Home | Biographies

A-J | K-M | N-S | T-Z | Others | Next

Raajaa Sagar was not a witness to Mahaabhaarat or Raamaayan, but he is a great important character described in Vaalmeeki Raamaayan, and mentioned in Mahaabhaarat. Since he caused the coming of Gangaa on Prithvi, he cannot be ignored.

Birth of Sagar
[From Bhaagvat Puraan, 9/4]

How he was born is a strange story. He is in the family line of Harishchandra > Rohit >> Baahuk. Baahuk lost his kingdom to his enemies, so he went to forest and started living in Maharshi Aurv's Aashram. After he reached his age he died and his wife got ready to be Satee with him. At that time she was pregnant so Muni Aurv stopped her doing so. When Baahuk's other wives came to know about this they fed her poisonous food to kill her and her child, but it did not affect them. Thus the child was born with poison in him and so was named as Sagar. Sa+Gar means "with poison".

Maharshi Aurv took care of him, educated him, trained him in weaponry and warfare and later helped him to regain his kingdom from his father's enemies. Raajaa Sagar became a Chakravartee Samraat. At the order of his Guru Aurv Sagar did not kill Taaljangh, Yavan, Shak, Haihaya and Barbar communities, but he deformed them - some of them were asked to shave their heads, some of them were asked to grow mustache and beard, some were asked to keep their hair untied, some of them were asked to shave their head in half.

Sagar had two wives but no children. Once Sagar requested Muni Aurv to give him sons. Aurn said -"One of you will have one son who will carry your lineage and the other one will have 60,000 sons. So his one queen Keshinee had one son Asmanjas and the other one Sumati had 60,000 sons. Asamanjas used to trouble little children by drowning them in Sarayoo River, so Sagar had exiled him, but his son Anshumaan was very good and was loved by his grandfather.

Sagar's Ashwamedh Yagya
After this Sagar did Ashwamedh Yagya. Indra got frightened with Sagar's fame, so he stole the horse of his Yagya. At that time his wife Sumati's sons looked for that horse on the surface of the whole Earth but could not find it, so they started digging out the Earth. Then they found it in Kapil Muni's Aashram tied with a tree. (Indra tied it there). Seeing that horse there all princes cried - "This is the thief of our horse, and see, how he is sitting his eyes closed after stealing our horse as if he doesn't know anything. He is a sinner, kill him, kill him." At the same time Kapil Jee opened His eyes and Raajaa Sagar's all 60,000 sons were burned immediately.

When his 60,000 sons did not come back, he sent his grandson Anshumaan in search of his 60,000 uncles. Anshumaan followed the path of his uncles and came to Kapil Muni's Aashram. Seeing he greeted Kapil Jee and saw a large heap of ashes. he understood that his uncles are already burnt to ashes. He prayed Kapil Jee, Kapil Jee got very please with him. Anshumaan then asked him as how his uncles could obtain good Gati. He told him that he had to bring Gangaa on Prithvi and her waters will give them Mukti. Anshumaan came back with the hors and told every thing to his grandfather. Sagar completed his Yagya and tried to bring Gangaa on Prithvi but did not have much time. he died in making his efforts.

Sagar -> Asmanjas -> Anshumaan -> Dileep -> Bhageerath - Only Bhageerath got success in bringing Gangaa on Prithvi.

Home | Biographies

A-J | K-M | N-S | T-Z | Others | Next