Sagara's sons dig the earth in search of the ritual horse

विश्वामित्रवचः श्रुत्वा कथान्ते रघुनंदन | उवाच परमप्रीतो मुनिं दीप्तमिवानलम् || १-३९-१

vishvaamitra vacaH shrutvaa kathaante raghunaMdana | uvaaca parama priito munim diiptam iva analam || 1-39-1

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

shrotum icChaami bhadram te vistareNa kathaam imaam | puurvajo me katham brahman yaGYam vai samupaaharat || 1-39-2

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 |

tasya tat vacanam shrutvaa kautuuhala samanvitaH | vishvaamitraH tu kaakutstham uvaaca prahasanniva || 1-39-3 shruuyataam vistaro raama sagarasya mahaatmanaH |

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 |

shaMkara shvashuro naama himavaan iti vishrutaH || 1-39-4 viMdhya parvatam aasaadya niriikShete parasparam |

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|

tayor madhye saMbhavat yaGYaH sa puruShottama|| 1-39-5 sa hi desho naravyaaghra prashasto yaGYa karmaNi|

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 |

tasya ashva caryaam kaakutstha dR^iDha dhanvaa mahaarathaH || 1-39-6 aMshumaan akarot taata sagarasya mate sthitaH |

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]

तस्य पर्वणि तं यज्ञं यजमानस्य वासवः || १-३९-७ राक्षसीं तनुमास्थाय यज्ञीयाश्वमपाहरत् |

tasya parvaNi tam yaGYam yajamaanasya vaasavaH 1-39-7 raakShasiim tanum aasthaaya yaGYiya ashvam apaaharat |

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 |

hriyamaaNe tu kaakutstha tasmin ashve mahaatmanaH ||1-39-8 upaadhyaaya gaNaaH sarve yajamaanam atha abruvan |

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 |

ayam parvaNi vegena yaGYiya ashvo apaniiyate ||1-39-9 hartaaram jahi kaakutstha hayaH ca eva upaniiyataam |

'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 |

yaGYaH cChidram bhavati etat sarveShaam ashivaaya naH || 1-39-10 tat tathaa kriyataam raajan yaGYo acChidraH kruto bhavet |

'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 |

so upaadhyaaya vacaH shrutvaa tasmin sadasi paarthivaH ||1-39-11 ShaShTim putra sahasraaNi vaakyam etat uvaaca ha |

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 |

gatim putraa na pashyaami rakShasaam puruSharShabhaaH ||1-39-12 maMtra puutaiH mahaabhaagaiH aasthito hi mahaakratuH |

'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 |

tat gacChata vicinvadhvam putrakaa bhadram astu vaH ||1-39-13 samudra maaliniim sarvaam pR^ithiviim anugacChata |

'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

eka ekam yojanam putraa vistaaram abhigacChata || 1-39-14 yaavat turaga saMdarshaH taavat khanata mediniim | tam eva haya hartaaram maargamaaNaa mama aaGYayaa ||1-39-15

'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

te sarve hR^iShTamanaso raaja putraa mahaabalaaH | jagmur mahii talam raama pitur vacana yaMtritaaH ||1-39-17

'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

gatva tu pR^ithiviim sarvam adR^iShTaa tam mahabalaaH | yojanaayaam avistaaram ekaiko dharaNii talam | bibhiduH puruShavyaaghra vajra sparsha samaiH bhujaiH ||1-39-18

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

shuulaiH ashani kalpaiH ca halaiH ca api sudaaruNaiH | bhidyamaanaa vasumatii nanaada raghunaMdana ||1-39-19

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

naagaanaam vadhyamaanaanaam asuraaNaam ca raaghava | raakShasaanaam ca durdharShaH sattvaanaam ninado abhavat ||1-39-20

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

yojanaanaam sahasraaNi ShaShTim tu raghunaMdana | bibhidur dharaNiim raama rasaa talam anuttamam ||1-39-21

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

evam parvata saMbaadham jambuu dviipam nR^ipaatmajaaH | khananto nR^ipashaarduula sarvataH paricakramuH ||1-39-22

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

tato devaaH sa gaMdharvaaH sa asuraaH saha pannagaaH | saMbhraaMta manasaH sarve pitaamaham upaagaman ||1-39-23

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]

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

te prasaadya mahaatmaanam viShaNNa vadanaaH tadaa | uucuH parama saMtrastaaH pitaamaham idam vacaH ||1-39-24

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

bhagavan pR^ithivii sarvaa khanyate sagara aatmajaiH | bahavaH ca mahaatmaano vadhyante jala caariNaH ||1-39-25

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

ayam yaGYa haro asmaakam anena ashvo apaniiyate | iti te sarva bhuutaani hiMsanti sagara aatmajaH ||1-39-26

'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

" '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]