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.
स तं प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा पृष्ट्वा चैव निरामयम् । पितॄन् स परिपप्रच्छ वाजिहर्तारमेव च ॥१-४१-
He circled it reverently, inquired about its well-being, and then questioned his ancestors and the horse-stealer as well.
दिशागजस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाच महामतिः । आसमञ्ज कृतार्थस्त्वं सहाश्वः शीघ्रमेष्यसि ॥१-४१-
Hearing this, the elephant of the directions, wise and great-minded, replied: 'Āsamañja, your purpose is fulfilled; together with the horse, you will soon return.'
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सर्वानेव दिशागजान् । यथाक्रमं यथान्यायं प्रष्टुं समुपचक्रमे ॥१-४१-
Upon hearing those words, he began to question all the elephants of the directions, each in turn and according to proper order.
तैश्च सर्वैर्दिशापालैर्वाक्यज्ञैर्वाक्यकोविदैः । पूजितः सहयश्चैवागन्तासीत्यभिचोदितः ॥१-४१-
By all the guardians of the directions, skilled in speech and wise in words, he was honored and told, 'You will return with the horse.'
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा जगाम लघुविक्रमः । भस्मराशीकृता यत्र पितरस्तस्य सागराः ॥१-४१-
Hearing their words, the swift-footed one went to the place where his ancestors, the Sagaras, had been reduced to heaps of ashes.
स दुःखवशमापन्नस्त्वसमञ्जसुतस्तदा । चुक्रोश परमार्तस्तु वधात् तेषां सुदुःखितः ॥१-४१-
Then, overcome by sorrow, the son of Asamañja cried out in great distress, deeply afflicted by their death.
यज्ञियं च हयं तत्र चरन्तमविदूरतः । ददर्श पुरुषव्याघ्रो दुःखशोकसमन्वितः ॥१-४१-
There, not far away, the tiger among men, filled with grief and sorrow, saw the sacrificial horse wandering.
स तेषां राजपुत्राणां कर्तुकामो जलक्रियाम् । स जलार्थी महातेजा न चापश्यज्जलाशयम् ॥१-४१-
Desiring to perform the water-rite for those royal sons, the mighty one sought water, but could not find any reservoir.
विसार्य निपुणां दृष्टिं ततोऽपश्यत् खगाधिपम् । पितॄणां मातुलं राम सुपर्णमनिलोपमम् ॥१-४१-
Casting his keen gaze around, he then saw the king of birds, Suparṇa, the maternal uncle of his ancestors, O Rāma, swift as the wind.
स चैनमब्रवीद् वाक्यं वैनतेयो महाबलः । मा शुचः पुरुषव्याघ्र वधोऽयं लोकसम्मतः ॥१-४१-
Vainateya, the mighty one, spoke to him: 'Do not grieve, tiger among men; this death is accepted by the world.'
कपिलेनाप्रमेयेण दग्धा हीमे महाबलाः । सलिलं नार्हसि प्राज्ञ दातुमेषां हि लौकिकम् ॥१-४१-
'These mighty ones were burned by the immeasurable Kapila; you should not, O wise one, offer them ordinary water.'
गङ्गा हिमवतो ज्येष्ठा दुहिता पुरुषर्षभ । तस्यां कुरु महाबाहो पितॄणां तु जल क्रियाम् ॥१-४१-
'Gaṅgā, eldest daughter of Himavat, O best of men, in her you must perform the water-rite for your ancestors, O mighty-armed.'
भस्मराशीकृतानेतान् प्लावयेल्लोकपावनी । तया क्लिन्नमिदं भस्म गङ्गया लोककान्तया । षष्टिं पुत्रसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोकं गमिष्यति ॥१-४१-
'The purifier of worlds, Gaṅgā, will wash over these who have become heaps of ashes; when this ash is moistened by beloved Gaṅgā, sixty thousand sons will attain the heavenly realm.'
