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.
ते तं प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा दिशापालं महागजम् । मानयन्तो हि ते राम जग्मुर्भित्त्वा रसातलम् ॥१-४०-
Honoring that great elephant, guardian of the quarter, they circled him and, breaking through, went into the netherworld, O Rāma.
ततः पूर्वां दिशं भित्त्वा दक्षिणां बिभिदुः पुनः । दक्षिणस्यामपि दिशि ददृशुस्ते महागजम् ॥१-४०-
Then, breaking through the eastern quarter, they again broke through the southern; and in the southern direction too, they saw a great elephant.
महापद्मं महात्मानं सुमहत्पर्वतोपमम् । शिरसा धारयन्तं गां विस्मयं जग्मुरुत्तमम् ॥१-४०-
They beheld the great Mahāpadma, a being of immense soul, resembling a vast mountain, who was bearing the earth upon his head, and they were filled with utmost wonder.
ते तं प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा सगरस्य महात्मनः । षष्टिः पुत्रसहस्राणि पश्चिमां बिभिदुर्दिशम् ॥१-४०-
Having circumambulated that great soul, Sagara, the sixty thousand sons broke open the western direction.
पश्चिमायामपि दिशि महान्तमचलोपमम् । दिशागजं सौमनसं ददृशुस्ते महाबलाः ॥१-४०-
In the western direction as well, those mighty ones saw the great elephant of the quarters, Saumanasa, resembling a massive mountain.
तं ते प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा पृष्ट्वा चापि निरामयम् । खनन्तः समुपक्रान्ता दिशं सोमवतीं तदा ॥१-४०-
They circumambulated him, questioned him and found him unharmed, and then began to dig towards the direction of the moon.
उत्तरस्यां रघुश्रेष्ठ ददृशुर्हिमपाण्डुरम् । भद्रं भद्रेण वपुषा धारयन्तं महीमिमाम् ॥१-४०-
In the northern direction, O best of Raghu's line, they saw the snow-white Bhadra, who, with auspicious form, was bearing this earth.
समालभ्य ततः सर्वे कृत्वा चैनं प्रदक्षिणम् । षष्टिः पुत्रसहस्राणि बिभिदुर्वसुधातलम् ॥१-४०-
Having greeted him, and circumambulated him as well, the sixty thousand sons broke open the surface of the earth.
ततः प्रागुत्तरां गत्वा सागराः प्रथितां दिशम् । रोषादभ्यखनन् सर्वे पृथिवीं सगरात्मजाः ॥१-४०-
Then, proceeding to the renowned northeastern direction, all the sons of Sagara, out of anger, dug into the earth.