Bala Kanda · Sarga 39 of 77 · 26 verses
The Stolen Horse; Sagara’s Sons Dig the Earth
Rama asks to hear in full how his forefather performed the sacrifice. Vishvamitra, smiling, tells him: it took place in the land between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, which face each other, a region fit for sacrifice. Amshuman, a great chariot warrior, guarded the horse. But on the day of the rite Indra took the form of a rakshasa and stole it.
The priests warned Sagara that this flaw would bring misfortune on them all. Sagara told his sixty thousand sons: “Search the whole earth girdled by the sea; each of you dig a yojana wide until you find the horse and its thief. I will stay here, consecrated, with my grandson and the priests.” The princes tore into the earth with arms hard as thunderbolts, with spears and ploughs; the earth cried out, and nagas, asuras and rakshasas being killed screamed. They dug down sixty thousand yojanas to Rasatala, circling all of Jambudvipa. The gods, gandharvas, asuras and serpents, alarmed, went to Brahma: “The whole earth is being dug up by Sagara’s sons, and many creatures are being killed, as they cry ‘This is the one who stole our sacrifice!’”
Press › to begin with verse 1.
विश्वामित्रवचः श्रुत्वा कथान्ते रघुनन्दनः । उवाच परमप्रीतो मुनिं दीप्तमिवानलम् ॥ १ ॥
Hearing Vishvamitra’s words at the end of the story, the delight of the Raghus, greatly pleased, said to the sage, who blazed like fire:
कथा के अंत में विश्वामित्र के वचन सुनकर अत्यंत प्रसन्न रघुनंदन ने अग्नि जैसे दमकते मुनि से कहा:
Commentary on the whole sarga
The Stolen Horse; Sagara’s Sons Dig the Earth 1 min read.
Read the commentary CommentaryNot scripture Rama is “greatly pleased” by the story. He has heard of his ancestor Sagara and wants more. Family history matters to him.
Scene 1 of 2 · At Sagara’s great sacrifice between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, Indra in disguise steals the sacred horse.
श्रोतुमिच्छामि भद्रं ते विस्तरेण कथामिमाम् । पूर्वजो मे कथं ब्रह्मन् यज्ञं वै समुपाहरत् ॥ २ ॥
“I wish to hear this story in full, bless you. How did my forefather perform the sacrifice, brahmana?”
“आपका कल्याण हो, मैं यह कथा पूरी सुनना चाहता हूँ। ब्राह्मण, मेरे पूर्वज ने यज्ञ कैसे किया?”
CommentaryNot scripture “How did my forefather perform the sacrifice?” Rama calls Sagara purvaka , “my ancestor”. The stories have become personal.
Scene 1 of 2 · At Sagara’s great sacrifice between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, Indra in disguise steals the sacred horse.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा कौतूहलसमन्वितः । विश्वामित्रस्तु काकुत्स्थमुवाच प्रहसन्निव ॥ ३ ॥
Hearing his words, Vishvamitra, full of interest, said to Kakutstha as if smiling:
उनके वचन सुनकर उत्सुक विश्वामित्र ने मानो मुस्कराते हुए काकुत्स्थ से कहा:
CommentaryNot scripture Vishvamitra answers “as if smiling”. He is happy to see his student’s interest.
Scene 1 of 2 · At Sagara’s great sacrifice between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, Indra in disguise steals the sacred horse.
श्रूयतां विस्तरो राम सगरस्य महात्मनः । शंकरश्वशुरो नाम्ना हिमवानिति विश्रुतः ॥ ४ ॥
विन्ध्यपर्वतमासाद्य निरीक्षेते परस्परम् । तयोर्मध्ये समभवद् यज्ञः स पुरुषोत्तम ॥ ५ ॥
“Hear in full, Rama, about great-souled Sagara. The father-in-law of Shankara, famous by the name Himavan, reaching toward the Vindhya mountain, they look at each other; between those two, best of men, that sacrifice took place.
“राम, महात्मा सगर के बारे में पूरा सुनो। शंकर के ससुर, हिमवान नाम से प्रसिद्ध, विंध्य पर्वत की ओर बढ़ते हुए, वे दोनों एक-दूसरे को देखते हैं; उन दोनों के बीच, पुरुषश्रेष्ठ, वह यज्ञ हुआ।
CommentaryNot scripture The sacrifice took place between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, the two great mountain ranges of India, which “look at each other” across the northern plains. A poetic image of the land between them as the heart of sacred India.
Scene 1 of 2 · At Sagara’s great sacrifice between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, Indra in disguise steals the sacred horse.
स हि देशो नरव्याघ्र प्रशस्तो यज्ञकर्मणि । तस्याश्वचर्यां काकुत्स्थ दृढधन्वा महारथः ॥ ६ ॥
अंशुमानकरोत् तात सगरस्य मते स्थितः । तस्य पर्वणि तं यज्ञं यजमानस्य वासवः ॥ ७ ॥
“That land, tiger among men, is praised for sacrificial work. The roaming of the horse, Kakutstha, was undertaken by Amshuman, a firm-bowed great chariot warrior, child, following Sagara’s wish. On the festival day of the sacrifice, while he was sacrificing, Vasava,
“पुरुषसिंह, वह भूमि यज्ञ कर्म के लिए प्रशंसित है। काकुत्स्थ, सगर की इच्छा से घोड़े के विचरण का भार दृढ़ धनुष वाले महारथी अंशुमान ने उठाया, वत्स। यज्ञ के उत्सव के दिन, जब वे यज्ञ कर रहे थे, तब इंद्र ने
CommentaryNot scripture Amshuman, the good grandson, guards the wandering horse. On the festival day of the sacrifice, Indra (Vasava ) disguises himself as a rakshasa and steals the horse. The king of the gods himself breaks the rite.
Scene 1 of 2 · At Sagara’s great sacrifice between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, Indra in disguise steals the sacred horse.
राक्षसीं तनुमास्थाय यज्ञियाश्वमपाहरत् । ह्रियमाणे तु काकुत्स्थ तस्मिन्नश्वे महात्मनः ॥ ८ ॥
“taking the form of a rakshasa, carried off the sacrificial horse. As the horse of the great-souled one was being taken, Kakutstha,
“राक्षस का रूप धारण करके यज्ञ का घोड़ा चुरा लिया। काकुत्स्थ, जब उन महात्मा का घोड़ा ले जाया जा रहा था,
CommentaryNot scripture Why would Indra steal it? The story does not say, but in many tellings Indra fears that a king who completes a hundred great sacrifices might rival him. Even gods can be jealous.
Scene 1 of 2 · At Sagara’s great sacrifice between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, Indra in disguise steals the sacred horse.
उपाध्यायगणाः सर्वे यजमानमथाब्रुवन् । अयं पर्वणि वेगेन यज्ञियाश्वोऽपनीयते ॥ ९ ॥
“all the companies of priests said to the sacrificer: ‘On the festival day, the sacrificial horse is being taken away by force.
“तब पुरोहितों के सब समूहों ने यज्ञ करने वाले से कहा: ‘उत्सव के दिन यज्ञ का घोड़ा बलपूर्वक ले जाया जा रहा है।
CommentaryNot scripture The priests cry out: the horse is being taken by force on the festival day. A stolen horse means a broken sacrifice.
Scene 1 of 2 · At Sagara’s great sacrifice between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, Indra in disguise steals the sacred horse.
हर्तारं जहि काकुत्स्थ हयश्चैवोपनीयताम् । यज्ञच्छिद्रं भवत्येतत् सर्वेषामशिवाय नः ॥ १० ॥
“’Kill the thief, Kakutstha, and let the horse be brought back. This is a breach in the sacrifice, which will bring misfortune to all of us.
“’काकुत्स्थ, चोर को मारो, और घोड़ा वापस लाया जाए। यह यज्ञ में एक छिद्र (बाधा) है, जो हम सबके लिए अमंगल लाएगा।
CommentaryNot scripture “Kill the thief and bring back the horse. This breach will bring misfortune to all.” A broken rite is dangerous for everyone involved.
Scene 1 of 2 · At Sagara’s great sacrifice between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, Indra in disguise steals the sacred horse.
तत् तथा क्रियतां राजन् यज्ञोच्छिद्रः कृतो भवेत् । सोपाध्यायवचः श्रुत्वा तस्मिन् सदसि पार्थिवः ॥ ११ ॥
षष्टिं पुत्रसहस्राणि वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह । गतिं पुत्रा न पश्यामि रक्षसां पुरुषर्षभाः ॥ १२ ॥
“’Let it be done, king, so that the sacrifice is made flawless.’ Hearing the priests’ words, the king, in that assembly, said this to his sixty thousand sons: ‘Sons, bulls among men, I see no way for the rakshasas to get in,
“’राजन, ऐसा कीजिए कि यज्ञ निर्दोष हो।’ पुरोहितों के वचन सुनकर राजा ने उस सभा में अपने साठ हज़ार पुत्रों से यह कहा: ‘पुत्रो, पुरुषश्रेष्ठो, मुझे राक्षसों के भीतर आने का कोई मार्ग नहीं दिखता,
CommentaryNot scripture Sagara speaks to his sixty thousand sons. He sees no way demons could have entered a rite protected by mantras. He does not suspect a god.
Scene 1 of 2 · At Sagara’s great sacrifice between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, Indra in disguise steals the sacred horse.
मन्त्रपूतैर्महाभागैरास्थितो हि महाक्रतुः । तद् गच्छत विचिन्वध्वं पुत्रका भद्रमस्तु वः ॥ १३ ॥
“’for this great sacrifice is conducted by fortunate men purified by mantras. So go and search, my sons; blessings on you.
“’क्योंकि यह महान यज्ञ मंत्रों से पवित्र भाग्यशाली पुरुषों द्वारा किया जा रहा है। इसलिए पुत्रो, जाओ और खोजो; तुम्हारा कल्याण हो।
CommentaryNot scripture “Go and search.” The father sends his army of sons.
Scene 1 of 2 · At Sagara’s great sacrifice between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, Indra in disguise steals the sacred horse.
समुद्रमालिनीं सर्वां पृथिवीमनुगच्छथ । एकैकं योजनं पुत्रा विस्तारमभिगच्छत ॥ १४ ॥
“’Go over the whole earth girdled by the sea. Each of you, sons, cover a yojana in breadth.
“’समुद्र से घिरी पूरी पृथ्वी पर जाओ। पुत्रो, तुममें से हर एक एक योजन चौड़ाई में खोजे।
CommentaryNot scripture “Cover the whole earth, each of you a yojana in breadth.” Sixty thousand sons spread across the world in a vast search line.
Scene 1 of 2 · At Sagara’s great sacrifice between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, Indra in disguise steals the sacred horse.
यावत् तुरगसंदर्शस्तावत् खनत मेदिनीम् । तमेव हयहर्तारं मार्गमाणा ममाज्ञया ॥ १५ ॥
“’Until the horse is seen, dig the earth, searching for that very thief of the horse, at my command.
“’जब तक घोड़ा न दिखे, मेरी आज्ञा से उसी घोड़े के चोर को खोजते हुए पृथ्वी खोदो।
CommentaryNot scripture “Dig the earth until the horse is found.” Sagara’s command is fateful. In ordering his sons to dig, he sets in motion the creation of the ocean and the destruction of his sons.
Scene 1 of 2 · At Sagara’s great sacrifice between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, Indra in disguise steals the sacred horse.
दीक्षितः पौत्रसहितः सोपाध्यायगणस्त्वहम् । इह स्थास्यामि भद्रं वो यावत् तुरगदर्शनम् ॥ १६ ॥
“’I, consecrated, with my grandson and the company of priests, will stay here, bless you, until the horse is found.’
“’मैं दीक्षित होकर, अपने पौत्र और पुरोहितों के दल के साथ, तुम्हारा कल्याण हो, घोड़ा मिलने तक यहीं रहूँगा।’
CommentaryNot scripture Sagara stays at the rite with his grandson Amshuman. He is consecrated and cannot leave. The search rests with his sons.
Scene 1 of 2 · At Sagara’s great sacrifice between the Himalaya and the Vindhya, Indra in disguise steals the sacred horse.
ते सर्वे हृष्टमनसो राजपुत्रा महाबलाः । जग्मुर्महीतलं राम पितुर्वचनयन्त्रिताः ॥ १७ ॥
“All those mighty princes, glad at heart, bound by their father’s word, went over the surface of the earth, Rama.
“राम, पिता के वचन से बँधे वे सब बलवान राजकुमार प्रसन्न मन से पृथ्वी की सतह पर चल पड़े।
CommentaryNot scripture The princes go “glad at heart”, “bound by their father’s word”. Like Rama, they obey their father. But their obedience will be undone by their arrogance, as the next sarga shows.
Scene 2 of 2 · Sagara’s sixty thousand sons tear open the earth in their search, and the earth cries out.
गत्वा तु पृथिवीं सर्वामदृष्ट्वा तं महाबलाः । योजनायामविस्तारमेकैको धरणीतलम् । बिभिदुः पुरुषव्याघ्रा वज्रस्पर्शसमैर्भुजैः ॥ १८ ॥
“Having gone over the whole earth without seeing it, the mighty tigers among men tore up the surface of the earth, each a yojana in length and breadth, with arms like the touch of the thunderbolt,
“पूरी पृथ्वी पर घूमकर भी उसे न देखकर उन बलवान पुरुषसिंहों ने वज्र के स्पर्श जैसी भुजाओं से, हर एक एक योजन लंबाई और चौड़ाई में, पृथ्वी की सतह को फाड़ डाला,
CommentaryNot scripture They search the whole earth and find nothing. Then they start tearing it open with “arms like the thunderbolt”. Strength without wisdom becomes destruction.
Scene 2 of 2 · Sagara’s sixty thousand sons tear open the earth in their search, and the earth cries out.
शूलैरशनिकल्पैश्च हलैश्चापि सुदारुणैः । भिद्यमाना वसुमती ननाद रघुनन्दन ॥ १९ ॥
“with spears like lightning and terrible ploughs. As the earth was torn open, it cried out, delight of the Raghus.
“बिजली जैसे भालों और भयानक हलों से। रघुनंदन, जैसे-जैसे पृथ्वी फाड़ी गई, वह चिल्ला उठी।
CommentaryNot scripture The earth cries out (nanada ) as it is torn. Valmiki gives the earth a voice. This is a picture of what happens when power is used without care.
Scene 2 of 2 · Sagara’s sixty thousand sons tear open the earth in their search, and the earth cries out.
नागानां वध्यमानानामसुराणां च राघव । राक्षसानां दुराधर्षं सत्त्वानां निनदोऽभवत् ॥ २० ॥
“An overwhelming din arose from the nagas, asuras, rakshasas and creatures being killed, Raghava.
“राघव, मारे जा रहे नागों, असुरों, राक्षसों और प्राणियों का एक प्रचंड कोलाहल उठा।
CommentaryNot scripture Nagas, asuras, rakshasas and creatures are killed. The digging becomes a massacre of innocent beings.
Scene 2 of 2 · Sagara’s sixty thousand sons tear open the earth in their search, and the earth cries out.
योजनानां सहस्राणि षष्टिं तु रघुनन्दन । बिभिदुर्धरणीं राम रसातलमनुत्तमम् ॥ २१ ॥
“They tore open the earth for sixty thousand yojanas, delight of the Raghus, down to the supreme Rasatala, Rama.
“रघुनंदन राम, उन्होंने साठ हज़ार योजन तक, परम रसातल तक पृथ्वी को फाड़ डाला।
CommentaryNot scripture Sixty thousand yojanas deep, down to Rasatala, the lowest underworld. The scale is mythic: they dig through the bottom of the world.
Scene 2 of 2 · Sagara’s sixty thousand sons tear open the earth in their search, and the earth cries out.
एवं पर्वतसंबाधं जम्बूद्वीपं नृपात्मजाः । खनन्तो नृपशार्दूल सर्वतः परिचक्रमुः ॥ २२ ॥
“So, digging, the princes went all round Jambudvipa, crowded with mountains, tiger among kings.
“इस प्रकार राजसिंह, खोदते हुए राजकुमार पर्वतों से भरे जंबूद्वीप के चारों ओर घूमे।
CommentaryNot scripture They go all around Jambudvipa, the ancient name for the continent of India and the known world.
Scene 2 of 2 · Sagara’s sixty thousand sons tear open the earth in their search, and the earth cries out.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सासुराः सहपन्नगाः । सम्भ्रान्तमनसः सर्वे पितामहमुपागमन् ॥ २३ ॥
“Then the gods with the gandharvas, the asuras and the serpents, all alarmed at heart, went to the Grandsire.
“तब गंधर्वों, असुरों और नागों सहित देवता मन में घबराकर पितामह के पास गए।
CommentaryNot scripture The gods, gandharvas, asuras and serpents are alarmed. The destruction affects everyone, high and low.
Scene 2 of 2 · Sagara’s sixty thousand sons tear open the earth in their search, and the earth cries out.
ते प्रसाद्य महात्मानं विषण्णवदनास्तदा । ऊचुः परमसंत्रस्ताः पितामहमिदं वचः ॥ २४ ॥
“Propitiating the great-souled one, with downcast faces, greatly terrified, they said to the Grandsire:
“उदास मुखों से, अत्यंत भयभीत होकर उन महात्मा को प्रसन्न करते हुए उन्होंने पितामह से कहा:
CommentaryNot scripture They go to Brahma “with downcast faces”. When heaven and earth are both afraid, the creator is the last refuge.
Scene 2 of 2 · Sagara’s sixty thousand sons tear open the earth in their search, and the earth cries out.
भगवन् पृथिवी सर्वा खन्यते सगरात्मजैः । बहवश्च महात्मानो वध्यन्ते जलचारिणः ॥ २५ ॥
“’Lord, the whole earth is being dug up by the sons of Sagara, and many great-souled creatures that live in the waters are being killed.
“’भगवन, सगर के पुत्र पूरी पृथ्वी खोद रहे हैं, और जल में रहने वाले अनेक महात्मा प्राणी मारे जा रहे हैं।
CommentaryNot scripture “The whole earth is being dug, and great beings in the waters are dying.” A plea on behalf of the creatures.
Scene 2 of 2 · Sagara’s sixty thousand sons tear open the earth in their search, and the earth cries out.
अयं यज्ञहरोऽस्माकमनेनाश्वोऽपनीयते । इति ते सर्वभूतानि हिंसन्ति सगरात्मजाः ॥ २६ ॥
“’”This is the one who spoiled our sacrifice; by him the horse is being taken away”: saying this, the sons of Sagara are killing all beings.’”
“’”यही है जिसने हमारा यज्ञ बिगाड़ा; इसी के द्वारा घोड़ा ले जाया जा रहा है”: यह कहते हुए सगर के पुत्र सब प्राणियों को मार रहे हैं।’”
CommentaryNot scripture The sons kill everyone, shouting “This is the thief!” Blind anger seeks a victim and finds innocent ones. The next sarga shows where the real horse is, and what happens when they find it.
Scene 2 of 2 · Sagara’s sixty thousand sons tear open the earth in their search, and the earth cries out.
