मन्त्रपूतैर्महाभागैरास्थितो हि महाक्रतुः । तद् गच्छत विचिन्वध्वं पुत्रका भद्रमस्तु वः ॥१-३९-
'I am engaged in this great sacrifice, purified by mantras and attended by noble priests. Therefore, go forth, my sons, search everywhere. May good fortune be yours.'
समुद्रमालिनीं सर्वां पृथिवीमनुगच्छथ । एकैकं योजनं पुत्रा विस्तारमभिगच्छत ॥१-३९-
'Follow the entire earth, encircled by the ocean, and each of you, my sons, cover a stretch of one yojana in breadth.'
यावत् तुरगसंदर्शस्तावत् खनत मेदिनीम् । तमेव हयहर्तारं मार्गमाणा ममाज्ञया ॥१-३९-
'Dig the earth as far as the horse's tracks are visible, seeking the thief who took the horse, by my command.'
दीक्षितः पौत्रसहितः सोपाध्यायगणस्त्वहम् । इह स्थास्यामि भद्रं वो यावत् तुरगदर्शनम् ॥१-३९-
'I, consecrated and accompanied by my grandsons and the group of priests, will remain here until the horse is found. May good fortune be yours.'
ते सर्वे हृष्टमनसो राजपुत्रा महाबलाः । जग्मुर्महीतलं राम पितुर्वचनयन्त्रिताः ॥१-३९-
All those royal princes, mighty and joyful, set out across the earth, constrained by their father's command, O Rama.
गत्वा तु पृथिवीं सर्वामदृष्ट्वा तं महाबलाः । योजनायामविस्तारमेकैको धरणीतलम् । बिभिदुः पुरुषव्याघ्रा वज्रस्पर्शसमैर्भुजैः ॥१-३९-
Having traversed the whole earth and not finding the horse, those mighty princes, each covering a yojana in breadth, broke open the ground with arms as hard as thunderbolts, O tiger among men.
शूलैरशनिकल्पैश्च हलैश्चापि सुदारुणैः । भिद्यमाना वसुमती ननाद रघुनन्दन ॥१-३९-
Piercing the earth with spears like lightning and with terrible ploughs, the ground roared, O delight of the Raghus.
नागानां वध्यमानानामसुराणां च राघव । राक्षसानां दुराधर्षं सत्त्वानां निनदोऽभवत् ॥१-३९-
The sound was like that of elephants, demons, and formidable rakshasas being slain, O descendant of Raghu.
योजनानां सहस्राणि षष्टिं तु रघुनन्दन । बिभिदुर्धरणीं राम रसातलमनुत्तमम् ॥१-३९-
O delight of the Raghus, they broke the earth for sixty thousand yojanas, reaching the excellent region of Rasatala, O Rama.
एवं पर्वतसंबाधं जम्बूद्वीपं नृपात्मजाः । खनन्तो नृपशार्दूल सर्वतः परिचक्रमुः ॥१-३९-
Thus, O tiger among kings, the princes, digging everywhere, traversed the entire Jambudvipa, crowded with mountains.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सासुराः सहपन्नगाः । सम्भ्रान्तमनसः सर्वे पितामहमुपागमन् ॥१-३९-
Then all the gods, along with the Gandharvas, Asuras, and Nagas, their minds agitated, approached the Grandfather (Brahma).
ते प्रसाद्य महात्मानं विषण्णवदनास्तदा । ऊचुः परमसंत्रस्ताः पितामहमिदं वचः ॥१-३९-
With troubled faces, they sought the favor of the great-souled one, and, greatly frightened, spoke these words to the Grandfather:
भगवन् पृथिवी सर्वा खन्यते सगरात्मजैः बहवश्च महात्मानो वध्यन्ते जलचारिणः ॥१-३९-
'O Lord, the entire earth is being dug up by Sagara's sons, and many great beings who dwell in the waters are being slain.'
अयं यज्ञहरोऽस्माकमनेनाश्वोऽपनीयते । इति ते सर्वभूतानि हिंसन्ति सगरात्मजाः ॥१-३९-
'This horse, which is the cause of the sacrifice, is being led away by someone; thus, all creatures are being harmed by Sagara's sons.'
thumb|चत्वारिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे चत्वारिंशः सर्गः ॥१-
Listen to the fortieth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa.
