The Birth of Sagara

Verse 1 (skanda.8.126.1)

व्यास उवाच । भस्त्रापदमिति प्रोक्तं त्वया ब्रह्मसुताव्यय । कथं तदभवत् स्थानमेतदिच्छामि वेदितुम्

vyāsa uvāca | bhastrāpadamiti proktaṁ tvayā brahmasutāvyaya | kathaṁ tadabhavat sthānametadicchāmi veditum

Vyasa said: O imperishable son of Brahma, you have spoken of the place called Bhastrapada — how did it come to be? This I wish to know.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.126.2)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । इक्ष्वाकुकुलसंभूतो बाहुर्नाम प्रजेश्वरः । हैहयैस्तालजंघैश्च तस्य राज्यमशेषतः । हृतं विप्रेन्द्र विक्रम्य सभार्यः स वनं ययौ

sanatkumāra uvāca | ikṣvākukulasaṁbhūto bāhurnāma prajeśvaraḥ | haihayaistālajaṁghaiśca tasya rājyamaśeṣataḥ | hṛtaṁ viprendra vikramya sabhāryaḥ sa vanaṁ yayau

Sanatkumara said: There was a lord of subjects named Bahu, born in the Ikshvaku line. O lord of brahmins, his entire kingdom was forcibly seized by the Haihayas and Talajanghas; he, with his wife, went to the forest.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.126.3)

स ऋचीकाश्रमं गत्वा ऋचीकेनानुपालितः । उवास वनमध्ये तु गर्भिण्या भार्यया सह

sa ṛcīkāśramaṁ gatvā ṛcīkenānupālitaḥ | uvāsa vanamadhye tu garbhiṇyā bhāryayā saha

Having gone to Richika's hermitage, protected by Richika, he dwelt in the midst of the forest together with his pregnant wife.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.126.4)

तस्याः प्रसवकाले तु भार्यायाः शक्तिनन्दन । सपत्न्या रागमोहेन गरोस्यै संप्रदापितः

tasyāḥ prasavakāle tu bhāryāyāḥ śaktinandana | sapatnyā rāgamohena garosyai saṁpradāpitaḥ

O Shaktinandana, at the time of that wife's delivery, a co-wife, driven by passion and delusion, administered poison to her.

Verse 5 (skanda.8.126.5)

सा तेन वेदनां प्राप्य तप्यमाना रुजान्विता । शीतं तोयमिति प्रोच्य मूर्च्छिता न्यपतद् भुवि

sā tena vedanāṁ prāpya tapyamānā rujānvitā | śītaṁ toyamiti procya mūrcchitā nyapatad bhuvi

Afflicted with pain by it, suffering, seized with sickness, crying 'cold water!', she fainted and fell to the ground.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.126.6)

तां तथा पतितां दृष्ट्वा स राजा मन्युतापितः । कुम्भमादाय वृद्धोपि तोयार्थं सरितं ययौ

tāṁ tathā patitāṁ dṛṣṭvā sa rājā manyutāpitaḥ | kumbhamādāya vṛddhopi toyārthaṁ saritaṁ yayau

Seeing her fallen thus, that king, tormented with grief, though old, took up a pot and went to the river for water.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.126.7)

स पूरयित्वा कुम्भं तं स्कन्धेनादाय दुःखितः । वृद्धभावाच्छ्रमाच्चैव पापात च ममार च

sa pūrayitvā kumbhaṁ taṁ skandhenādāya duḥkhitaḥ | vṛddhabhāvācchramāccaiva pāpāta ca mamāra ca

Having filled that pot and taken it upon his shoulder, grieving, he died — from old age, from exhaustion, and from that sin.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.126.8)

मृतो मृत इतीत्येवमृषिभिः समुदाहृते । सा देवी मूर्च्छितोत्तस्थौ पतिशोकसमाहता

mṛto mṛta itītyevamṛṣibhiḥ samudāhṛte | sā devī mūrcchitottasthau patiśokasamāhatā

As the sages proclaimed 'he is dead, he is dead', that queen, struck with grief for her husband, rose up from her swoon.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.126.9)

सा गरस्य च तापेन पतिमृत्युकृतेन च । समाहता तदा व्यास कुररीव व्यनादयत्

sā garasya ca tāpena patimṛtyukṛtena ca | samāhatā tadā vyāsa kurarīva vyanādayat

Afflicted by the burning of the poison and by her husband's death, she then, O Vyasa, cried out like a kurari-bird.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.126.10)

बाहोस्तु ऋषयस्सर्वे वसिष्ठाद्याः समागताः । कृत्वा तु चयनं सम्यक् संस्कारमभिरोचयन्

bāhostu ṛṣayassarve vasiṣṭhādyāḥ samāgatāḥ | kṛtvā tu cayanaṁ samyak saṁskāramabhirocayan

All the sages, headed by Vasishtha, gathered for Bahu; having duly prepared the pyre, they set about the rite of cremation.

