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[Indra steals the sacrificial horse released by king Sagara Sons of Sagara excavate the earth in search of the horse the gods approach Brahma.]

विश्वामित्रवचश्श्रुत्वा कथाऽन्ते रघुनन्दन:।

उवाच परमप्रीतो मुनिं दीप्तमिवानलम्।।1.39.1।।


रघुनन्दन: Rama, विश्वामित्रवच: Visvamitra's words, श्रुत्वा having heard, परमप्रीत: immensely pleased, कथान्ते at the end of the narration of the tale, दीप्तम् flaming, अनलमिव fire like, मुनिम् addressing the ascetic, उवाच spoke.

Immensely pleased with the words of Viswamitra, to the ascetic flaming bright like fire, Rama spoke towards the end of the narration:
श्रोतुमिच्छामि भद्रं ते विस्तरेण कथामिमाम्।

पूर्वको मे कथं ब्रह्मन् यज्ञं वै समुपाहरत्।।1.39.2।।


ब्रह्मन् O Brahmana, इमां कथाम् this tale, विस्तरेण in detail, श्रोतुम् to listen, इच्छामि I am desirous, ते भद्रम् prosperity to you, मे my, पूर्वक: ancestor, यज्ञम् sacrifice, कथम् how, समुपाहरत् arranged.

"O Brahman I wish to listen in detail as to how my ancestors made preparations for the sacrifice? Prosperity to you".
विश्वामित्रस्तु काकुत्स्थमुवाच प्रहसन्निव।

श्रूयतां विस्तरो राम सगरस्य महात्मन:।।1.39.3।।


विश्वामित्रस्तु Visvamitra on his part, प्रहसन्निव (as though) smilingly, काकुत्स्थम् addressing Rama, उवाच spoke, महात्मन: of the magnanimous, सगरस्य Sagara's, विस्तर: in detail, श्रूयताम् may be heard.

Viswamitra addressing the son of the Kakusthas (Rama) with a smile said, "O Rama hear in detail the story of the magnanimous king Sagara".
शङ्करश्वशुरो नाम हिमवानचलोत्तम:।

विंध्यपर्वतमासाद्य निरीक्षेते परस्परम्।।1.39.4।।


शङ्करश्वशुर: Sankara's fatherinlaw, हिमवान्नाम named Himavt, अचलोत्तम: excellent mountain, विन्ध्यपर्वतम् Vindhya mountain, आसाद्य approaching, परस्परम् each other, निरीक्षेते beholding.

"Sankara's fatherinlaw named Himavan is the greatest mountain. Himavan and Vindhya came close and began looking at one another. (because both are of extreme height and in between them there was no obstruction).
तयोर्मध्ये प्रवृत्तोऽभूद्यज्ञ स्सपुरुषोत्तम।

स हि देशो नरव्याघ्र प्रशस्तो यज्ञकर्मणि।।1.39.5।।


पुरुषोत्तम O Best among men, स: यज्ञ: that sacrifice, तयो: मध्ये in the region in between these two mountains, प्रवृत्त: अभूत् happened, नरव्याघ्र O Tiger among men, स: देश: that country, यज्ञकर्मणि for acts of sacrifices, प्रशस्तो हि is commendable.

"O best of men, the sacrifice took place in the region in between these two mountains. O tiger among men the region was appropriate for conducting sacrificial acts.
तस्याश्वचर्यां काकुत्स्थ दृढधन्वा महारथ:।

अंशुमानकरोत्तात सगरस्य मते स्थित:।।1.39.6।।


तात O Child, काकुत्स्थ O Kakutstha, दृढधन्वा possessing strong bow, महारथ: great charioteer, अंशुमान् Anshuman,सगरस्य Sagara's, मते on the wish, स्थित: abiding by, तस्य relating to that sacrifice, अश्वचर्याम् following the horse, अकरोत् carried out.