देवतानां वचः श्रुत्वा भगवान् वै पितामहः । प्रत्युवाच सुसंत्रस्तान् कृतान्तबलमोहितान् ॥१-४०-
Hearing the words of the gods, the revered Grandfather Brahmā replied to them, who were greatly troubled and deluded by the power of Death.
यस्येयं वसुधा कृत्स्ना वासुदेवस्य धीमतः । महिषी माधवस्यैषा स एव भगवन् प्रभुः ॥१-४०-
This entire earth belongs to the wise Vāsudeva; she is the consort of Mādhava, and that blessed Lord alone is the master.
कापिलं रूपमास्थाय धारयत्यनिशं धराम् । तस्य कोपाग्निना दग्धा भविष्यन्ति नृपात्मजाः ॥१-४०-
Assuming the form of Kapila, he constantly upholds the earth; by the fire of his wrath, the sons of Sagara will be burned.
पृथिव्याश्चापि निर्भेदो दृष्ट एव सनातनः । सगरस्य च पुत्राणां विनाशो दीर्घदर्शिनाम् ॥१-४०-
The ancient division of the earth will be seen, and the destruction of Sagara’s sons, foreseen by those of far vision.
पितामहवचः श्रुत्वा त्रयस्त्रिंशदरिंदमाः । देवाः परमसंहृष्टाः पुनर्जग्मुर्यथागतम् ॥१-४०-
Hearing the words of the Grandfather, the thirty-three best of the gods, filled with great joy, returned as they had come.
सगरस्य च पुत्राणां प्रादुरासीन्महास्वनः । पृथिव्यां भिद्यमानायां निर्घातसमनिस्वनः ॥१-४०-
And then a great sound arose from Sagara’s sons, as the earth was being split, a noise like thunder.
ततो भित्त्वा महीं सर्वां कृत्वा चापि प्रदक्षिणम् । सहिताः सागराः सर्वे पितरं वाक्यमब्रुवन् ॥१-४०-
Then, having broken through the whole earth and circled it, all the Sagaras together spoke to their father.
परिक्रान्ता मही सर्वा सत्त्ववन्तश्च सूदिताः । देवदानवरक्षांसि पिशाचोरगपन्नगाः ॥१-४०-
We have traversed the whole earth, and all the powerful beings—gods, demons, rākṣasas, piśācas, serpents, and nāgas—have been slain.
न च पश्यामहेऽश्वं ते अश्वहर्तारमेव च । किं करिष्याम भद्रं ते बुद्धिरत्र विचार्यताम्॥१-४०-
But we do not see your horse, nor the one who took it; what should we do? Please consider what is best.
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पुत्राणां राजसत्तमः । समन्युरब्रवीद् वाक्यं सगरो रघुनन्दन ॥१-४०-
Hearing those words of his sons, the best of kings, Sagara, spoke with anger, O descendant of Raghu.
भूयः खनत भद्रं वो विभेद्य वसुधातलम् । अश्वहर्तारमासाद्य कृतार्थाश्च निवर्तत ॥१-४०-
Dig again, may good come to you; break through the earth’s surface. When you find the horse-thief, return, your purpose accomplished.
पितुर्वचनमासाद्य सगरस्य महात्मनः । षष्टिः पुत्रसहस्राणि रसातलमभिद्रवन् ॥१-४०-
Receiving the command of their great-souled father Sagara, sixty thousand sons rushed toward the netherworld.
खन्यमाने ततस्तस्मिन् ददृशुः पर्वतोपमम् । दिशागजं विरूपाक्षं धारयन्तं महीतलम् ॥१-४०-
As they dug, they saw a great elephant, mountain-like, with deformed eyes, supporting the earth.
सपर्वतवनां कृत्स्नां पृथिवीं रघुनन्दन । धारयामास शिरसा विरूपाक्षो महागजः ॥१-४०-
That great elephant with deformed eyes bore the entire earth, with its mountains and forests, upon his head.
यदा पर्वणि काकुत्स्थ विश्रमार्थं महागजः । खेदाच्चालयते शीर्षं भूमिकम्पस्तदा भवेत् ॥१-४०-
Whenever, O descendant of Kakutstha, that great elephant, weary, shakes his head for rest at the junction of the quarters, then the earth quakes.