with a thousand children, and the period of their lives was a thousand years.  Seniors had never to perform Sraddhas of their juniors.[97] Youthful in shape, of a dark-blue hue, of red eyes, possessed of the tread of an infuriated elephant, with arms reaching down to the knees, and beautiful and massive, of leonine shoulders, of great strength, and beloved by all creatures, Rama ruled his kingdom for eleven thousand years.  His subjects always uttered his name.  While Rama ruled his kingdom, the world became extremely beautiful.  Taking at last his four kinds of subjects[98] with him Rama went to heaven, having established his own line consisting of eight houses on the earth.  When even he died, O Srinjaya, who was superior to thee in respect of the four cardinal virtues and superior to thy son, thou shouldst not lament, saying ‘Oh, Swaitya, Oh, Swaitya,’ for thy son who performed no sacrifice and made no sacrificial present.’”

SECTION LX

“Narada said, ’Even king Bhagiratha, O Srinjaya, we hear, was dead.  He caused the shores of Ganga, called after his name Bhagirath to be covered with flights of steps made of gold.[99] Surpassing all kings and all princes, he gave unto the Brahmanas a thousand times thousand damsels decked with ornaments of gold.  All those damsels were upon cars.  And unto every car were yoked four steeds, and behind each car were a hundred kine.  And behind each cow were (many) goats and sheep.  King Bhagiratha gave enormous presents at his sacrifices.  For that reason a large concourse of men assembled there.  Afflicted there with Ganga was much pained.  ‘Protect Me,’ she said and sat down on his lap.  And because Ganga thus sat upon his lap in days of old, therefore, she, like the celestial dancer Urvasi came to be regarded as his daughter and was named after his name.  And having become the king’s daughter, she became his son (by becoming like a son, the means of salvation unto his deceased ancestors).[100] Sweet-speeched Gandharvas of celestial splendour, gratified, sang all this in the hearing of the Rishis, the gods, and human beings.[101] Thus, O Srinjaya, did that goddess, viz., the ocean-going Ganga, select lord Bhagiratha, descendant of Ikshvaku, the performer of sacrifices with profuse gifts (to the Brahmanas), as her father.  His sacrifices were always graced with (the presence of) the very gods with Indra at their head.  And the gods used to take their respective shares, by removing all impediments, to facilitate those sacrifices in every way.  Possessed of great ascetic merit, Bhagiratha gave unto the Brahmanas whatever benefit they desired without obliging them to stir from the place wherever they might entertain those desires.  There was nothing which he could withhold from the Brahmanas.  Every one received from him everything he coveted.  At last, the king ascended to the region of Brahman, through the grace of the Brahmanas.  For that object