The Sixty Thousand Sons of Sagara and the Lost Sacrificial Horse

Verse 1 (3.106.1)

एतच्छ्रुत्वान्तरिक्षाच्च स राजा राजसत्तमः । यथोक्तं तच्चकाराथ श्रद्दधद्भरतर्षभ ॥

etacchrutvāntarikṣācca sa rājā rājasattamaḥ | yathoktaṃ taccakārātha śraddadhadbharatarṣabha

Hearing this from the sky, the king, best of kings, did exactly as he had been told, in good faith, O bull among the Bharatas.

Note on the text: Corrected तच्चराकाथ → तच्चकाराथ (misprint in Wikisource; transposed aksharas; the critical edition reads tac cakārātha).

Verse 2 (3.106.2)

एकैकशस्ततः कृत्वा बीजं बीजं नराधिपः । घृतपूर्णेषु कुम्भेषु तान्भागान्विदधे ततः ॥

ekaikaśastataḥ kṛtvā bījaṃ bījaṃ narādhipaḥ | ghṛtapūrṇeṣu kumbheṣu tānbhāgānvidadhe tataḥ

Taking the seeds one by one, the lord of men then placed those portions in pots filled with ghee.

Note on the text: Wikisource prints this verse and the next inside square brackets; the brackets are removed. Not in the critical edition's constituted text; the two verses appear in its apparatus as 3.105.1d*0516 (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 3 (3.106.3)

धात्रीश्चैकैकशः प्रादात्पुत्ररक्षणतत्परः । ततः कालेन महता समुत्तस्थुर्महाबलाः ॥

dhātrīścaikaikaśaḥ prādātputrarakṣaṇatatparaḥ | tataḥ kālena mahatā samuttasthurmahābalāḥ

Intent on guarding his sons, he gave each pot a nurse of its own. Then, after a long time, the mighty ones rose up.

Note on the text: Removed Wikisource's closing square bracket and doubled verse-end mark. Not in the critical edition's constituted text; it appears in its apparatus as 3.105.1d*0516 (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 4 (3.106.4)

षष्टिः पुत्रसहस्राणि तस्याप्रतिमतेजसः । रुद्रप्रसादाद्राजर्षेः समजायन्त पार्थिव ॥

ṣaṣṭiḥ putrasahasrāṇi tasyāpratimatejasaḥ | rudraprasādādrājarṣeḥ samajāyanta pārthiva

Sixty thousand sons were born to that royal seer of matchless splendor through the grace of Rudra, O king.

Note on the text: Corrected सहस्रणि → सहस्राणि (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads sahasrāṇi).

Verse 5 (3.106.5)

ते घोराः क्रूरकर्माण आकाशपरिसर्पिणः । बहुत्वाच्चावजानन्तः सर्वाँल्लोकान्सहामरान् ॥

te ghorāḥ krūrakarmāṇa ākāśaparisarpiṇaḥ | bahutvāccāvajānantaḥ sarvām̐llokānsahāmarān

They were fierce and cruel in their deeds and roamed through the sky; because they were so many, they held all the worlds, gods included, in contempt.

Note on the text: Corrected सर्वाल्लोँकान् → सर्वाँल्लोकान् (the nasal mark was printed on the wrong syllable; the critical edition reads sarvāṃl lokān).

Verse 6 (3.106.6)

त्रिदशांश्चाप्यबाधन्त तथा गन्धर्वराक्षसान् । सर्वाणि चैव भूतानि शूराः समरशालिनः ॥

tridaśāṃścāpyabādhanta tathā gandharvarākṣasān | sarvāṇi caiva bhūtāni śūrāḥ samaraśālinaḥ

Heroes who delighted in battle, they harassed the gods, the gandharvas and the rakshasas, and all creatures besides.

Note on the text: Corrected शूरा → शूराः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped visarga; the critical edition reads śūrāḥ).

Verse 7 (3.106.7)

वध्यमानास्तदा लोकाः सागरैर्मन्दबुद्धिभिः । ब्रह्माणं शरणं जग्मुः सहिताः सर्वदैवतैः ॥

vadhyamānāstadā lokāḥ sāgarairmandabuddhibhiḥ | brahmāṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ jagmuḥ sahitāḥ sarvadaivataiḥ

Tormented then by the dull-witted sons of Sagara, the worlds, together with all the gods, went to Brahma for refuge.

