O Rama! Once Brahmadatta had taken all the maidens as his brides, a sense of emptiness weighed upon the noble Kusanabha. Yearning for a son, he turned to contemplation, and in that moment, his father, the wise Kusa, spoke words of prophecy: “A righteous son shall be born to you, bearing the name Gadhi. He will uphold our family’s honor and carry forth our values to future generations.” With these words, Kusa ascended to the heavens.
In time, King Kusanabha performed the sacred ritual of “Putrakameshti,” desiring a son, and was granted Gadhi—a prince of noble virtues, honored across all three worlds. It is he who was my father, and because I am descended from the great sage Kusa, I am known as Kaushika. I had an elder sister, Satyavati, who was given in marriage to Ruchaka. Together, they ascended to the heavens with their mortal forms, and she now flows as the revered River Kausiki, meandering through the lofty Himalayas. Blessed by the gods, this river is sacred, graceful, and alive with divine beauty. She is dear to my heart, and it is this bond that draws me to the river’s banks in the Himalayas, where I dwell in her presence.
To fulfill my purpose of attaining Yaga Siddhi, I sought the sacred grounds of Siddhashram. Satyavati flows as the holy river, pure and honest, and I feel her beside me even now. Rama, as you have wished, I have unveiled the secret of my lineage. May our journey continue undisturbed. The trees stand in serene silence, and even the beasts and birds have retreated to their refuge. Nature itself rests, bathed in the twilight that fades gently into the night. The moon rises softly, its silver light driving away the darkness, while stars gather around it in harmonious grace. The night unfolds with nature’s music, offering peace in its embrace.
As Kaushika’s tale concluded, Rama, Lakshmana, and the sages found themselves brimming with an inexplicable joy. The morning sun emerged from the vast horizon, its golden rays gracing the world. After completing their morning rituals, Rama turned to the sages and said, “Let us continue along the path of those who came before us.” They journeyed onward, drinking in the purity of nature’s unspoiled beauty. Reaching the holy Ganga, they offered oblations to their ancestors and rested upon the riverbanks. Then Rama, in reverence, requested sage Vishvamitra to recount the origins of the sacred Ganga.
In days of old, the mighty king of the Himalayas, Himavan, wedded Manorama, daughter of Meru, and they were blessed with two exquisite daughters: Ganga, the elder, and Uma, the younger. The gods, seeking a sacred river to flow through the three worlds, approached Himavan, who graciously granted them Ganga. In time, Uma was given in marriage to Lord Shiva.
However, when Shiva sought to bless Uma with a son, the gods grew fearful, foreseeing that his divine potency could manifest a being of overwhelming strength, capable of consuming the three worlds. So, they prayed to Shiva to restrain his power, as Uma’s womb was under a curse by Rati Devi—her wrath kindled after Shiva incinerated Manmadha with his third eye. Thus, Shiva entrusted his fiery essence to Agni, the god of fire, who in turn released it into the reeds beside Ganga. From there, Kartikeya, the six-headed god, was born, each head representing one of Shiva’s aspects: Ishanam, Tatpurusha, Vamadeva, Aghora, Sadyojata, and Adhomukha. Six divine maidens cared for him, symbolizing the Pleiades, and he grew to embody both the strength of Shiva and the grace of Parvati.
The gods and sages celebrated the birth of Kumara. Shiva, in turn, departed to the western peaks of the Himalayas, embarking on deep meditation with Uma at his side. Angered by the gods’ interference in her privacy, Uma cursed them, declaring that their consorts would bear no children. She also cursed Mother Earth, decreeing that she would never experience the love of her own offspring.
With that, sage Vasishtha paused, saying, “Now, rest, and on the morrow, I shall speak of the Ganga’s power and sanctity.”