O gods, know that a person who intends to harass innocent persons in this world, is one who is engaging himself in the enjoyment of sins. 

87. No doubt need be entertained in that that the Fate quickly destroys a person who continuously harrasses others physically, mentally or Verbally. 

88. These sons of Sagara will meet their death in a very few days.” When this assurance was given by that noble-souled sage Kapila, the heaven-dwellers bowed to him duly and returned to the celestial world.

89. In the mean-time, Sagara began to perform the Yajna (sacrifice) called Hayamedha (horse-sacrifice) with the help and guidance of Vasistha and other great sages. 

90. Indra, the Lord of gods, took off the horse that was fixed for that sacrifice and placed it in the Nether world where Kapila was staying. 

91. In order to find out the horse taken away by Indra with his physical body invisible, the sons of Sagara were extremely surprised and they wandered over the earth and other worlds in search of it. 

92. When they could not trace the horse, they attempted to make their way to the Patala, the nether-world. And each one of them severally dug up the earth's surface to a depth of a Yojana (eight miles). 

93. The earth dug out by them, they scattered on the shores of the ocean. All the sons of Sagara reached Patala through that passage. 

94-96. The sons of Sagara who were perplexed and mad with arrogance searched for the horse. There they beheld the noble-souled Kapila dazzling with the lustre of ten million suns together, absorbed in meditation. And they espied the sacrificial horse near him. On seeing the sage, they became very furious. With great speed they rushed at him and attacked him with the intention of killing him. 

97-98. They shouted to one another: "Let him be struck down. Let him be struck. Let him be slain. Let him be killed. Let him be taken captive. Let him be quickly taken prisoner. It is he only by whom the horse is taken away and like a stork he pretends to be absorbed in meditation, showing off to be a saint. Alas! There are wicked persons in this world who put up a great show (of saintliness)". 

99-100. Shouting thus, they laughed and jeered at Kapila, the leader of sages who had exercised perfect control over his sense organs and stabilized his mind in the Atman. As he was absorbed in meditation, Kapila did not notice their activities. 

101. Those sons of Sagara whose death was imminent, lost their sense and kicked the sage, while others caught hold of his arms. 

102. When the sage left off his trance, he was surprised (to see all this). In a deep majestic voice, he spoke to them who caused harassment to the world. 

103. "The following persons lose their power of discrimination viz. those who are intoxicated with the arrogance of affluence; those who are oppressed with hunger; the passionate ones and those who are puffed with self-conceit. 

104. The earth blazes internally continuously by merely being the receptacle of a treasure. What wonder is there when men blazed forth after enjoying the same? 

105. What is surprising in it, if wicked men annoy and harass the good people? The force of the current in a river makes the trees on the bank fall down. 

106. Misfortune, old age and foolishness always occur where there is wealth, youth and learning. 

107. By whom can the greatness of Kanaka (gold) be described adequately? Alas! It is wonderful that similarity in name (viz. kanaka) makes the Dhattura plant (the thorn-apple tree) cause intoxication. (The word kanaka means Dhattura as well). 

108. If a wicked person became endowed with affluence, that very same fortune of being affluent is destructive of the world, just as the violent gust of a wind is a friend of fire and poison that of a serpent. 

109. Alas! One blinded with the arrogance of his wealth does not see, though he may look on. If he sees wherein lies his welfare and interest, he sees properly.” 

110. Uttering these words, the infuriated Kapila created and discharged fire out of his eyes. The fire reduced the sons of Sagara to ashes instantaneously. 

111. On seeing the fire issuing forth from the eyes of Kapila, the residents of the nether-world thought that the time of the dissolution of the universe had arrived prematurely. And they screamed out in their excess of sorrow. 

112. All the reptiles and Raksasas were scorched by that fire. They entered into the ocean immediately. Indeed, the fury of saintly persons is simply unbearable. 

113. Thereafter a messenger of gods came to the place of the sacrifice of the king. He reported everything that had taken place to the king who was desirous of performing that sacrifice. 

114. On hearing those words of the messenger the emperor Sagara, the knower of everything, became extremely glad and remarked, “The wicked ones have been tamed and subdued by the Fate. 

