The ritual horse released by Emperor Sagara is snatched away by Indra in order to cause hindrance to the ritual. The ritual cannot proceed to culmination without the horse. Then Sagara orders his sixty thousand sons to search for that horse, asking them to dig earth to trace it, if it is not found on earth. And the princes will dig earth when they have not found the horse on earth, to the grief of beings living in netherworlds.
विश्वामित्रवचः श्रुत्वा कथान्ते रघुनंदन |
उवाच परमप्रीतो मुनिं दीप्तमिवानलम् || १-३९-१
1. raghunandana = Raghu's delight - Rama; vishvaamitravacaH shrutvaa = on listening Vishvamitra's words - narration; paramapriitaH = highly rejoiced; kathaante = at the end of episode ; diiptam iva analam = glowing, like, fire; munim = to sage; uvaaca = said to.
On listening the narration of Vishvamitra, Rama, the delighter of Raghu's dynasty is highly rejoiced, and at the end of the episode he spoke to sage whose glow is fire like. [1-39-1]
श्रोतुमिच्छामि भद्रं ते विस्तरेण कथामिमाम् |
पूर्वजो मे कथं ब्रह्मन् यज्ञं वै समुपाहरत् || १-३९-२
2. brahman = oh Brahman; imaam kathaam vistareNa shrotum icChaami = I am interested to listen extensively this episode; te bhadram = may good betide to you; me puurvajaH = earlier born one of mine - my ancestor Sagara; katham = how; ya~jnam = Vedic-ritual; samupaaharat [sam+upa+aaharat = well nearly completed] completed; vai = really.
I am interested to listen this episode exhaustively, oh, Brahman, let good betide you, how my ancestor Sagara had completed the Vedic-ritual, really. [1-39-2]
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा कौतूहलसमन्वितः |
विश्वामित्रस्तु काकुत्स्थमुवाच प्रहसन्निव || १-३९-३
श्रूयतां विस्तरो राम सगरस्य महात्मनः |
3, 4a. tasya tat vacanam = his - Rama's, that, sentence; kautuuhalasamanvitaH = inclusive of inquisitiveness; shrutvaa = on listening; vishvaamitraH tu = Vishvamitra, on his part; kaakutstham = to the descendent of Kakutstha; prahasan iva uvaaca = said as though smiling; mahaatmanaH sagarasya = of great-souled one, Sagara's; episode; vistaraH shruuyataam = vividly, may be listened; raama = oh Rama.
On listening the words of Rama that are inclusive of his inquisitiveness, Sage Vishvamitra smilingly spoke to that descendent of Kakutstha, "oh, Rama, let the episode of the great-souled Sagara be listened vividly." Vishvamitra thus commenced to narrate that episode. [1-39-3, 4a]
शंकरश्वशुरो नाम हिमवानिति विश्रुतः || १-३९-४
विंध्यपर्वतमासाद्य निरीक्षेते परस्परम् |
4b, 5a. shankarashvashuraH = god Sankara's father-in-law; himavaan naama = Himavanta, namely; iti vishrutaH = by name, thus, well known; vindhyaparvatam aasaadya = attaining Vindhya mountain [Himavan] - by sight, set eyes on; niriikSete parasparam = without wink [stares, peers] each other - Vindhya and Himalayas look at each other.
The father-in-law of god Shankara who is well-known by the name of Himavan sets eyes on Mt. Vindhya, which stands as loftily as Himalayas, and those two mountains peer at each other. [1-39-4b, 5a]
तयोर्मध्ये प्रवृत्तोऽभूद्यज्ञः स पुरुषोत्तम|| १-३९-५
स हि देशो नरव्याघ्र प्रशस्तो यज्ञकर्मणि|
5b, 6a. puruSottama = oh the best man - Rama; saH ya~jnaH = that, Vedic ritual of Sagara; tayoH madhye = of them two - between Vindhya and Himalayas mountains between; pravr^ittaH abhuut = started; naravyaaghra = oh tigerly man Rama; saH deshaH = that, area; ya~jnakarmaNi = for Vedic rituals; prashastaH hi = renowned, isn't it.
