The Sons of Sagara Dig the Earth

Shloka 1 (bala.39.1)

विश्वामित्रवचः श्रुत्वा कथान्ते रघुनंदन। उवाच परमप्रीतो मुनिं दीप्तमिवानलम् ॥ १-३९-१ ॥

viśvāmitravacaḥ śrutvā kathānte raghunaṃdana| uvāca paramaprīto muniṃ dīptamivānalam || 1-39-1 ||

Having heard Vishvamitra's words, O delight of Raghu's line, at the end of the tale Rama, greatly pleased, spoke thus to the sage who was radiant as blazing fire.

Shloka 2 (bala.39.2)

श्रोतुमिच्छामि भद्रं ते विस्तरेण कथामिमाम्। पूर्वजो मे कथं ब्रह्मन् यज्ञं वै समुपाहरत् ॥ १-३९-२ ॥

śrotumicchāmi bhadraṃ te vistareṇa kathāmimām| pūrvajo me kathaṃ brahman yajñaṃ vai samupāharat || 1-39-2 ||

"I wish to hear this story in full detail — may good befall you. How, O Brahmin, did my ancestor indeed carry through that sacrifice?"

Shloka 3 (bala.39.3)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा कौतूहलसमन्वितः। विश्वामित्रस्तु काकुत्स्थमुवाच प्रहसन्निव ॥ १-३९-३ ॥

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā kautūhalasamanvitaḥ| viśvāmitrastu kākutsthamuvāca prahasanniva || 1-39-3 ||

Hearing his words, full of eager curiosity, Vishvamitra, as though smiling, spoke thus to the scion of Kakutstha.

Shloka 4 (bala.39.4)

श्रूयतां विस्तरो राम सगरस्य महात्मनः। शंकरश्वशुरो नाम हिमवानिति विश्रुतः ॥ १-३९-४ ॥

śrūyatāṃ vistaro rāma sagarasya mahātmanaḥ| śaṃkaraśvaśuro nāma himavāniti viśrutaḥ || 1-39-4 ||

"Listen, O Rama, to the full account of the great-souled Sagara. There is a mountain, well known by the name of Himavan, the father-in-law of Shankara,"

Shloka 5 (bala.39.5)

विंध्यपर्वतमासाद्य निरीक्षेते परस्परम्। तयोर्मध्ये प्रवृत्तोऽभूद्यज्ञः स पुरुषोत्तम ॥ १-३९-५ ॥

viṃdhyaparvatamāsādya nirīkṣete parasparam| tayormadhye pravṛtto'bhūdyajñaḥ sa puruṣottama || 1-39-5 ||

"which faces Mount Vindhya, the two of them gazing upon one another. Between those two mountains, O best of men, that sacrifice took place."

Shloka 6 (bala.39.6)

स हि देशो नरव्याघ्र प्रशस्तो यज्ञकर्मणि। तस्याश्वचर्यां काकुत्स्थ दृढधन्वा महारथः ॥ १-३९-६ ॥

sa hi deśo naravyāghra praśasto yajñakarmaṇi| tasyāśvacaryāṃ kākutstha dṛḍhadhanvā mahārathaḥ || 1-39-6 ||

"For that region, O tiger among men, is indeed renowned as excellent for the performance of sacrifice. O scion of Kakutstha, Amshuman, the mighty charioteer of unfailing bow,"

Shloka 7 (bala.39.7)

अंशुमानकरोत्तात सगरस्य मते स्थितः। तस्य पर्वणि तं यज्ञं यजमानस्य वासवः ॥ १-३९-७ ॥

aṃśumānakarottāta sagarasya mate sthitaḥ| tasya parvaṇi taṃ yajñaṃ yajamānasya vāsavaḥ || 1-39-7 ||

"—dear one, guarded that sacrificial horse in keeping with Sagara's wish. Then, at that sacred hour, from the rite of that royal performer, Indra,"

Shloka 8 (bala.39.8)

राक्षसीं तनुमास्थाय यज्ञीयाश्वमपाहरत्। ह्रियमाणे तु काकुत्स्थ तस्मिन्नश्वे महात्मनः ॥ १-३९-८ ॥

rākṣasīṃ tanumāsthāya yajñīyāśvamapāharat| hriyamāṇe tu kākutstha tasminnaśve mahātmanaḥ || 1-39-8 ||

assuming the form of a demon, carried off the sacrificial horse. And while that horse of the great-souled Sagara was thus being stolen away, O scion of Kakutstha,

Shloka 9 (bala.39.9)

उपाध्यायगणाः सर्वे यजमानमथाब्रुवन्। अयं पर्वणि वेगेन यज्ञियाश्वोऽपनीयते ॥ १-३९-९ ॥

upādhyāyagaṇāḥ sarve yajamānamathābruvan| ayaṃ parvaṇi vegena yajñiyāśvo'panīyate || 1-39-9 ||

all the officiating priests then said to the sacrificer: "This sacrificial horse is being swiftly carried off at this very hour of the rite!"

