A legendary king who brought the Ganga river down to earth through severe austerities.
भगीरथ (bhagīratha) [Printed book page 118-1] Bhagīratha (descendant of Sagara). § 5 (Anukram.): I,
1,
221.—§ 61 (Sarpasattra): I, 55β, †2112.—§ 232 (Svayaṃ-
Page118-b+ 63 varap.): I, 186, 7001 (α).—§ 263 (Sabhākriyāp.): II, 3,
67.—§ 267 (Yamasabhāv.): II, 8, 322 (in the palace of
Yama).—§ 274 (Rājasūyārambhap.): II, 15, 649.—§ 296
(Dyūtap.): II, 53, 1929.—§ 323 (Dvaitavanapr.): III,
25, 956.—§ 376 (Tīrthay.): III, 85, 8269 (Nārada exhorts
Yudhiṣṭhira to seek renown by visiting the tīrthas, as Bh.,
etc.).—§ 377 (Dhaumyatīrth.): III, 87, 8310 (on the bank
of Gaṅgā Bh. brought many sacrifices).—§ 378 (Tīrthay.):
III, 92, 8444 (Lomaśa exhorts Yudhiṣṭhira to visit the
tīrthas in order to be “liberated,” as Bh., Gaya, Yayāti,
etc.); 94, 8504.—§ 386 (Agastyop.): III, 106, 8826.—
§ 387 (Sagara): III, 106, 8828 (°pratiśrayāt).—§ 389
(Gaṅgāvataraṇa): III, 107, 9918 (son of Dilīpa); 108,
9940 (Gaṅgā promises him to descend in order to purify his
forefathers), 9944 (practises austerities on Kailāsa); 109, 9947
(°vacas; Śiva promises him to sustain the Gaṅgā), 9950, 9959
(Gaṅgā descends), 9961 (fills up the Ocean with the Gaṅgā,
whom he made his daughter).—§ 573 (Ambop.): V, 178,
7096 (°sutā nadī, i.e. Gaṅgā).—§ 574 (Jambūkh.): VI, 6,
238 (Bh. dwelled for many years at Bindusaras after having
seen Gaṅgā).—§ 595 (Ṣoḍaś.): VII, 60, 2249, 2256, 2258;
Bh. (Aikṣvākaṃ, v. 2256) caused the shore of Gaṅgā
Bhāgīrathī to be covered by flights of steps (cayanaiḥ) made
of gold; he presented the brahmans with 1,000,000 of damsels
decked with ornaments of gold, etc. (description). It is
related how Gaṅgā became his daughter and then his “son”
(see the note of PCR., p. 173); G. sang all this before Ṛ., D.,
and men. At last he ascended to Brahmaloka through the
grace of the brahmans (v. 2260, v. Nīl.).—§ 599 (Jayadrathav.):
VII, 94, 3450 (ε) (a rājarṣi).—§ 604 (Karṇap.): VIII, 5ζ,
117 (rājā Bh°o vṛddho, has been slain).—§ 632 (Ṣodaśarāj.):
XII, 29, 956, 962 (Aikṣvākuṃ).—§ 658b (Kṛtaghnop.):
XII, 170, 6345 (°rathākrāntadeśān).—§ 734 (Ānuśāsan.):
XIII, 26, †1854 (brought down Gaṅgā having gratified all
D. by terrible austerities).—§ 746 (do.): XIII, 76ι, 3689.—
§ 758 (do.): XIII, 103, 4909 (°sya saṃvādaṃ Brahmaṇaś
ca), 4910 (transcended the world of the gods, that of kine,
and that of the ṛṣis), 4911, 4912, (†4913), 4950 (rājānaṃ).
—§ 767 (do.): XIII, 137α, 6270 (rājarṣiḥ; attained to the
imperishable worlds by giving his daughter Haṃsī to
Kautsa), 6271 (attained to the highest worlds by giving
100,000 cows with calves to Kohala).—§ 775 (do.): XIII,
166η, 7677.—§ 795 (Svargāroh.): XVIII, 3θ, 107.
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