Verse 11 (skanda.8.126.11)

तमग्निं प्रविशन्ती सा शैव्या गर्भेण दूषिता । वारिता ऋषिभिर्व्यास और्वेण च महात्मना

tamagniṁ praviśantī sā śaivyā garbheṇa dūṣitā | vāritā ṛṣibhirvyāsa aurveṇa ca mahātmanā

As that Shaivya, though tainted by carrying the poisoned embryo, was about to enter that fire, O Vyasa, she was stopped by the sages and by the great-souled Aurva.

Verse 12 (skanda.8.126.12)

तस्यास्तत्र दिने व्यास सायाह्ने मन्युनाशनः । गरेण सह गर्भोसौ निःसृतोनलसप्रभः

tasyāstatra dine vyāsa sāyāhne manyunāśanaḥ | gareṇa saha garbhosau niḥsṛtonalasaprabhaḥ

On that same day, O Vyasa, in the evening, that grief-dispelling embryo, together with the poison, emerged, radiant as fire.

Verse 13 (skanda.8.126.13)

तस्मै सगर इत्येव नाम चक्रे ऋषिस्तदा । संस्कारञ्चाकरोत्तस्य सर्वमेव कृपान्वितः

tasmai sagara ityeva nāma cakre ṛṣistadā | saṁskārañcākarottasya sarvameva kṛpānvitaḥ

The sage then named him 'Sagara' (born with poison), and, filled with compassion, performed all his birth-rites.

Verse 14 (skanda.8.126.14)

धनुर्वेदं ददौ चैव वेदान् साङ्गाँस्तथैव च । अस्त्रग्रामञ्च विपुलं रथञ्चासङ्गमव्ययम्

dhanurvedaṁ dadau caiva vedān sāṅgā~stathaiva ca | astragrāmañca vipulaṁ rathañcāsaṅgamavyayam

He gave him the science of archery, and likewise the Vedas with their auxiliaries, a vast host of weapons, and an unimpeded, imperishable chariot.

Verse 15 (skanda.8.126.15)

स तेन रथमुख्येन युधि शत्रूञ्जघान ह । और्वास्त्रं चैव सन्धाय तेषां धर्ममनाशयत्

sa tena rathamukhyena yudhi śatrūñjaghāna ha | aurvāstraṁ caiva sandhāya teṣāṁ dharmamanāśayat

With that foremost chariot he slew his enemies in battle, and, invoking the Aurva weapon, he destroyed their strength.

Verse 16 (skanda.8.126.16)

स हत्वा तांस्तथा व्यास प्राप्य राज्यमथापि च । वैनतेयस्वसां प्राप्य शैव्याञ्चैव सुमध्यमाम्

sa hatvā tāṁstathā vyāsa prāpya rājyamathāpi ca | vainateyasvasāṁ prāpya śaivyāñcaiva sumadhyamām

Having thus slain them, O Vyasa, and having also obtained the kingdom, and having obtained the sister of Vainateya and the slender Shaivya as wives,

Verse 17 (skanda.8.126.17)

अनपत्यो महाबाहुस्त्र्यम्बकं देवसत्तमम् । आराधयन् महातेजाः पुत्रहेतोर्नराधिपः

anapatyo mahābāhustryambakaṁ devasattamam | ārādhayan mahātejāḥ putrahetornarādhipaḥ

that childless, mighty-armed, greatly radiant king propitiated Tryambaka, best of gods, for the sake of a son.

Verse 18 (skanda.8.126.18)

तस्मै प्रादात् स भगवान् पुत्रवंशकरं प्रभुः । षष्टि चैव सहस्राणि सुतानां सुमहात्मनाम्

tasmai prādāt sa bhagavān putravaṁśakaraṁ prabhuḥ | ṣaṣṭi caiva sahasrāṇi sutānāṁ sumahātmanām

That blessed lord granted him a son who would found a lineage — sixty thousand great-souled sons.

