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.
ते तु सर्वे महत्मानो भिमवेगा महबलाः । ददृशुः कपिलं तत्र वासुदेवं सनातनम् ॥१-४०-
There, all those great-souled, mighty, and impetuous ones saw Kapila, the eternal Vāsudeva.
हयं च तस्य देवस्य चरन्तमविदूरतः । प्रहर्षमतुलं प्राप्ताः सर्वे ते रघुनंदन ॥१-४०-
And near that god, they saw the horse wandering, and all of them, O descendant of Raghu, were filled with incomparable joy.
ते तं यज्ञहनं ज्ञात्वा क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणाः । खनित्रलाङ्गलधरा नानावृक्षशिलाधराः ॥१-४०-
Knowing him to be the destroyer of the sacrifice, their eyes inflamed with anger, holding spades, ploughs, and various trees and stones, they rushed forward.
अभ्यधावन्त संक्रुद्धास्तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति चाब्रुवन् । अस्माकं त्वं हि तुरगं यज्ञियं हृतवानसि ॥१-४०-
Enraged, they charged at him, shouting, 'Stop, stop! For you have stolen our sacrificial horse!'
दुर्मेधस्त्वं हि संप्राप्तान् विद्धि नः सगरात्मजान् । श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं तेषां कपिलो रघुनन्दन ॥१-४०-
'You are wicked-minded! Know us to be the sons of Sagara who have now arrived!' Hearing their words, Kapila, O descendant of Raghu—
रोषेण महताविष्टो हुंकारमकरोत् तदा । ततस्तेनाप्रमेयेण कपिलेन महात्मना । भस्मराशीकृताः सर्वे काकुत्स्थ सगरात्मजाः ॥१-४०-
Overcome by great wrath, uttered a roar. Then, by that immeasurable, great-souled Kapila, all the sons of Sagara, O Kakutstha, were reduced to ashes.
thumb|एकचत्वारिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे एकचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ॥१-
Hear now the forty-first sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa.
पुत्रांश्चिरगताञ्ज्ञात्वा सगरो रघुनन्दन । नप्तारमब्रवीद् राजा दीप्यमानं स्वतेजसा ॥१-४१-
Knowing that his sons had long been gone, Sagara, O descendant of Raghu, spoke to his grandson, who was radiant with his own splendor.
शूरश्च कृतविद्यश्च पूर्वैस्तुल्योऽसि तेजसा । पितॄणां गतिमन्विच्छ येन चाश्वोऽपवाहितः ॥१-४१-
'You are brave, accomplished in knowledge, and equal in brilliance to your ancestors. Seek the path of your fathers, by which the horse was led away.'
अन्तर्भौमानि सत्त्वानि वीर्यवन्ति महान्ति च । तेषां तु प्रतिघातार्थं सासिं गृह्णीष्व कार्मुकम् ॥१-४१-
'Within the earth dwell powerful and mighty beings. For protection against them, take up your sword and bow.'
अभिवाद्याभिवाद्यांस्त्वं हत्वा विघ्नकरानपि । सिद्धार्थः संनिवर्तस्व मम यज्ञस्य पारगः ॥१-४१-
'Having saluted those worthy of respect, and having slain even those who cause obstacles, return successful, having completed my sacrifice.'
एवमुक्तोंऽशुमान् सम्यक् सगरेण महात्मना । धनुरादाय खड्गं च जगाम लघुविक्रमः ॥१-४१-
Thus addressed by the great-souled Sagara, the radiant one swiftly took up his bow and sword and departed with light steps.
स खातं पितृभिर्मार्गमन्तर्भौमं महात्मभिः । प्रापद्यत नरश्रेष्ठ तेन राज्ञाभिचोदितः ॥१-४१-
He entered the subterranean path excavated by his ancestors, those great souls, urged on by the king, O best of men.
देवदानवरक्षोभिः पिशाचपतगोरगैः । पूज्यमानं महातेजा दिशागजमपश्यत ॥१-४१-
Honored by gods, demons, yakshas, spirits, birds, and serpents, the mighty one beheld the elephant of the directions.