Oh, best one among men, Rama, that Vedic-ritual of Sagara started in between those two mountains, namely Himalayas and Vindhya ranges, and oh, tigerly-man Rama, that area is renowned for Vedic-rituals, isn't it! [1-39-5b, 6a]
तस्याश्वचर्यां काकुत्स्थ दृढधन्वा महारथः || १-३९-६
अंशुमानकरोत्तात सगरस्य मते स्थितः |
6b, 7a. taata = oh dear sire; kaakutstha = oh descendant of Kakutstha; dR^iDhadhanvaa = unfaltering bow - wielder; mahaarathaH = top-speeded chariot-rider; such a prince; amshumaan = Amshuman; sagarasya mate sthitaH = in abiding by Sagara's conviction; tasya = its - ritual's; ashvacaryaam = course of action of horse - from release to retrieval; akarot = managed - escorted.
Oh, dear sire Rama, the grandson of Sagara and the son of exiled Asamanja is Amshuman, oh, descendant of Kakutstha, which Anshuman's bow will be unfaltering and who is a top-speeded chariot-rider, and he has escorted ritual-horse released. [1-39-6b, 7a]
Details regarding the release of horse are at Bala Kanda 1-14-1
तस्य पर्वणि तं यज्ञं यजमानस्य वासवः || १-३९-७
राक्षसीं तनुमास्थाय यज्ञीयाश्वमपाहरत् |
7b, 8a. vaasavaH = Indra; raakSasiim tanum aasthaaya = on assuming demonic form; parvaNi = at auspicious time [ukthya, the day of sacred function]; ya~jnam yajamaanasya = ritual's, of presiding authority; tasya = his - Sagara's; tam ya~jniiya ashvam apaaharat = snatched away that Vedic-ritual's horse .
And on the day of a sacred function called ukthyam , Indra assumed the form of a demon and stole the ritual horse of the chief of the ritual, namely Sagara. [1-39-7b, 8a]
ह्रियमाणे तु काकुत्स्थ तस्मिन्नश्वे महात्मनः ||१-३९-८
उपाध्यायगणाः सर्वे यजमानमथाब्रुवन् |
8b, 9a. kaakutstha = oh Rama of Kakutstha; mahaatmanaH = great-souled one's - Sagara's; tasmin ashve hriyamaaNe tu = that, horse, while being stolen; atha sarve upaadhyaayagaNaaH = then, all, religious-teachers' congregations - of ritwiks; yajamaanam abruvan = then spoke to propitiator.
While that ritual-horse of the great-souled Sagara is stolen, all the congregations of the Ritviks, the religious-teachers, then spoke to the chief propitiator, namely Sagara. [1-39-8b, 9a]
अयं पर्वणि वेगेन यज्ञियाश्वोऽपनीयते ||१-३९-९
हर्तारं जहि काकुत्स्थ हयश्चैवोपनीयताम् |
9b, 10a. kaakutstha = oh decedent of Kakutstha - Sagara; parvaNi = on auspicious day; ayam ya~jniyaashvaH = this, ritual's horse; vegena apaniiyate = hastily, being sidetracked - stolen away; hartaaram jahi = you kill who stole it - horse's thief, ; hayaH ca eva upaniiyataam = horse, also, that way, be fetched.
'Oh, Sagara,the descendent of Kakutstha, at this auspicious time the ritual horse is hastily diverted, you kill him who stole the horse, and let that horse be fetched'. [1-39-9b, 10a]
यज्ञश्च्छिद्रं भवत्येतत्सर्वेषामशिवाय नः || १-३९-१०
तत्तथा क्रियतां राजन् यज्ञोऽच्छिद्रः क्रतुर्भवेत् |
10b, 11a. etat yaGYaH cChidram = this one - the happening, in Vedic-ritual, hindrance; naH sarveSaam = us, for all; ashivaaya = not auspicious; bhavati = it becomes; tat = thereby; raajan = oh king; krataH = ritual's proceedings; acChidraH = not faulty; yaGYaH bhavet = ritual, it will be; tathaa kriyataam = that way, action may be taken.
