Summary
Sage Vishvamitra’s narration of Sagara's legend is continued. Sagara's sons dig out all the quarters of earth and when they enter northeast to find out the horse thief, there they find Sage Kapila, i.e., Vishnu in the semblance [actual or apparent resemblance] of a sage. When they wanted to attack that sage Kapila, he renders them to heaps of ashes by his yogic powers.
Chapter [Sarga] 40 in Detail
devataanaam vacah shrutvaa bhagavaan vai pitaamahah |
pratyuvaaca susamtrastaan kritaanta bala mohitaan || 1-40-1
On hearing the words of Gods, the esteemed Forefather Brahma spoke to them, who are very highly scared, and bewildered by the might of Sagara's sons for they are effectuating [effecting] the end of all beings. Vishvamitra thus continued his narration. [1-40-1]
yasya iyam vasudhaa kritsnaa vaasudevasya dhiimatah|
mahishii maadhavasaya sa eshaa sa eva bhagavan prabhuh|| 1-40-2
kaapilam ruupam aasthaaya dhaarayatya anisham dharaam |
tasya kopaagninaa dagdhaa bhavisya.nti nripaatmajaa || 1-40-3
‘To whom this Mother Earth belongs in all her entirety, he is that prescient [foresighted] Vasudeva, and she is also the consort of that Maadhava, and that Vishnu eternally props up Mother Earth. Hence, that reverential Vishnu donning [to put on] the semblance [actual or apparent resemblance] of Sage Kapila will burn down the sons of emperor Sagara to ashes in a fire of fury. [1-40-2, 3]
prithivyaah ca api nirbhedo drista eva sanaatanah |
sagarasya ca putraanaam vinaasho diirgha darshinaam ||1-40-4
'Even the complete cleavage [opening] of the earth, and the complete ruination [ruin] of Sagara's sons as well, are envisaged [said] by the providentially [marked by] farsighted ancients. So said Brahma to Gods. [1-40-4]
pitaamaha vacah shrutvaa trayah trimshat arindamah |
devaah parama sa.mhristaah punar jagmur yathaa aagatam || 1-40-5
On hearing the words of the Forefather Brahma all the thirty three Gods went away with utmost satisfaction, as they have came. [1-40-5]
sagarasya ca putraanaam praadur aasiit mahaasvanah |
prithivyaam bhidyamaanaayaam nirghaata sama nihvanah || 1-40-6
When the sons of Sagara are digging the earth then there emerged an unbearable noise similar to the crashing of a thunder. [1-40-6]
tato bhittvaa mahiim sarvaam kritvaa ca api pradaksinam |
sahitaah sagaraah sarve pitaram vaakyam abruvan || 1-40-7
Then on hollowing the entire earth, and on making trips around her without finding the horse, all of the sons of Sagara have come together and on going to their father they spoke these words to him. [1-40-7]
parikraantaa mahii sarvaa sattvavantah ca suuditaah |
deva daanava raksaamsi pishaaca uraga pannagaah || 1-40-8
na ca pashyaamahe ashvam te ashva hartaaram eva ca |
kim karisyaama bhadram te buddhih atra vicaaryataam || 1-40-9
‘Entire earth is trekked [traveled] and mighty beings like Gods, demons, monsters, evil-spirits, fiends, serpents, Naaga-s are also eliminated, but we have not seen the ritual-horse or its stealer. What we have to do next. Let a thought be given in this matter. Let safeness betide [happen to] you.' So said those princes to their father Sagara. [1-40-8, 9]
tesaam tat vacanam shrutvaa putraanaam raaja sattamah |
samanyuh abraviit vaakyam sagaro raghuna.ndana || 1-40-10
On hearing that sentence of his sons, oh, Rama, descendent of Raghu, that exalted king Sagara infuriately [furiously] spoke these words. [1-40-10]
bhuuyah khanata bhadram vo vibhedya vasudhaa talam
ashva hartaaram aasaadya kritaarthaah ca nivartata || 1-40-11
'Let the earth be dug further, may safety be with you, and verily splitting open the surface of the earth you catch hold of the thief of the horse, and on achieving your purpose you may return to me.' In this way Sagara ordered his sons. [1-40-11]
pitur vacanam aasaadya sagarasya mahaatmanah |
sastih putra sahasraani rasaatalam abhidravan || 1-40-12
On catching up the words of their father, the great-souled Sagara, his sixty thousand sons rushed towards the surface of the rasaa tala, the netherworld. [1-40-12]
khanyamaane tatah tasmin dadrishuh parvata upamam |
dishaa gajam viruupaaksam dhaaraya.ntam mahiitalam || 1-40-13
While digging the earth there they beheld a mountain similar easterly elephant named Virupaaksha, which is bearing the eastern side of earth's surface on its head. [1-40-13]
sa parvata vanaam kritsnaam prithiviim raghuna.ndana |
dhaarayaamaasa shirasaa viruupaakso mahaagajah || 1-40-14
Oh, Rama, the legatee of Raghu, that great easterly elephant Virupaaksha is bearing the entire eastern earth along with its mountains and forests on its head. [1-40-14]
yadaa parvani kaakutstha vishramaartham mahaagajah |
khedaat caalayate shiirsam bhuumi kampah tadaa bhavet || 1-40-15
On certain occasions, oh, Rama of Kakutstha, when that great-elephant moves its head desiring respite in tiresomeness then earthquakes will occur on earth. [1-40-15]