Verse 19 (skanda.8.126.19)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । लब्ध्वा स तु वरं राजा भार्याद्वयमुवाच ह । वैनतेयस्वसां चैव शैव्याञ्चैव महामनाः

sanatkumāra uvāca | labdhvā sa tu varaṁ rājā bhāryādvayamuvāca ha | vainateyasvasāṁ caiva śaivyāñcaiva mahāmanāḥ

Sanatkumara said: Having obtained that boon, the great-souled king spoke to both his wives, the sister of Vainateya and Shaivya.

Verse 20 (skanda.8.126.20)

सगर उवाच । मह्यं देवेन दत्तश्च पुत्रो वंशकरः शुभः । षष्टिं चैव सहस्राणि पुत्राणां सुमहात्मनाम्

sagara uvāca | mahyaṁ devena dattaśca putro vaṁśakaraḥ śubhaḥ | ṣaṣṭiṁ caiva sahasrāṇi putrāṇāṁ sumahātmanām

Sagara said: 'A son, auspicious and lineage-founding, has been granted to me by the god — sixty thousand great-souled sons.'

Verse 21 (skanda.8.126.21)

तत्र का वृणुते देव्यौ वरं देवी शुभं हितम् । ब्रूत नाहं विभागं वः करोमि विदितात्मनाम्

tatra kā vṛṇute devyau varaṁ devī śubhaṁ hitam | brūta nāhaṁ vibhāgaṁ vaḥ karomi viditātmanām

'Now, of you two goddesses, which chooses which auspicious, beneficial boon? Speak — I shall not apportion it for you; you know your own minds.'

Verse 22 (skanda.8.126.22)

वैनतेयस्वसोवाच । षष्टिः पुत्रसहस्राणि मम सन्तु नराधिप । शैव्याब्रवीत् सुतो मह्यमेको वंशकरोस्तु वै

vainateyasvasovāca | ṣaṣṭiḥ putrasahasrāṇi mama santu narādhipa | śaivyābravīt suto mahyameko vaṁśakarostu vai

The sister of Vainateya said: 'Let sixty thousand sons be mine, O king.' Shaivya said: 'Let a single lineage-founding son be mine.'

Verse 23 (skanda.8.126.23)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । असमञ्जसुतं शैव्या ततः सा संप्रसूयत । वैनतेयस्वसास्तुम्बं महान्तं संप्रसूयत

sanatkumāra uvāca | asamañjasutaṁ śaivyā tataḥ sā saṁprasūyata | vainateyasvasāstumbaṁ mahāntaṁ saṁprasūyata

Sanatkumara said: Shaivya then gave birth to a son, Asamanjas; and the sister of Vainateya gave birth to a great gourd.

Verse 24 (skanda.8.126.24)

तस्मात्तुम्बात्ततस्तानि सहस्राणि दशैव तु । गुणितानि व्यास षड्भिः संभवन्त महाबलाः

tasmāttumbāttatastāni sahasrāṇi daśaiva tu | guṇitāni vyāsa ṣaḍbhiḥ saṁbhavanta mahābalāḥ

From that gourd, O Vyasa, there then came into being those mighty ones, numbering ten thousand multiplied six times over.

Verse 25 (skanda.8.126.25)

असमञ्जः परित्यक्तः सगरेण सुतस्ततः । अधार्मिक इति ज्ञात्वा अनाचारे व्यवस्थितः

asamañjaḥ parityaktaḥ sagareṇa sutastataḥ | adhārmika iti jñātvā anācāre vyavasthitaḥ

That son Asamanjas was then abandoned by Sagara, once known to be unrighteous, established in bad conduct.

Verse 26 (skanda.8.126.26)

अंशुमाँस्तस्य पुत्रस्तु बाल एवाति धार्मिकः । तस्मिन् प्रीतिं तदा चक्रे सगरो राजसत्तमः

aṁśumā~stasya putrastu bāla evāti dhārmikaḥ | tasmin prītiṁ tadā cakre sagaro rājasattamaḥ

His son Amshuman, even as a boy, was extremely righteous; Sagara, best of kings, then took delight in him.