'This hindrance in Vedic-ritual will become inauspicious for all of us, thereby, oh, king, action may be taken as to how there can be no fault in proceedings of the ritual.' The religious-teachers of Sagara have advised him in this way. [1-39-10b, 11a]
सोऽपाध्यायवचः श्रुत्वा तस्मिन्सदसि पार्थिवः ||१-३९-११
षष्टिं पुत्रसहस्राणि वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह |
11b, 12a. paarthivaH = that king - Sagara; saH upaadhyaayavacaH shrutvaa = he Sagara, on hearing words of religious-teachers; tasmin sadasi = in that, religious-council; SaSTim putrasahasraaNi = to sixty thousand sons; etat vaakyam uvaaca ha = spoke this sentence, indeed.
On hearing the words of religious-teachers that king Sagara indeed spoke this much to his sixty thousand sons in that religious-council. [1-39-11b, 12a]
गतिं पुत्रा न पश्यामि रक्षसां पुरुषर्षभाः ||१-३९-१२
मंत्रपूतैर्महाभागैरास्थितो हि महाक्रतुः |
12b, 13a. puruSarSabhaaH = oh best ones among men; putraaH = oh sons; rakSasaam gatim na pashyaami = I do not envisage approaching [here] of demons; mahaakratuH = glorious Vedic-ritual; mantrapuutaiH mahaabhaagaiH = sanctified by hymns, by holy sanctifiers ; aasthitaH hi = presided over - being conducted, isn't it.
'Oh, sons, I do not envisage any way in for demons into this ritual, since oh, best ones among men, holy-sanctifiers who themselves are sanctified by the Vedic-hymns are conducting this glorious Vedic-ritual, isn't it. [1-39-12b, 13a]
तद्गच्छत विचिन्वध्वं पुत्रका भद्रमस्तु वः ||१-३९-१३
समुद्रमालिनीं सर्वां पृथिवीमनुगच्छत |
13b, 14a. putrakaaH = oh sons; tat = therefore; vicinvadhvam = for the purpose of searching - horse and its thief; gacChata = you may proceed; vaH bhadram astu = there will be safety to you all; samudramaaliniim = garlanded with ocean - encompassed by oceans; sarvaam = entire; pR^ithiviim anugacchata = earth, you follow - you search.
'Oh, sons, you may therefore proceed to search for the horse and its thief on entire earth as far as it is garlanded by the ocean, and safety betides you all. [1-39-13]
एकैकं योजनं पुत्रा विस्तारमभिगच्छत || १-३९-१४
यावत्तुरगसंदर्शस्तावत्खनत मेदिनीम् |
तमेव हयहर्तारं मार्गमाणा ममाज्ञया ||१-३९-१५
14b, 15. putraaH = oh sons; ekaikam yojanam = one [each prince] one, yojana - area of earth; vistaaram abhigacChata = square area, you advance - allocate for yourself; mama aaGYayaa = by my, order; tam hayahartaaram = him, horse stealer; maargamaaNaa = while searching; turagasandarshaH yaavat = until horse's appearance; taavat mediniim khanata = till then you dig out earth.
'Oh, sons, let each prince advance searching one square yojana of earth, by my order you dig up the earth until the appearance of the horse, while searching for the stealer of that horse. [1-39-14b, 15]
दीक्षितः पौत्रसहितः सोपाध्यायगणस्त्वहम् |
इह स्थास्यामि भद्रं वो यावत्तुरगदर्शनम् ||१-३९-१६
16. diikSitaH aham tu = under vow, I, for my part; such as I am; pautrasahitaH = along with grand son [Amshuman] ; sopaadhyaayagaNaH = along with congregation of religious-teachers; yaavat turagadarshanam = till, horse appears; iha sthaasyaami = here, I will stay; vaH bhadram = to you all, safe betides.