Verse 8 (3.106.8)

तानुवाच महाभागः सर्वलोकपितामहः । गच्छध्वं त्रिदशाः सर्वे लोकैः सार्धं यथागतम् ॥

tānuvāca mahābhāgaḥ sarvalokapitāmahaḥ | gacchadhvaṃ tridaśāḥ sarve lokaiḥ sārdhaṃ yathāgatam

The illustrious Grandfather of all the worlds said to them, "Go back, all you gods, together with the worlds, the way you came.

Verse 9 (3.106.9)

नातिदीर्घेण कालेन सागराणां क्षयो महान् । भविष्यति महाघोरः स्वकृतैः कर्मभिः सुराः ॥

nātidīrgheṇa kālena sāgarāṇāṃ kṣayo mahān | bhaviṣyati mahāghoraḥ svakṛtaiḥ karmabhiḥ surāḥ

Before long, O gods, a great and terrible destruction will overtake the sons of Sagara through their own deeds."

Note on the text: Corrected विष्यति → भविष्यति (misprint in Wikisource; a lost syllable that leaves the line short; the critical edition reads bhaviṣyati).

Verse 10 (3.106.10)

एवमुक्तास्तु ते देवा लोकाश्च मनुजेश्वर । पितामहमनुज्ञाप्य विप्रजग्मुर्यथागतम् ॥

evamuktāstu te devā lokāśca manujeśvara | pitāmahamanujñāpya viprajagmuryathāgatam

Thus addressed, the gods and the worlds took leave of the Grandfather, lord of men, and went back the way they had come.

Note on the text: Corrected लोकाश् → लोकाश्च (misprint in Wikisource; a lost akshara; the critical edition reads lokāś ca).

Verse 11 (3.106.11)

ततः काले बहुतिथे व्यतीते भरतर्षभ । दीक्षितः सगरो राजा हयमेधेन वीर्यवान् ॥

tataḥ kāle bahutithe vyatīte bharatarṣabha | dīkṣitaḥ sagaro rājā hayamedhena vīryavān

Then, after a great deal of time had passed, O bull among the Bharatas, the mighty King Sagara was consecrated for the horse sacrifice.

Note on the text: Matches the first two lines of the critical edition's three-line 3.105.9.

Verse 12 (3.106.12)

तस्याश्वो व्यचरद्भूमिं पुत्रैः सुपरिरक्षितः । सर्वैरेव महोत्साहैः स्वच्छन्दप्रचरो नृप ॥

tasyāśvo vyacaradbhūmiṃ putraiḥ suparirakṣitaḥ | sarvaireva mahotsāhaiḥ svacchandapracaro nṛpa

His horse roamed the earth, well guarded by his sons, all of them full of zeal, wandering freely wherever it would, O king.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` … ') around the second line. The first line is the critical edition's 3.105.9e; the second is not in its constituted text and appears in its apparatus as 3.105.9f*0518.

Verse 13 (3.106.13)

समुद्रं स समासाद्य निस्तोयं भीमदर्शनम् । रक्ष्यमाणः प्रयत्नेन तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ॥

samudraṃ sa samāsādya nistoyaṃ bhīmadarśanam | rakṣyamāṇaḥ prayatnena tatraivāntaradhīyata

Reaching the ocean, now waterless and dreadful to behold, the horse vanished right there, though it was guarded with great care.

Verse 14 (3.106.14)

ततस्ते सागरास्तात हृतं मत्वा हयोत्तमम् । आगम्य पितुराचख्युरदृश्यं तुरगं हृतम् । तेनोक्ता दिक्षु सर्वासु पुत्रा मार्गत वाजिनम् ॥

tataste sāgarāstāta hṛtaṃ matvā hayottamam | āgamya piturācakhyuradṛśyaṃ turagaṃ hṛtam | tenoktā dikṣu sarvāsu putrā mārgata vājinam

Then the sons of Sagara, my son, believing the fine horse had been stolen, came and told their father that the horse had been carried off and could not be seen. He told them, "Sons, search for the horse in every direction."

Verse 15 (3.106.15)

ततस्ते पितुराज्ञाय दिक्षु सर्वासु तं हयम् । अमार्गन्त महाराज सर्वं च पृथिवीतलम् ॥

tataste piturājñāya dikṣu sarvāsu taṃ hayam | amārganta mahārāja sarvaṃ ca pṛthivītalam

Then, at their father's command, they searched for that horse in every direction, great king, and over the whole face of the earth.

Note on the text: Word spacing restored (सर्वं च).

Verse 16 (3.106.16)

ततस्ते सागराः सर्वे समुपेत्य परस्परम् । नाध्यगच्छन्त तुरगमश्वहर्तारमेव च ॥

tataste sāgarāḥ sarve samupetya parasparam | nādhyagacchanta turagamaśvahartārameva ca

Then all the sons of Sagara came together, but they had found neither the horse nor the one who had taken it.

Verse 17 (3.106.17)

आगम्य पितरं चोचुस्ततः प्राञ्जलयोऽग्रतः ॥

āgamya pitaraṃ cocustataḥ prāñjalayo'grataḥ

Coming to their father, they stood before him with joined palms and said:

Note on the text: A single line in Wikisource (numbered 17a only). It is the critical edition's 3.105.14a, which prints it with the next two lines as one verse (with an extra line, *0520, between them); kept as Wikisource divides it, since this line is narration and the next verse is the sons' speech.

Verse 18 (3.106.18)

ससमुद्रवनद्वीपा सनदीनदकन्दरा । सपर्वतवनोद्देशा निखिलेन मही नृप ॥

sasamudravanadvīpā sanadīnadakandarā | saparvatavanoddeśā nikhilena mahī nṛpa

"The whole earth, O king, with its seas, forests and islands, its rivers, streams and caves, its mountains and woodlands,

Note on the text: Matches the last two lines of the critical edition's 3.105.14.

Verse 19 (3.106.19)

अस्माभिर्विचिता राजञ्शासनात्तव पार्थिव । न चाश्वमधिगच्छामो नाश्वहर्तारमेव च ॥

asmābhirvicitā rājañśāsanāttava pārthiva | na cāśvamadhigacchāmo nāśvahartārameva ca

has been searched by us at your command, O king, yet we find neither the horse nor the one who took it."

Verse 20 (3.106.20)

श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तेषां स राजा क्रोधमूर्छितः । उवाच वचनं सर्वांस्तदा दैववशान्नृप ॥

śrutvā tu vacanaṃ teṣāṃ sa rājā krodhamūrchitaḥ | uvāca vacanaṃ sarvāṃstadā daivavaśānnṛpa

Hearing their words, the king was overcome with anger, and then, driven by fate, O king, he said to them all:

Note on the text: Corrected क्रोधमूर्चितः → क्रोधमूर्छितः (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads krodhamūrchitaḥ).

Verse 21 (3.106.21)

अनागमाय गच्छध्वं भूयो मार्गत वाजिनम् । यज्ञियं तं विना ह्यश्वं नागन्तव्यं हि पुत्रकाः ॥

anāgamāya gacchadhvaṃ bhūyo mārgata vājinam | yajñiyaṃ taṃ vinā hyaśvaṃ nāgantavyaṃ hi putrakāḥ

"Go, and do not come back! Search for the horse again. Without that sacrificial horse you are not to return, my sons."

Note on the text: Corrected याज्ञीयं → यज्ञियं (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads yajñiyaṃ, "sacrificial"); word spacing restored (विना ह्यश्वं).

Verse 22 (3.106.22)

प्रतिगृह्य तु संदेशं पितुस्ते सगरात्मजाः । भूय एव महीं कृत्स्नां विचेतुमुपचक्रमुः ॥

pratigṛhya tu saṃdeśaṃ pituste sagarātmajāḥ | bhūya eva mahīṃ kṛtsnāṃ vicetumupacakramuḥ

Accepting their father's command, the sons of Sagara began once more to search the whole earth.

Verse 23 (3.106.23)

अथापश्यन्त ते वीराः पृथिवीमवदारिताम् । समुद्रे पृथिवीपाल पदं मार्गं च वाजिनः ॥

athāpaśyanta te vīrāḥ pṛthivīmavadāritām | samudre pṛthivīpāla padaṃ mārgaṃ ca vājinaḥ

Then those heroes saw the earth split open in the ocean, O protector of the earth, and the horse's hoofprints and track.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` … ') around the second line. The first line is the critical edition's 3.105.19a; the second is not in its constituted text and appears in its apparatus as 3.105.19b*0521.

Verse 24 (3.106.24)

समासाद्य बिलं तच्चाप्यखनन्सगरात्मजाः । कुद्दालैर्मुसलैश्चैव समुद्रं यत्नमास्थिताः ॥

samāsādya bilaṃ taccāpyakhanansagarātmajāḥ | kuddālairmusalaiścaiva samudraṃ yatnamāsthitāḥ

Reaching that hole, the sons of Sagara dug into it, and with spades and pestles they set to work in earnest digging up the ocean.

Note on the text: Corresponds to the last two lines of the critical edition's 3.105.19 (samāsādya bilaṃ tac ca khanantaḥ sagarātmajāḥ / kuddālair hreṣukaiś caiva samudram akhanaṃs tadā); Wikisource's wording is a recension variant.

Verse 25 (3.106.25)

स खन्यमानः सहितैः सागरैर्वरुणालयः । अगच्छत्परमामार्तिं दीर्यमाणः समन्ततः ॥

sa khanyamānaḥ sahitaiḥ sāgarairvaruṇālayaḥ | agacchatparamāmārtiṃ dīryamāṇaḥ samantataḥ

Dug by the sons of Sagara together, the abode of Varuna fell into the greatest anguish as it was torn open on every side.

Verse 26 (3.106.26)

असुरोरगरक्षांसि सत्वानि विविधानि च । आर्तनादमकुर्वन्त वध्यमानानि सागरैः ॥

asuroragarakṣāṃsi satvāni vividhāni ca | ārtanādamakurvanta vadhyamānāni sāgaraiḥ

Asuras, serpents, rakshasas and creatures of many kinds cried out in pain as the sons of Sagara slew them.

Verse 27 (3.106.27)

छिन्नशीर्षा विदेहाश्च भिन्नजान्वस्थिमस्तकाः । प्राणिनः समदृश्यन्त शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥

chinnaśīrṣā videhāśca bhinnajānvasthimastakāḥ | prāṇinaḥ samadṛśyanta śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ

Creatures could be seen by the hundreds and the thousands, their heads cut off, their bodies torn apart, their knees, bones and skulls shattered.

Note on the text: Corrected शतशोथ → शतशोऽथ (missing avagraha in Wikisource; the critical edition reads śataśo 'tha).

Verse 28 (3.106.28)

एवं हि खनतां तेषां समुद्रं वरुणालयम् । व्यतीतः सुमहान्कालो न चाश्वः समदृश्यत ॥

evaṃ hi khanatāṃ teṣāṃ samudraṃ varuṇālayam | vyatītaḥ sumahānkālo na cāśvaḥ samadṛśyata

As they dug up the ocean, the abode of Varuna, in this way, a very long time went by, and still the horse was not seen.

Verse 29 (3.106.29)

ततः पूर्वोत्तरे देशे समुद्रस्य महीपते । विदार्य पातालमथ संक्रुद्धाः सगरात्मजाः ॥

tataḥ pūrvottare deśe samudrasya mahīpate | vidārya pātālamatha saṃkruddhāḥ sagarātmajāḥ

Then in the north-eastern region of the ocean, O lord of the earth, the furious sons of Sagara split the earth open down to the underworld,

Note on the text: Matches the critical edition's 3.105.24a and c (it inserts a line, *0522, between them).

Verse 30 (3.106.30)

अपश्यन्त हयं यत्र विचरन्तं महीतले । कपिलं च महात्मानं तेजोराशिमनुत्तमम् ॥

apaśyanta hayaṃ yatra vicarantaṃ mahītale | kapilaṃ ca mahātmānaṃ tejorāśimanuttamam

and there they saw the horse wandering over the ground, and the great-souled Kapila, an unsurpassed mass of splendor,

Note on the text: The first line is the critical edition's 3.105.24e (tatra for यत्र), the second its 3.105.25a.

Verse 31 (3.106.31)

तेजसा दीप्यमानं तु ज्वालाभिरिव पावकम् । दृष्ट्वा हि विस्मिताः सर्वे बभूवुः सगरात्मजाः ॥

tejasā dīpyamānaṃ tu jvālābhiriva pāvakam | dṛṣṭvā hi vismitāḥ sarve babhūvuḥ sagarātmajāḥ

blazing with splendor like a fire with its flames. At the sight of him all the sons of Sagara were struck with wonder.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` … ') around the second line. The first line is the critical edition's 3.105.25c (tapasā for तेजसा); the second is not in its constituted text and appears, with variants, in its apparatus as 3.105.25d*0523.