"O child, O son of the Kakutsthas, the great charioteer Anshuman (who can fight with eleven thousand charioteers), wielding a strong bow followed the sacrificial horse (in order to protect it) in compliance with Sagara's wish.
तस्य पर्वणि तं यज्ञं यजमानस्य वासव:।

राक्षसीं तनुमास्थाय यज्ञीयाश्वमपाहरत्।।1.39.7।।


वासव: Vasava (Indra), राक्षसीम् pertaining to rakshasa, तनुम् body, आस्थाय assuming, पर्वणि on the concluding day of the fornight (fullnew moon), तं यज्ञं यजमानस्य while the sacrificer was performing sacrifice, तस्य Sagara's, यज्ञीयाश्वम् horse relating to sacrifice, अपाहरत् had stolen.

On the concluding day of the fortnight (full moon day) while the sacrifice was being performed, Vasava (Indra) assuming the form of rakshasa, had stolen away Sagara's sacrificial horse.
ह्रियमाणे तु काकुत्स्थ तस्मिन्नश्वे महात्मन:।

उपाध्यायगणास्सर्वे यजमानमथाब्रुवन्।।1.39.8।।


काकुत्स्थ O Kakutstha, महात्मन: magnanimous Sagara's, तस्मिन् अश्वे when that horse, ह्रियमाणे was being stolen away, अथ afterwards, सर्वे all, उपाध्यायगणा: the priests, यजमानम् performer of the sacrifice, अब्रुवन् spoke.

O son of the Kakutsthas, when the magnanimous king Sagara's sacrificial horse was stolen away, all the high priests addressing the performer of the sacrifice said:
अयं पर्वणि वेगेन यज्ञियाश्वोऽपनीयते।

हर्तारं जहि काकुत्स्थ हयश्चैवोपनीयताम्।।1.39.9।।


काकुत्स्थ O Kakutstha, king Sagara, पर्वणि on this auspicious Parvan day, अयं यज्ञियाश्व: this sacrificial horse, वेगेन quickly, अपनीयते forcibly is being taken away, हर्तारम् the thief, जहि slay him, हयश्च horse, उपनीयताम् be brought back.

'O Kakutstha on this auspicious (fullmoon) day the sacrificial horse has been stolen away suddenly and forcibly. Slay the thief and bring back the horse'.
यज्ञच्छिद्रं भवत्येतत्सर्वेषामशिवाय न:।

तत्तथा क्रियतां राजन् यथाऽच्छिद्र: क्रतुर्भवेत्।।1.39.10।।


एतत् यज्ञच्छिद्रम् this is a flaw (hole) to sacrifice, न: सर्वेषाम् for all of us, अशिवाय भवेत् will be inauspicious, तत् for that reason, राजन् O king, क्रतु: this sacrifice, अच्छिद्र: without flaw (hole for leakage ), यथा in whichever manner, भवेत् be, तथा in that manner, क्रियताम् let it be done.

'This flaw in sacrifice will be inauspicious for all of us. Hence O king do everything which will ensure flawlessness to this sacrifice'.
उपाध्यायवच श्श्रुत्वा तस्मिन् सदसि पार्थिव:।

षष्टिं पुत्रसहस्राणि वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह।।1.39.11।।


पार्थिव: that king, उपाध्यायवच: words of officiating priests, श्रुत्वा having heard, तस्मिन् सदसि in that sacrificial assembly, षष्टिं sixty, पुत्रसहस्राणि thousand sons, एतत् वाक्यम् these words, उवाच ह spoke.

Having heard the words of the officiating priests, the king (Sagara) addressed his sixty thousand sons in the sacrificial assembly, saying:
गतिं पुत्रा: न पश्यामि रक्षसां परुषर्षभा:।

मन्त्रपूतैर्महाभागैरास्थितो हि महाक्रतु:।।1.39.12।।


परुषर्षभा: O Best among men, पुत्रा: O Sons, रक्षसाम् for rakshsas, गतिम् access, न पश्यामि हि I do not see indeed, महाक्रतु: this great sacrifice, मन्त्रपूतै: consecrated by mantras, महाभागै: by eminent and pious priests, आस्थित: is presided.