'As for myself, I will stay here only along with my grandson, namely Amshuman, and with the congregation of religious-teachers till the horse appears, as I am under vow of the ritual.' Thus Sagara instructed to his sixty thousand sons and stayed back at the ritual place. [1-39-16]
ते सर्वे हृष्टमनसो राजपुत्रा महाबलाः |
जग्मुर्महीतलं राम पितुर्वचनयंत्रिताः ||१-३९-१७
17. raama = oh Rama; [iti uktaaH = thus, who are addressed - the sons]; mahaabalaaH = great mighty ones; raajaputraaH = king's sons - princes; hR^iSTamanasaH = gladdened at heart - enthusiastically; pituH vacanayantritaaH = amimated by words of father; te sarve = they, all; mahiitalam jagmuH = proceeded to earth's surface.
Animated by their father's words those great-mighty princes enthusiastically proceeded onto earth's surface in the preliminary round of search. [1-39-1]
गत्वा तु पृथिवीं सर्वमदृष्टा तं महबलाः |
योजनायामविस्तारमेकैको धरणीतलम् |
बिभिदुः पुरुषव्याघ्र वज्रस्पर्शसमैर्भुजैः ||१-३९-१८
18. puruSavyaaghra = oh tigerly man, Rama; mahaabalaaH = great mighty ones; sarvam pR^ithiviim gatvaa tu = having gone entire earth, but; tam adR^iShTaa = that - horse, not, seen; ekaikaH = each every - prince; yojanaayaam avistaaram = yojana-s not very wide; dharaNiitalam = surface of earth; vajrasparshasamaiH = similar to the touch of diamond ; bhujaiH [nakhaiH] = with arms - with nails; bibhiduH = they hollowed out.
But, oh, tigerly-man Rama, on going round the earth in its entirety those great-mighty princes did not find that horse, then as said by their father they mapped the earth to a unit of one square yojana for each of them, and each of them hollowed out each and every area on the surface of earth with their arms that have the touch of the diamonds. [1-39-18]
शूलैरशनिकल्पैश्च हलैश्चापि सुदारुणैः |
भिद्यमाना वसुमती ननाद रघुनंदन ||१-३९-१९
19. raghunandana = oh legatee of Raghu, Rama; ashanikalpaiH shuulaiH ca = spears similar to thunderbolt, also; sudaaruNaiH halaiH ca api = very gruelling, with ploughs, also, even; bhidyamaanaa vasumatii nanaada = mother earth bewailed being ruptured .
Mother Earth bewailed while she is ruptured with spears also that are similar to thunderbolts, besides with very gruelling ploughs. [1-39-19]
नागानां वध्यमानानामसुराणां च राघव |
राक्षसानां च दुर्धर्षः सत्त्वानां निनदोऽभवत् ||१-३९-२०
20. raaghava = oh Raghava; vadhyamaanaanaam [mathyamaanaanaam] naagaanaam = being killed [while being battered,] of serpents; asuraaNaam ca = of asura-s, also; raakSasaanaam ca = of demons, also; sattvaanaam = of other beings; durdharSaH ninadaH abhavat = unbearable [unstoppable,] rumpuses, emerged.
Oh, Raghava, there emerged an unbearable rumpus from the serpents, asura-s, demons, and other beings living underneath the surface of earth, while they are killed during hollowing the earth. [1-39-20]
योजनानां सहस्राणि षष्टिं तु रघुनंदन |
बिभिदुर्धरणीं राम रसातलमनुत्तमम् ||१-३९-२१
21. raghunandana = oh legatee of Raghu's dynasty; raama = oh Rama; yojanaanaam SaSTim sahasraaNi tu = sixty thousand yojana-s , thus; dharaNiim = of earth; they dug to make it as the; anuttamam = unsurpassed; rasaatalam = as sixth subterranean field; bibhiduH = hollowed.