निर्गच्छाश्वं महाभाग संगृह्य पुरुषर्षभ। यज्ञं पैतामहं वीर निर्वर्तयितुमर्हसि॥१-४१-
'Go forth, O fortunate one, gather the horse, O best of men; you must complete the ancestral sacrifice, O hero.'
सुपर्णवचनं श्रुत्वा सोंऽशुमानतिवीर्यवान् । त्वरितं हयमादाय पुनरायान्महातपाः ॥१-४१-
Hearing Suparṇa's words, the radiant and exceedingly powerful one quickly took the horse and returned, the great ascetic.
ततो राजानमासाद्य दीक्षितं रघुनन्दन । न्यवेदयद् यथावृत्तं सुपर्णवचनं तथा ॥१-४१-
Then, approaching the consecrated king, O descendant of Raghu, he reported all that had happened, including the words spoken by Suparṇa.
तच्छ्रुत्वा घोरसंकाशं वाक्यमंशुमतो नृपः । यज्ञं निर्वर्तयामास यथाकल्पं यथाविधि ॥१-४१-
Hearing those dreadful words from Aṃśumat, the king completed the sacrifice according to the prescribed rites and procedures.
स्वपुरं त्वगमच्छ्रीमानिष्टयज्ञो महीपतिः । गङ्गायाश्चागमे राजा निश्चयं नाध्यगच्छत ॥१-४१-
The illustrious king, having performed the desired sacrifice, returned to his own city; yet, regarding the descent of the Ganga, he found no resolution.
अगत्वा निश्चयं राजा कालेन महता महान् । त्रिंशद्वर्षसहस्राणि राज्यं कृत्वा दिवं गतः ॥१-४१-
Without achieving a resolution, the great king, after ruling for thirty thousand years, departed to heaven in due course of time.
thumb|द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ॥१-
Listen now to the forty-second chapter.
कालधर्मं गते राम सगरे प्रकृतीजनाः । राजानं रोचयामासुरंशुमन्तं सुधार्मिकम् ॥१-४२-
When Sagara passed away according to the law of time, the people chose Aṃśumān, who was supremely righteous, as king.
स राजा सुमहानासीदंशुमान् रघुनन्दन । तस्य पुत्रो महानासीद् दिलीप इति विश्रुतः ॥१-४२-
That king Aṃśumān was exceedingly great, O descendant of Raghu; his renowned son was the illustrious Dilīpa.
तस्मै राज्यं समादिश्य दिलीपे रघुनन्दन । हिमवच्छिखरे रम्ये तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम् ॥१-४२-
Having entrusted the kingdom to Dilīpa, O descendant of Raghu, Aṃśumān performed severe austerities on the beautiful peak of the Himalaya.
द्वात्रिंशच्छतसाहस्रं वर्षाणि सुमहायशाः । तपोवनगतो राजा स्वर्गं लेभे तपोधनः ॥१-४२-
The king of great fame, dwelling in the forest of ascetics for thirty-two thousand years, attained heaven, enriched by his austerities.
दिलीपस्तु महातेजाः श्रुत्वा पैतामहं वधम् । दुःखोपहतया बुद्ध्या निश्चयं नाध्यगच्छत ॥१-४२-
But Dilīpa, endowed with great energy, upon hearing of his ancestors' destruction, was overcome by grief and could not reach a decision.
कथं गङ्गावतरणं कथं तेषां जलक्रिया । तारयेयं कथं चैतानिति चिन्तापरोऽभवत् ॥१-४२-
How might the descent of the Ganga be accomplished? How could the funeral rites with water be performed for them? How might I deliver them? Thus he was absorbed in thought.
तस्य चिन्तयतो नित्यं धर्मेण विदितात्मनः । पुत्रो भगीरथो नाम जज्ञे परमधार्मिकः ॥१-४२-
While he was constantly pondering this, being self-controlled and devoted to righteousness, a son named Bhagīratha, supremely virtuous, was born to him.