Shloka 10 (bala.39.10)

हर्तारं जहि काकुत्स्थ हयश्चैवोपनीयताम्। यज्ञश्च्छिद्रं भवत्येतत्सर्वेषामशिवाय नः ॥ १-३९-१० ॥

hartāraṃ jahi kākutstha hayaścaivopanīyatām| yajñaścchidraṃ bhavatyetatsarveṣāmaśivāya naḥ || 1-39-10 ||

"O king, slay the thief, and let the horse be brought back! This is becoming a breach in the sacrifice, inauspicious for all of us."

Shloka 11 (bala.39.11)

तत्तथा क्रियतां राजन् यज्ञोऽच्छिद्रः क्रतुर्भवेत्। सोऽपाध्यायवचः श्रुत्वा तस्मिन्सदसि पार्थिवः ॥ १-३९-११ ॥

tattathā kriyatāṃ rājan yajño'cchidraḥ kraturbhavet| so'pādhyāyavacaḥ śrutvā tasminsadasi pārthivaḥ || 1-39-11 ||

"Let it be done accordingly, so that the sacrifice may proceed without flaw." Hearing the priests' words, that king, there in the assembly,

Shloka 12 (bala.39.12)

षष्टिं पुत्रसहस्राणि वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह। गतिं पुत्रा न पश्यामि रक्षसां पुरुषर्षभाः ॥ १-३९-१२ ॥

ṣaṣṭiṃ putrasahasrāṇi vākyametaduvāca ha| gatiṃ putrā na paśyāmi rakṣasāṃ puruṣarṣabhāḥ || 1-39-12 ||

spoke this to his sixty thousand sons: "O bulls among men, my sons, I see no way in here for demons;

Shloka 13 (bala.39.13)

मंत्रपूतैर्महाभागैरास्थितो हि महाक्रतुः। तद्गच्छत विचिन्वध्वं पुत्रका भद्रमस्तु वः ॥ १-३९-१३ ॥

maṃtrapūtairmahābhāgairāsthito hi mahākratuḥ| tadgacchata vicinvadhvaṃ putrakā bhadramastu vaḥ || 1-39-13 ||

for indeed this great sacrifice is being conducted by illustrious ones purified by sacred hymns. Go, therefore, my sons, and search for the horse; may good befall you."

Shloka 14 (bala.39.14)

समुद्रमालिनीं सर्वां पृथिवीमनुगच्छत। एकैकं योजनं पुत्रा विस्तारमभिगच्छत ॥ १-३९-१४ ॥

samudramālinīṃ sarvāṃ pṛthivīmanugacchata| ekaikaṃ yojanaṃ putrā vistāramabhigacchata || 1-39-14 ||

"Search through the whole earth, garlanded by the ocean. Go forth, my sons, each of you claiming one square yojana of ground,

Shloka 15 (bala.39.15)

यावत्तुरगसंदर्शस्तावत्खनत मेदिनीम्। तमेव हयहर्तारं मार्गमाणा ममाज्ञया ॥ १-३९-१५ ॥

yāvatturagasaṃdarśastāvatkhanata medinīm| tameva hayahartāraṃ mārgamāṇā mamājñayā || 1-39-15 ||

and dig into the earth, until the horse comes into view, seeking, by my command, that very stealer of the horse."

Shloka 16 (bala.39.16)

दीक्षितः पौत्रसहितः सोपाध्यायगणस्त्वहम्। इह स्थास्यामि भद्रं वो यावत्तुरगदर्शनम् ॥ १-३९-१६ ॥

dīkṣitaḥ pautrasahitaḥ sopādhyāyagaṇastvaham| iha sthāsyāmi bhadraṃ vo yāvatturagadarśanam || 1-39-16 ||

"I myself, consecrated for the rite, together with my grandson and the assembly of priests, shall remain here until the horse is seen again. May good befall you."

Shloka 17 (bala.39.17)

ते सर्वे हृष्टमनसो राजपुत्रा महाबलाः। जग्मुर्महीतलं राम पितुर्वचनयंत्रिताः ॥ १-३९-१७ ॥

te sarve hṛṣṭamanaso rājaputrā mahābalāḥ| jagmurmahītalaṃ rāma piturvacanayaṃtritāḥ || 1-39-17 ||

All of them, those mighty princes, gladdened at heart and bound by their father's word, O Rama, set forth over the surface of the earth.