Oh, Rama, the legatee of Raghu's dynasty, thus sixty thousand square yojana-s of the earth is dug over, so as to make the earth's outermost plane as the unsurpassed rasaatala, the sixth subterranean and the nethermost plane. [1-39-21]
एवं पर्वतसंबाधं जम्बूद्वीपं नृपात्मजाः |
खनन्तो नृपशार्दूल सर्वतः परिचक्रमुः ||१-३९-२२
22. nR^ipashaarduula = oh tigerly king, Rama; nR^ipaatmajaaH = king's sons; parvatasambaadham = verily congested with mountains ; jambuudviipam = Jambu Island [plateau]; evam khanantaH = this way, while digging; sarvataH paricakramuH = everywhere, they endeavoured.
Oh, the tigerly king Rama, the sons of Sagara have endeavoured everywhere digging over the Jambu Island which is verily congested with mountains in this way. [1-39-22]
The jambudwiipa is a continent according to Hindu mythology where the total continents listed are seven. jambuuplakShaakhyadviipau shaalmaliH ca aparo dvija | kushaH krauncaH tathaa shakaH puShkaraH ca eva ca saptamaH the seven continents are jambu- plakSha - shaalmali- kusha - kraunca - shaka - puSkara, and jambudwiipa is one among them.
ततो देवाः सगंधर्वाः सासुराः सहपन्नगाः |
संभ्रांतमनसः सर्वे पितामहमुपागमन् ||१-३९-२३
23. tataH = then; sagandharvaaH = along with gandharva-s; saasuraaH sahapannagaaH = with asura-s, and with reptiles; devaaH = gods; sarve sambhraantamanasaH = all are, distraught at heart - for the plight of earth; pitaamaham upaagaman = neared - approached to Forefather Brahma.
All the gods along with gandharva-s, asura-s, and reptiles who are distraught at heart for the plight of earth have approached the Forefather, Brahma. [1-39-23]
ते प्रसाद्य महात्मानं विषण्णवदनास्तदा |
ऊचुः परमसंत्रस्ताः पितामहमिदं वचः ||१-३९-२४
24. paramasantrastaaH = who are very highly scared; viSaNNavadanaaH = with despondent faces - chap-fallen; te = they, the gods; tadaa = then; mahaatmaanam pitaamaham prasaadya = getting the grace of great-souled Forefather - Brahma ; idam vacaH uucuH = they spoke this sentence.
They the gods who are very highly scared, and who are chap-fallen, then spoke this sentence to the great-souled Forefather Brahma on gaining his grace. [1-39-24]
भगवन् पृथिवी सर्वा खन्यते सगरात्मजैः |
बहवश्च महात्मानो वध्यन्ते जलचारिणः ||१-३९-२५
25. bhagavan = oh god Brahma; sarvaa pR^ithivii = entire, earth; sagaraatmajaiH khanyate = being dug by sons of Sagara, ; jalacaariNaH [talavaasinaH, rasaatalavaasinaH] = water moving creatures [aquatic beings, dwellers in netherworlds]; bahavaH ca mahaatmaanaH vadhyante = many, great souled beings, also, are being destroyed.
'Oh, god Brahma, the sons of Sagara are digging entire earth, thus aquatic beings and many great-souls are being destroyed. [1-39-25]
अयं यज्ञ हरोऽस्माकमनेनाश्वोऽपनीयते |
इति ते सर्वभूतानि हिंसन्ति सगरात्मजाः ||१-३९-२६
26. ayam = this one is; [naH = our]; yaGYaharaH = ritual stealer - hinderer; anena = by this one; asmaakam ashvaH apaniiyate = our, [ritual] horse, is carried off; iti = thus - thinking thus; te sagaraatmajaaH = those, Sagara's sons; sarvabhuutaani himsanti = they are torturing all living beings.
" 'This one is the destroyer of our ritual... this one has carried off our ritual horse...' thinking thus and suspecting everyone those sons of Sagara are torturing all the living beings.' Thus all the gods have appealed to Brahma." So said Sage Vishvamitra to Rama and others. [1-39-26]
इति वाल्मीकिरामायणे आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः
© July, 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao[Revised : September 04]
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