'O Best among men, O sons I do not the hand of rakshasas in this as this great sacrifice is consecrated by mantras (to prevent any interruption) and is presided over by eminent priests.
तद्गच्छत विचिन्वध्वं पुत्रका: भद्रमस्तु व:।

समुद्रमालिनीं सर्वां पृथिवीमनुगच्छत।।1.39.13।।


पुत्रका: O Sons, तत् for that reason, गच्छत you may go, व: for you, भद्रम् auspiciousness, अस्तु happen, समुद्रमालिनीम् garlanded by oceans, सर्वाम् entire, पृथिवीम् earth, अनुगच्छत search for.

'Therefore my sons, go and search this entire earth surrounded by oceans. May you be safe'.
एकैकयोजनं पुत्रा विस्तारमधिगच्छत।

यावत्तुरगसन्दर्श: तावत् खनत मेदिनीम्।

तं चैव हयहर्तारं मार्गमाणा ममाज्ञया।।1.39.14।।


पुत्रा: O Sons, एकैकयोजनम् yojana by yojana, विस्तारम् length and breadth of earth, अधिगच्छत you may acquire, मम my, आज्ञया by command, तं हयहर्तारम् that thief of horse, मार्गमाणा: while search for, तुरगसन्दर्श: finding the horse, यावत् तावत् till such time, मेदिनीम् earth, खनत excavate.

'O sons, acquiring yojana by yojana the length and breadth of the earth, search for the thief of the horse. Excavate the earth till the time the horse is found. This is my command'.
दीक्षित: पौत्रसहितस्सोपाध्यायगणो ह्यहम्।

इह स्थास्यामि भद्रं वो यावत्तुरगदर्शनम्।।1.39.15।।


दीक्षित: having been initiated into the sacrifice, अहम् I, पौत्रसहित: with my grandson, Anshuman, सोपाध्यायगण: together with spiritual preceptors, यावत्तुरगदर्शनम् till such time the horse is found, इह here, स्थास्यामि I will stay here, व: to you, भद्रम् safety be.

'Having been initiated into the sacrifice, I, along with my grandson, Anshuman and other spiritual preceptors will stay here till such time the horse is found. May you be safe'
इत्युक्ता हृष्टमनसो राजपुत्रा महाबला:।

जग्मुर्महीतलं राम पितुर्वचनयन्त्रिता:।।1.39.16।।


राम O Rama, इति उक्ता: thus spoken, महाबला: highly powerful, राजपुत्रा: princes, हृष्टमनस: with joyful hearts, पितु: their father's, वचनयन्त्रिता: commanded by the words, महीतलम् about earth, जग्मु: departed.

"O Rama thus commanded by Sagara, the highly powerful princes with cheeful hearts departed in obedience to their father's command in quest of the horse on earth.
योजनायामविस्तारमेकैको धरणीतलम्।

बिभिदु: परुषव्याघ्र वज्रस्पर्शसमैर्नखै:।।1.39.17।।


परुषव्याघ्र O Tiger among men, एकैक: each one of them, योजनायामविस्तारम् one yojana of length and width, धरणीतलम् ground, वज्रस्पर्शसमै: resembling the touch (sharpness) of diamonds, नखै: with their nails, बिभिदु: broke (dug up).

O Tiger among men each one of them occupying one yojana in length and breadth of ground, dug up the earth with their nails that were sharp as diamonds.
शूलैरशनिकल्पैश्च हलैश्चापि सुदारुणै:।

भिद्यमाना वसुमती ननाद रघुनन्दन।।1.39.18।।


रघुनन्दन O Rama, अशनिकल्पै: similar to thunderbolt, शूलै: with lances, सुदारुणै: which were dreadful, हलैश्च with plough, भिद्यमाना being broken, वसुमती earth, ननाद emanated sounds.

