would be born.
With the third step, Vamana pushed Bali back to the underworld.
Ganga was born from the water in Brahma's kamandula. Ganga was very pretty and danced in the heavens to the delight of all.
One time however, when a gust of wind blew off the only cloth in which the Rishi Durvasa was wrapped, Ganga laughed too much. The rishi cursed Ganga to become reincarnated as a river in which all humans would seek purification.
The 8 vasus obtained the vow from Ganga that she would become their mother when incarnated as a river. They themselves were suffering from a curse to incarnate given by Saint Vashista and hoped that Ganga would drown them as soon as they were born.
The moment when Ganga was needed on Earth came when King Sagar decided to perform an Ashwamedh Yagya (horse sacrifice) that would make him Emperor of Earth. When Indra saw that happen, he became worried by Sagar's increasing power.
So Indra stole Sagar's horse before the ritual could be completed and tied it to the tree under which Sage Kapila was meditating.
When the 60.000 sons of King Sagar found the horse, they thought Sage Kapila had stolen it. Feeling disturbed and insulted, Sage Kapila burned them to ashes with yogic fire that came out of his third eye.
When Ansuman, the last remaining son of King Sagar came to know the fate of his brothers, he asked Sage Kapila how to liberate their souls from the ashes.
The Rishi advised Ansuman to please Brahma with penances so that he would release Ganga from his kamandula and bring Ganga to Earth to purify the ashes and liberate his brothers. This task was undertaken for many generations.
In the seventh generation of King Sagar, Bhagiratha was born. His austerities were so disciplined that he could finally please Brahma enough to help.
Brahma had no objection to release Ganga, except that Bhagiratha first had to worship Shiva, so that he would accept to hold the force of Ganga in his hairs, lest she would overwhelm the entire Earth.
Thus Bhagiratha undertook further penances to please Shiva. When Ganga descended from the heavens, Shiva covered the sky with his hair locks, so that not a drop would fall on Earth.
When he had fully captured Ganga, Shiva released a small part of Ganga's force and told her to follow Bhagiratha.
When Ganga flooded the ashram of Saint Janu, he swallowed her as a lesson in respect and only released Ganga out of pity for Bhagiratha.
Wherever Ganga would flow in following Bhagiratha, people came in large numbers to bath and obtain purification.
Finally Ganga reached the ashram of Sage Kapila and freed the 60.000 souls from their ashes. Ganga continues to purifie the people that take bath in her and is herself purified by the saints who will bath in her water.