After the gods had departed Bhagiratha standing on the tip of his big toe commenced his adoration of Siva, for a whole year. Lord Siva pleased with such great devotion appeared promising to bring down Ganga and break the tremendous force of the fall on his head. Assuming the form of a mighty river Ganga started her glorious descent. While cascading and gushing down a thought occurred to her that with the torrential force of her descent she could press down Siva to the lower regions of the nether world. Siva angered at her arrogance, decided to humble and hold her unseen, in his matted locks. As Ganga plunged from the skies she fell into those uncoiled locks of Siva, which in their spread outsplendor resembled the Himalayan mountains. Born at the feet of lord Vishnu, brought down to earth by Bhagiratha, Ganga found no way out of them. Trapped and confused she meandered in there for a great many years invisible to all and unable to extricate herself.

Not able to discern Ganga, Bhagiratha resumed his penance once again. A full year went by. Lord Siva relented and released the captive river in little drops into Lake Bindusara. Overflowing the banks of the lake she divided herself into seven streams. The first three, Hladini, Pavani and Nalini took an easterly direction. Suchakshu, Sita and Sindhu with their lovely waters flowed westwards and the seventh followed the divine chariot of Bhagiratha. Thus mother Ganga came down from the heavens and thetorrential cascade of that magnificent river caused a great reverberation. Shoals of fish slithered down like streaks of lightening, tumbling and turning came turtles and multitude sea monsters while the frothing water untamedspewed as wild foam scattering around which resembled flocks of swans in flight. The devas, yakshas, gandharvas and hosts of siddhas beheld the awesome spectacle of the thundering, tumultuous descent of the river. Celestial beings came in droves.They came in chariots, which looked as big as cities. They came on horseback and they came, riding mammoth elephants to witness the awesome descent. The gods too came irradiating the canopy of the heavens with their effulgence and the dazzle of their ornaments, creating the brilliance of a thousand Suns. The meandering Ganga flowed, curving gracefully and gently in places, rapid and gushing elsewhere. At places with a great force her turbulent waters dashed against rocks, shooting upwards and breaking into a million crystalline droplets to fall back again. Shimmering and twisting like a sinuous serpent, she reached the ocean, with its brilliant blue waters.

King Bhagiratha rode on, with Ganga right behind him until they reached the land where sage Jahnu was performing austerities. There the gurgling Ganga swept away the sacrificial grounds and the enraged seer drank up the entire river. Alarmed, the devatas worshipped Jahnu, imploring him to forgive Ganga and treat her like his daughter. Pacified the sage released her and because he released her through his ears Ganga earned the name Jahnavi. Having brought down the sacred river with such tremendous effort, Bhagiratha led Ganga, right down into the nether worlds.Even as he beheld the ashes of his ancestors the divine waters inundated them and the sons of Sagara absolved of their sins reached heaven.