115. Whether it be the mother or the father or the brother or the son, whoever commits a sin should be considered to be an enemy. 

116. This is the decision arrived at in the scriptures-- one should consider that person as the greatest enemy who is engaged in evil actions and who entertains hostility to all the people.” 

117. O eminent sage, Sagara did not feel sorry for the loss of his sons; for, the death of a person of evil conduct, enthuses good people. 

118. Since the Smruti¹⁰ text ordains that a person who has no son is not eligible to perform a sacrifice, the king installed his grandson Amshuman as his son.

10. This vague reference to Smruti could not be located but in the Mbh. Adi. 119.15-22 King Pandu deplores that a sonless person has no entrance in heaven even if he pleases gods with sacrifices and sages with learning 

na tasya lokah santi'ti dharmavidbhiḥ pratishthitam |

119. Moreover, the king, the knower of the essentials about sacrifice, deputed the son of Asamanjas with the assignment of bringing back the horse. —the son who was highly intelligent and the most excellent one among those who were skilled in speech. 

120. It is reported that when he went to the entrance to that hollow chasm, he saw there pre-eminent sage Kapila, a mass of brilliance. And he prostrated himself before the sage, touching the ground with eight limbs of his body. 

121. With his palms joined in reverence, he stood humbly before the sage. He addressed that eternal Lord of gods who was of quiescent and serene mind, as follows: 

Amshuman said: 

122. O Brahmana sage, kindly forgive the wicked offence committed by my uncles. Indeed, saintly persons who are engaged in rendering help to others are essentially of a forbearing nature. 

123. Saintly persons show mercy even to the wicked. Indeed, the moon does not withdraw its beams of moon-light from the abode of a chandala. 

124. A good man, even when he is harassed and troubled, gives happiness to all. Just as the moon that is being eaten by the immortals gives the greatest pleasure and satisfaction to everyone. 

125. Even when split and cut to pieces, the sandle wood renders everything fragrant. So is also a good person. 

126. O Supreme Being, prominent sages, by their penance, forbearance and achara (behaviour and activities) know the excellent attributes of Purushottama (Supreme Man), and they know that you are that Supreme Person yourself born to chastise and discipline the world. 

127. Salutations to you, O Brahmana sage. Obeisance to you who are the embodiment of Brahman. Bow to you who are by nature favourable and friendly to Brahmanas and engaged in meditation on the Brahman." 

128. The sage who was thus eulogised by him evinced his delight on his countenance. He said, “O sinless one, I am highly pleased with you. Seek any boon of me." 

129. When the sage spoke to him thus, Amshuman bowed down to him and requested, “Be pleased to take our ancestors to the world of Brahman". 

130. Thereafter the highly delighted sage assured him, “Your grandson will bring down the Ganga respectfully and lead your ancestors to the heaven. 

131. The Ganga, the river of holy waters, brought down by your grandson shall absolve these your ancestors of all their sins and lead them to the highest region. 

132. O dear child, take this horse back so that the sacrifice can be completed”. Accordingly reaching the vicinity of his grand-father, Amshuman related everything that happened and submitted the horse too. 

133. Sagara performed his sacrifice by means of the sacrificial animal in the company of the Brahmanas (sacrificial priests). He propitiated Lord Vishnu by performing penance and attained the region of Hari. 

134. A son was born to Amshuman. He became famous as Dilipa. From him was borne Bhagiratha who brought the Ganga from the heaven. 

135. O sage, God Brahma who was pleased with the penance of Bhagiratha, bestowed the Ganga on him. He (Bhagiratha) then began to think how to hold the water-fall of the Ganga. 

136. Thereafter, he propitiated god Shiva and brought the heavenly river to the earth. He helped his ancestors to go to the heaven as they became sanctified by touching the waters of the Ganga. 

137. A king named Sudas was born in the family of Bhagiratha. His son Mitrasaha was well-known in all the worlds. 

138. That son of Sudas got the form of a Rakshasa due to the curse of Vasishtha. When the drops of the water of the Ganga were sprinkled over him that king became liberated again.