Verse 27 (skanda.8.126.27)

असमञ्जे परित्यक्ते हयमेधेन दीक्षितः । षष्टिं तानि सहस्राणि हयस्यारक्षणे दधौ

asamañje parityakte hayamedhena dīkṣitaḥ | ṣaṣṭiṁ tāni sahasrāṇi hayasyārakṣaṇe dadhau

With Asamanjas cast off, Sagara was consecrated for a horse-sacrifice, and he set those sixty thousand sons to guard the horse.

Verse 28 (skanda.8.126.28)

तेषां हयं चारयतामुद्युक्तानां महात्मनाम् । अन्तर्धानगतः शक्र आक्षिपत्तं हयोत्तमम्

teṣāṁ hayaṁ cārayatāmudyuktānāṁ mahātmanām | antardhānagataḥ śakra ākṣipattaṁ hayottamam

As those great-souled ones, diligent, were letting the horse graze, Shakra, becoming invisible, stole away that finest of horses.

Verse 29 (skanda.8.126.29)

ते लोकान् सर्वशो गत्वा अपश्यन्तो हयोत्तमम् । पितरं दीक्षितं प्राप्य तं हयं संन्यवेदयन

te lokān sarvaśo gatvā apaśyanto hayottamam | pitaraṁ dīkṣitaṁ prāpya taṁ hayaṁ saṁnyavedayana

They, having gone through all the worlds and not finding the finest horse, came before their consecrated father and reported [the loss of] that horse.

Verse 30 (skanda.8.126.30)

स संक्रुद्धस्तदा राजा निर्दहन्निव तान्सुतान् । उवाच क्रोधताम्राक्षो नश्यध्वं क्षिप्रमद्य वै

sa saṁkruddhastadā rājā nirdahanniva tānsutān | uvāca krodhatāmrākṣo naśyadhvaṁ kṣipramadya vai

That king, then greatly enraged, as if burning up those sons, his eyes red with wrath, said: 'Perish at once, this very day!'

Verse 31 (skanda.8.126.31)

नागन्तव्यं विना वोद्य हयं क्रूरा विमार्गत । सुतैः किं मम युष्माभिर्यात सर्वे यमक्षयम्

nāgantavyaṁ vinā vodya hayaṁ krūrā vimārgata | sutaiḥ kiṁ mama yuṣmābhiryāta sarve yamakṣayam

'None of you cruel ones is to return today without the horse — go on searching. What use are you to me as sons? Go, all of you, to Yama's abode.'

Verse 32 (skanda.8.126.32)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । त एवमुक्ता विप्रेन्द्र त्रैलोक्यमखिलं तदा । विमृग्य खानयामासुरिमां सर्वां वसुन्धराम्

sanatkumāra uvāca | ta evamuktā viprendra trailokyamakhilaṁ tadā | vimṛgya khānayāmāsurimāṁ sarvāṁ vasundharām

Sanatkumara said: O lord of brahmins, thus addressed, they then searched the entire triple world and dug up this whole earth.

Verse 33 (skanda.8.126.33)

दिग्गजाँस्ते ततो दृष्टवा ऋषीँश्च नियतव्रतान् । धारयन्तोवनिं सर्वान् दृष्ट्वा चाभिप्रणम्य च

diggajā~ste tato dṛṣṭavā ṛṣī~śca niyatavratān | dhārayantovaniṁ sarvān dṛṣṭvā cābhipraṇamya ca

They then saw the elephants of the quarters and the strict-vowed sages upholding the earth, and, having seen them all, bowed to them.

Verse 34 (skanda.8.126.34)

कपिलं ते मुनिं सुप्तमवैक्षन्त जलाशये । अदूरेस्य हयं चैव क्रुद्धास्ते मेनिरे तदा

kapilaṁ te muniṁ suptamavaikṣanta jalāśaye | adūresya hayaṁ caiva kruddhāste menire tadā

They beheld the sage Kapila sleeping by a body of water, and the horse not far from him; enraged, they then thought.

Verse 35 (skanda.8.126.35)

प्रेरिता भावितार्थेन काले पक्वा मुमूर्षवः । पितृशापादथोचुस्ते कपिलं मुनिसत्तमम्

preritā bhāvitārthena kāle pakvā mumūrṣavaḥ | pitṛśāpādathocuste kapilaṁ munisattamam

Driven by their own destined purpose, ripe in time and doomed to die, and also because of their father's curse, they then said to Kapila, best of sages:

Verse 36 (skanda.8.126.36)

एष नो हयमुख्यस्य हर्ता सुप्तो दुरात्मवान् । एनमद्य वयं सर्वे नयाम पितुरन्तिकम्

eṣa no hayamukhyasya hartā supto durātmavān | enamadya vayaṁ sarve nayāma piturantikam

'This evil-souled one, asleep, is the thief of our finest horse; let all of us take him today before our father.'