te tam pradaksinam kritvaa dishaa paalam mahaagajam |
maanayanto hi te raama jagmur bhittvaa rasaatalam || 1-40-16
They circumambulated the great elephant in supplication, oh Rama, and on worshipping that elephant which is the protector of easterly direction they proceeded to netherworld duly splitting the earth. [1-40-16]
tatah puurvaam disham bhittvaa daksinaam bibhiduh punah |
daksinasyaam api dishi dadrishuh te mahaagajam || 1-40-17
mahaa padmam mahaatmaanam sumahaa parvatopamam |
shirasaa dhaaraya.ntam gaam vismayam jagmur uttamam || 1-40-18
After splitting the eastern direction then they split opened the southern direction, and even in southern direction they beheld an elephant that is similar to a very great mountain, and that is sustaining southerly side of earth on its head, and on seeing that mammoth elephant of venerable character, namely Mahapadma, they went into an inordinate [excessive] astonishment. [1-40-17, 18]
te tam pradaksinam kritvaa sagarasya mahaatmanah |
sastih putra sahasraani pashcimaam bibhidur disham || 1-40-19
On circumambulating [to circle on foot especially ritualistically] that elephant Mahaapada in supplication [humbly], they the sixty thousand sons of great-souled Sagara scooped out the westerly direction. [1-40-19]
pashcimaayaam api dishi mahaa.ntam acalopamam |
dishaa gajam saumanasam dadrishuh te mahaa balaah || 1-40-20
Even in the westerly direction those great mighty sons of Sagara beheld an infinite and mountain similar elephant of western direction, called Sumanasa. [1-40-20]
te tam pradaksinam kritvaa pristvaa ca api niraamayam |
khana.ntah samupakraa.ntaa disham somavatiim tadaa || 1-40-21
Circumambulating that elephant namely Sumanasa in western side, and even on asking about its well-being, then they reached the northern direction duly digging the earth. [1-40-21]
uttarasyaam raghushrestha dadrishur hima paanduram |
bhadram bhadrena vapusaa dhaaraya.ntam mahiim imaam || 1-40-22
In the northern direction, oh, Rama, they beheld Bhadra, a snow-white elephant with an auspicious body bearing northern side of this earth. [1-40-22]
samaalabhya tatah sarve kritvaa ca enam pradaksinam |
sastih putra sahasraani bibhidur vasudhaa talam || 1-40-23
On touching that elephant reverently and also circumambulating it, those sixty thousands sons of Sagara further burrowed to the surface of the earth. [1-40-23]
tatah praak uttaraam gatvaa saagaraah prathitaam disham |
rosaat abhyakhanan sarve prithiviim sagara aatmajaah || 1-40-24
The sons of Sagara have then gone to the auspicious northeast direction, iishaana digbhaaga, Shiva sthaana, and all those sons of Sagara have tunneled the earth rancorously [bitterly]. [1-40-24]
te tu sarve mahatmaano bhimavega mahabalaah |
dadrishuh kapilam tatra vaasudevam sanaatanam || 1-40-25
hayam ca tasya devasya carantam aviduuratah |
praharsam atulam praptah sarve te raghuna.ndana || 1-40-26
But all those great-souled and great-mighty ones with terrible dash have seen the Infinite Vasudeva in the form of sage Kapila there in the northeast, and oh, descendant of Raghu, they have also seen the ritual-horse moving nearby that sage Kapila, thus all of the sons of Sagara obtained a matchless delight. [1-40-25, 26]
te tam haya haram jnaatvaa krodha paryaakula iiksanaah |
khanitra laa.ngalaa dhara naanaa vriksha shilaa dharaah || 1-40-27
abhyadhaavanta sa.mkruddhaah tistha tistha iti ca abruvan |
The eyes of the princes are agitated in fury in construing the sage Kapila as the stealer of ritual-horse, and they furiously dashed towards him wielding crowbars, ploughs, and various trees and boulders, and shouting at him, 'stay, stay.' [1-40-27, 28a]
asmaakam tvam hi turagam yajniyam hritavaan asi || 1-40-28
durmedhah tvam hi sa.mpraaptaan viddhi nah sagaraatmajaan |
You the malicious [desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another] one, you have indeed stolen our ritual-horse, and in fact, you should know that we who arrived here are the sons of Sagara.' Thus Sagara's sons shouted at sage Kapila. [1-40-28b, 29a]
shrutvaa tat vacanam tesaam kapilo raghuna.ndana || 1-40-29
rosena mahataa aavisto hum kaaram akarot tadaa |
On hearing their words, oh, Rama, the descendant of Raghu, then sage Kapila is beset [set upon] with high wrath [anger], and he boomed a 'hum' sound at them. [1-40-29b, 30a]
tatah tena aprameyena kapilena mahaatmanaa |
bhasma raashii kritaah sarve kaakutstha sagaraatmajaah || 1-40-30
Oh, Rama of Kakutstha, then that great-souled sage Kapila, rather Vishnu with unimaginable power, has rendered all of those sons of Sagara as heaps of ashes by virtue of his 'hum' sound. Thus Sage Vishvamitra is narrating the legend of Sagara to Rama and others. [1-40-30b, c]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye baala kaande catvaarimshah sargah
Thus, this is the 40th chapter in Bala Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate