वध्यमानास्तदा लोकाः सागरैर्मन्दबुद्धिभिः। ब्रह्माणं शरणं जग्मुः सहिताः सर्वदैवतैः
At that time, the people, being oppressed by the Sagaras of dull intellect, sought refuge in Brahma, together with all the gods.
तानुवाच महाभागः सर्वलोकपितामहः। गच्छध्वं त्रिदशाः सर्वे लोकैः सार्धं यथागतम्
The illustrious grandsire of all worlds addressed them, saying: 'Go, O gods, all of you, along with the people, as you have come.'
नातिदीर्घेण कालेन सागराणां क्षयो महान्। विष्यति महाघोरः स्वकृतैः कर्मभिः सुराः
Within a short time, a great destruction of the Sagaras will occur; the terrible calamity will befall them because of their own deeds, O gods.
एवमुक्तास्तु ते देवा लोकाश् मनुजेश्वर। पितामहमनुज्ञाप्य विप्रजग्मुर्यथागतम्
Thus addressed, O lord of men, the gods and the people, having received the grandsire's permission, departed as they had come.
ततः काले बहुतिथे व्यतीते भरतर्षभ। दीक्षितः सगरो राजा हयमेधेन वीर्यवान्
Then, after much time had passed, O bull among Bharatas, King Sagara, powerful and consecrated, undertook the horse sacrifice.
तस्याश्वो व्यचरद्भूमिं पुत्रैः सुपरिरक्षितः। `सर्वैरेव महोत्साहैः स्वच्छन्दप्रचरो नृप
His horse wandered the earth, well guarded by his sons, all of them highly enthusiastic, roaming freely, O king.
समुद्रं स समासाद्य निस्तोयं भीमदर्शनम्। रक्ष्यमाणः प्रयत्नेन तत्रैवान्तरधीयत
Upon reaching the ocean, dreadful to behold and devoid of water, the horse, though carefully protected, disappeared there.
ततस्ते सागरास्तात हृतं मत्वा हयोत्तमम्। आगम्य पितुराचख्युरदृश्यं तुरगं हृतम्। तेनोक्ता दिक्षु सर्वासु पुत्रा मार्गत वाजिनम्
Then, O father, the Sagaras, thinking the excellent horse had been stolen, returned and reported to their father that the horse was missing and unseen. He told his sons: 'Search for the horse in all directions.'
ततस्ते पितुराज्ञाय दिक्षु सर्वासु तं हयम्। अमार्गन्त महाराज सर्वंच पृथिवीतलम्
Then, obeying their father's command, O great king, the Sagaras searched for the horse in all directions and throughout the earth.
ततस्ते सागराः सर्वे समुपेत्य परस्परम्। नाध्यगच्छन्त तुरगमश्वहर्तारमेव च
All the Sagaras gathered together, but they did not find the horse nor the one who had taken it.
आगम्य पितरं चोचुस्ततः प्राञ्जलयोऽग्रतः
They approached their father and spoke to him, standing before him with joined palms.
ससमुद्रवनद्वीपा सनदीनदकन्दरा। सपर्वतवनोद्देशा निखिलेन मही नृप
O king, the entire earth, with its oceans, forests, islands, rivers, ravines, mountains, and wooded regions, was thoroughly searched.
अस्माभिर्विचिता राजञ्शासनात्तव पार्थिव। न चाश्वमधिगच्छामो नाश्वहर्तारमेव च
O king, by your command, we have searched everywhere, but we cannot find the horse nor the one who took it.
श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तेषां स राजा क्रोधमूर्चितः। उवाच वचनं सर्वांस्तदा दैववशान्नृप
Hearing their words, the king, overcome by anger, spoke to them, O king, under the sway of fate.
अनागमाय गच्छध्वं भूयो मार्गत वाजिनम्। याज्ञीयं तं विनाह्यश्वं नागन्तव्यं हि पुत्रकाः
Go again and search for the horse; without finding the sacrificial horse, you must not return, my sons.
प्रतिगृह्य तु संदेशं पितुस्ते सगरात्मजाः। भूय एव महीं कृत्स्नां विचेतुमुपचक्रमुः
Receiving their father's command, the sons of Sagara once more began to search the entire earth.
अथापश्यन्त ते वीराः पृथिवीमवदारिताम्। `समुद्रे पृथिवीपाल पदं मार्गं च वाजिनः
Then those heroes saw the earth split open, O protector of the earth, and found the tracks and path of the horse in the ocean.
समासाद्य बिलं तच्चाप्यखनन्सगरात्मजाः। कुद्दालैर्मुसलैश्चैव समुद्रं यत्नमास्थिताः
Reaching that hole, the sons of Sagara dug it further with spades and clubs, striving with effort in the ocean.
स खन्यमानः सहितैः सागरैर्वरुणालयः। अगच्छत्परमामार्तिं दीर्यमाणः समन्ततः
As the abode of Varuṇa was being dug up along with the oceans, it was torn apart on all sides and fell into extreme distress.
असुरोरगरक्षांसि सत्वानि विविधानि च। आर्तनादमकुर्वन्त वध्यमानानि सागरैः
Asuras, nāgas, rākṣasas, and various other beings, being slain by the sons of Sagara, cried out in agony.
छिन्नशीर्षा विदेहाश्च भिन्नजान्वस्थिमस्तकाः। प्राणिनः समदृश्यन्त शतशोथ सहस्रशः
Creatures with severed heads, headless bodies, and limbs, joints, and skulls broken, were seen by the hundreds and thousands.
एवं हि खनतां तेषां समुद्रं वरुणालयम्। व्यतीतः सुमहान्कालो न चाश्वः समदृश्यत
In this way, as they dug through the ocean, the abode of Varuṇa, a very long time passed, yet the horse was not seen.
ततः पूर्वोत्तरे देशे समुद्रस्य महीपते। विदार्य पातालमथ संक्रुद्धाः सगरात्मजाः
Then, in the northeastern region of the ocean, O king, the sons of Sagara, enraged, broke open the underworld.
अपश्यन्त हयं यत्र विचरन्तं महीतले। कपिलं च महात्मानं तेजोराशिमनुत्तमम्
There they saw the horse wandering on the earth, and Kapila, the great soul, a supreme mass of energy.
तेजसा दीप्यमानं तु ज्वालाभिरिव पावकम्। `दृष्ट्वा हि विस्मिताः सर्वे बभूवुः सगरात्मजाः
Blazing with radiance like fire with flames, when they saw him, all the sons of Sagara were astonished.
*तेतं दृष्ट्वा हयं राजन्संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहाः। अनादृत् महात्मानं कपिलं कालचोदिताः
Seeing the horse, O king, their bodies thrilled with joy; disregarding the great-souled Kapila, driven by fate.
संफुद्धाः संप्रधावन्त वाजिग्रहणकाङ्क्षिणः। ततः क्रुद्धो महाराज कपिलो मुनिसत्तमः
Excited, they rushed forward, eager to seize the horse; then, O king, Kapila, the best of sages, became angry.
वासुदेवेति यं प्राहुः कपिलं मुनिपुङ्गवम्। स चक्षुर्विकतं कृत्वा तेजस्तेषु समुत्सृजन्
He whom they call Vāsudeva, Kapila, the foremost sage, fixing his gaze, released his energy upon them.
ददाह सुमहातेजा मन्दबुद्धीन्स सागरान्। षष्टिं रतानि सहस्राणि युगपन्मुनिसत्तमः
That great and powerful sage Kapila, burning with energy, incinerated the sixty thousand sons of Sagara, all at once, for their lack of understanding.
तान्दृष्ट्वा भस्मसाद्भूतान्नारदः सुमहातपाः। सगरान्तिकमागत्य तच्च तस्मै न्यवेदयत्
Seeing them reduced to ashes, Nārada, of great austerity, went to Sagara and reported all this to him.