Verse 37 (skanda.8.126.37)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । ततस्ते कालपाशेन बद्धास्सर्वे महाबलाः । नियतेर्वशगाश्चैव पद्भिस्तं समताडयन्

sanatkumāra uvāca | tataste kālapāśena baddhāssarve mahābalāḥ | niyatervaśagāścaiva padbhistaṁ samatāḍayan

Sanatkumara said: Then all those mighty ones, bound by the noose of death and subject to fate, struck him with their feet.

Verse 38 (skanda.8.126.38)

स तैरभ्यर्दितः क्रुद्धः शरदामयुतं तदा । निरुद्धं सहसा वायुमुत्ससर्ज यथाहिराट्

sa tairabhyarditaḥ kruddhaḥ śaradāmayutaṁ tadā | niruddhaṁ sahasā vāyumutsasarja yathāhirāṭ

He, oppressed by them, enraged, then suddenly released the breath he had held in check for ten thousand years, like a king of serpents.

Verse 39 (skanda.8.126.39)

तस्य वक्त्राद्विनिःसृत्य स वायुर्ज्वलनात्मकः । ददाह सागरान् सर्वान् न्यायधर्मबहिष्कृतान्

tasya vaktrādviniḥsṛtya sa vāyurjvalanātmakaḥ | dadāha sāgarān sarvān nyāyadharmabahiṣkṛtān

Issuing from his mouth, that fiery breath consumed all the sons of Sagara, who had strayed from justice and dharma.

Verse 40 (skanda.8.126.40)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । तेषु दग्धेषु सर्वेषु ऋषयो नारदादयः । सगराय यथावृत्तमाचख्युरतिदुष्करम्

sanatkumāra uvāca | teṣu dagdheṣu sarveṣu ṛṣayo nāradādayaḥ | sagarāya yathāvṛttamācakhyuratiduṣkaram

Sanatkumara said: When all of them had been burnt, the sages headed by Narada related to Sagara that most terrible event exactly as it had occurred.

Verse 41 (skanda.8.126.41)

ततस्स राजा दुःखार्त्तः संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना । अंशुमन्तं प्रियं पौत्रमादिदेश महामनाः

tatassa rājā duḥkhārttaḥ saṁstabhyātmānamātmanā | aṁśumantaṁ priyaṁ pautramādideśa mahāmanāḥ

Then that grief-stricken king, steadying himself by his own will, the great-souled one, instructed his dear grandson Amshuman.

Verse 42 (skanda.8.126.42)

सगर उवाच । इमं रथं समारुह्य गच्छ तं हयमुत्तमम् । इहानय महाबाहो कालो नो नात्यगाद्यथा

sagara uvāca | imaṁ rathaṁ samāruhya gaccha taṁ hayamuttamam | ihānaya mahābāho kālo no nātyagādyathā

Sagara said: 'Mount this chariot and go; bring that finest horse here, O mighty-armed one, before our time runs out.'

Verse 43 (skanda.8.126.43)

समाचरेथास्तद्वाक्य यथासावृषिसत्तमः । क्रोधं न कुरुतेस्मासु त्वयि नः सन्ततिर्ध्रुवा

samācarethāstadvākya yathāsāvṛṣisattamaḥ | krodhaṁ na kurutesmāsu tvayi naḥ santatirdhruvā

'Act according to whatever that best of sages says, so that he holds no anger against us; upon you alone now surely rests our lineage.'

Verse 44 (skanda.8.126.44)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । स एवमुक्तो रथमास्थितो नृपो महानुभावः सुरसिद्धपूजितः । जगाम वेगेन सुरेन्द्रविक्रमः स यत्र योगी सगरान्तको बभौ

sanatkumāra uvāca | sa evamukto rathamāsthito nṛpo mahānubhāvaḥ surasiddhapūjitaḥ | jagāma vegena surendravikramaḥ sa yatra yogī sagarāntako babhau

Sanatkumara said: Thus commanded, that illustrious prince, honored by gods and Siddhas, mounting his chariot, valorous as the lord of gods, went with speed to where that yogin, seeming ender of Sagara's line, shone.