Shloka 18 (bala.39.18)

गत्वा तु पृथिवीं सर्वमदृष्टा तं महबलाः। योजनायामविस्तारमेकैको धरणीतलम्। बिभिदुः पुरुषव्याघ्र वज्रस्पर्शसमैर्भुजैः ॥ १-३९-१८ ॥

gatvā tu pṛthivīṃ sarvamadṛṣṭā taṃ mahabalāḥ| yojanāyāmavistāramekaiko dharaṇītalam| bibhiduḥ puruṣavyāghra vajrasparśasamairbhujaiḥ || 1-39-18 ||

But though they traversed the whole earth, that horse was not found. O tiger among men, then those mighty ones, each claiming one square yojana of ground, began to cleave the surface of the earth with arms like the touch of the thunderbolt,

Shloka 19 (bala.39.19)

शूलैरशनिकल्पैश्च हलैश्चापि सुदारुणैः। भिद्यमाना वसुमती ननाद रघुनंदन ॥ १-३९-१९ ॥

śūlairaśanikalpaiśca halaiścāpi sudāruṇaiḥ| bhidyamānā vasumatī nanāda raghunaṃdana || 1-39-19 ||

with spears like thunderbolts, and with dreadful ploughs besides. And, O delight of Raghu's line, the earth roared as she was thus rent asunder.

Shloka 20 (bala.39.20)

नागानां वध्यमानानामसुराणां च राघव। राक्षसानां च दुर्धर्षः सत्त्वानां निनदोऽभवत् ॥ १-३९-२० ॥

nāgānāṃ vadhyamānānāmasurāṇāṃ ca rāghava| rākṣasānāṃ ca durdharṣaḥ sattvānāṃ ninado'bhavat || 1-39-20 ||

O Raghava, there arose a terrible, unbearable din from the serpents, asuras, demons, and other beings that were being slain as the earth was dug.

Shloka 21 (bala.39.21)

योजनानां सहस्राणि षष्टिं तु रघुनंदन। बिभिदुर्धरणीं राम रसातलमनुत्तमम् ॥ १-३९-२१ ॥

yojanānāṃ sahasrāṇi ṣaṣṭiṃ tu raghunaṃdana| bibhidurdharaṇīṃ rāma rasātalamanuttamam || 1-39-21 ||

O delight of Raghu's line, O Rama, thus they cleaved through sixty thousand yojanas of the earth, down to the unsurpassed netherworld, Rasatala.

Shloka 22 (bala.39.22)

एवं पर्वतसंबाधं जम्बूद्वीपं नृपात्मजाः। खनन्तो नृपशार्दूल सर्वतः परिचक्रमुः ॥ १-३९-२२ ॥

evaṃ parvatasaṃbādhaṃ jambūdvīpaṃ nṛpātmajāḥ| khananto nṛpaśārdūla sarvataḥ paricakramuḥ || 1-39-22 ||

Thus, O tiger among kings, the king's sons went about, digging everywhere through Jambudvipa, thickly set with mountains.

Shloka 23 (bala.39.23)

ततो देवाः सगंधर्वाः सासुराः सहपन्नगाः। संभ्रांतमनसः सर्वे पितामहमुपागमन् ॥ १-३९-२३ ॥

tato devāḥ sagaṃdharvāḥ sāsurāḥ sahapannagāḥ| saṃbhrāṃtamanasaḥ sarve pitāmahamupāgaman || 1-39-23 ||

Then the gods, together with the gandharvas, the asuras, and the serpents, all with troubled minds, approached the Grandsire.

Shloka 24 (bala.39.24)

ते प्रसाद्य महात्मानं विषण्णवदनास्तदा। ऊचुः परमसंत्रस्ताः पितामहमिदं वचः ॥ १-३९-२४ ॥

te prasādya mahātmānaṃ viṣaṇṇavadanāstadā| ūcuḥ paramasaṃtrastāḥ pitāmahamidaṃ vacaḥ || 1-39-24 ||

Having propitiated that great-souled one, they, their faces downcast and filled with utmost fear, spoke this word to the Grandsire:

Shloka 25 (bala.39.25)

भगवन् पृथिवी सर्वा खन्यते सगरात्मजैः। बहवश्च महात्मानो वध्यन्ते जलचारिणः ॥ १-३९-२५ ॥

bhagavan pṛthivī sarvā khanyate sagarātmajaiḥ| bahavaśca mahātmāno vadhyante jalacāriṇaḥ || 1-39-25 ||

"O Lord, the sons of Sagara are digging up the whole earth, and many great beings that move in the waters are being slain."

Shloka 26 (bala.39.26)

अयं यज्ञ हरोऽस्माकमनेनाश्वोऽपनीयते। इति ते सर्वभूतानि हिंसन्ति सगरात्मजाः ॥ १-३९-२६ ॥

ayaṃ yajña haro'smākamanenāśvo'panīyate| iti te sarvabhūtāni hiṃsanti sagarātmajāḥ || 1-39-26 ||

"'This one is the destroyer of our sacrifice, this one has carried off our horse' — thinking thus, those sons of Sagara are doing violence to all beings."