O Son of the Raghus (Rama) dreadful sounds emanated while the earth was being broken open by ploughs and lances similar to thunderbolt.
नागानां मथ्यमानानामसुराणां च राघव ।

राक्षसानां च दुर्धर्षस्सत्त्वानां निनदोऽभवत्।।1.39.19।।


राघव O Rama, मथ्यमानानाम् being churned, नागानाम् of serpents, असुराणां च of demons, राक्षसानां च of rakshasas, सत्त्वानाम् of all the creatures, दुर्धर्ष: intolerable, निनद: अभवत् sound emerged.

O descendant of Raghu when the earth was being churned, an irrepressible sound of serpents, demons and rakshasas --of all creatures emerged.
योजनानां सहस्राणि षष्टिं तु रघुनन्दन ।

बिभिदुर्धरणीं वीरा: रसातलमनुत्तमम्।।1.39.20।।


रघुनन्दन O Rama, वीरा: heroes, योजनानाम् of yojanas, षष्टिं सहस्राणि sixty thousand, धरणीम् earth, अनुत्तमम् great, रसातलम् nether world, बिभिदु: excavated.

O Descendant of the Raghus the heroic sons of Sagara excavated sixty thousand yojanas of earth reaching the nether world (one of the several regions below the earth).
एवं पर्वतसम्बाधं जम्बूद्वीपं नृपात्मजा:।

खनन्तो नरशार्दूल सर्वत: परिचक्रमु:।।1.39.21।।


नरशार्दूल O Foremost of men, नृपात्मजा: sons of Sagara, पर्वतसम्बाधम् filled with mountains, जम्बूद्वीपम् Jambudweepa, एवम् in this way, खनन्त: while excavating, सर्वत: everywhere, परिचक्रमु: moved around.

O Foremost among men (Rama) the princes while thus excavating Jambu dweepa, in
this way filled with mountains, moved around everywhere.
ततो देवास्सगन्धर्वास्सासुरास्सहपन्नगा:।

सम्भ्रान्तमनसस्सर्वे पितामहमुपागमन्।।1.39.22।।


तत: afterwards, सगन्धर्वा: together with gandharvas, सासुरा: with asuras, सपन्नगा: with serpents, देवा: gods, सर्वे all, सम्भ्रान्तमनस: with bewildered minds, पितामहम् lord Brahma, उपागमन् approached.

Then the gods together with the gandharvas, asuras and serpents in bewildered minds approached Lord Brahma.
ते प्रसाद्य महात्मानं विषण्णवदनास्तदा।

ऊचु: परमसन्त्रस्ता पितामहमिदं वच:।।1.39.23।।


परमसन्त्रस्ता: highly agitated, विषण्णवदना: with meloncholic faces, ते they, महात्मानम् magnanimous, पितामहम् Brahma, प्रसाद्य having propitiated him, इदं वचः these words, ऊचु: spoke.

With highly agitated minds and meloncholic faces, all of them approached magnanimous Brahma and having propitiated him said:
भगवन् पृथिवी सर्वा खन्यते सगरात्मजै:।

बहवश्च महात्मानो हन्यन्ते तलवासिन:।।1.39.24।।


भगवन् O Venerable one, सर्वा entire, पृथिवी earth, सगरात्मजै: by sons of Sagara, खन्यते is being excavated, तलवासिन: those living in the lower worlds, बहव: many, महात्मान: great beings, हन्यन्ते are being killed.

O Venerable one the entire earth is being excavated by the sons of Sagara. Many great beings living in the lower worlds are being killed.
अयं यज्ञहरोऽस्माकमनेनाश्वोऽपनीयते।

इति ते सर्वभूतानि निघ्नन्ति सगरात्मजा:।।1.39.25।।


अयम् this one, अस्माकं our, यज्ञहर: destroyer of our sacrifice, अनेन by him, अश्व: horse, अपनीयते is being stolen away, इति saying so, ते सगरात्मजा: those sons of Sagara, सर्वभूतानि all beings, निघ्नन्ति are slaying.

'This one is the destroyer of our sacrifice. He has stolen away our horse' saying so the sons of Sagara are slaying all living beings".
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे एकोनचत्वारिंशस्सर्ग: ।।
Thus ends the thirtyninth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.