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Baala Kaanda - Sarga 39
In this Sarga, Viṡwāmitra narrates the story of the sacrificial horse being stolen by Indra and the sixty thousand sons of Sagara digging the earth everywhere in search of the horse.
1.39.1
விஸ்வாமித்ரவச: ஸ்ருத்வா கதாந்தே ரகுநந்தந: ।
உவாச பரமப்ரீதோ முநிம் தீப்தமிவாநலம் ॥
viṡvāmitravacaḥ ṡrutvā kathāntē raghunandanaḥ ।
uvāca paramaprītō muniṃ dīptamivānalam ॥
Rāma heard the story being narrated by
Viṡwāmitra, who was radiant like a fire.
Rāma found it fascinating and wanted the
stories to continue, and asked:
1.39.2
ஸ்ரோதுமிச்சாமி பத்ரம் தே விஸ்தரேண கதாமிமாம் ।
பூர்வகோ மே கதம் ப்ரஹ்மந் யஜ்ஞம் வை ஸமுபாஹரத் ॥
ṡrōtumicchāmi bhadraṃ tē vistarēṇa kathāmimām ।
pūrvakō mē kathaṃ brahman yajñaṃ vai samupāharat ॥
O Brahman! May all bode well for you!
I would like to hear it in detail.
Tell me how my ancestor performed the Yajña!
1.39.3
விஸ்வாமித்ரஸ்து காகுத்ஸ்தமுவாச ப்ரஹஸந்நிவ ।
ஸ்ரூயதாம் விஸ்தரோ ராம ஸகரஸ்ய மஹாத்மந: ॥
viṡvāmitrastu kākutsthamuvāca prahasanniva ।
ṡrūyatāṃ vistarō rāma sagarasya mahātmanaḥ ॥
Viṡwāmitra smiled and said to Rāma,
the prince of Kākutstha lineage:
“Let me tell you the full story in detail!”
Viṡwāmitra must have been smiling at the curiosity of the young lad Rāma about his ancestor.
1.39.4
ஸங்கரஸ்வஸுரோ நாம ஹிமவாநசலோத்தம: ।
விந்த்யபர்வதமாஸாத்ய நிரீக்ஷேதே பரஸ்பரம் ॥
ṡaṅkaraṡvaṡurō nāma himavānacalōttamaḥ ।
vindhyaparvatamāsādya nirīkṣētē parasparam ॥
Himavān, the father-in-law of Ṡaṅkara,
the best among the mountains,
and the mountain range of Vindhya
are in the direct line of sight of each other.
Ṡaṅkara is another name for lord Ṡiva.
It is amazing that people in those bygone eras were not only conversant with the geography of the land, but were also conscious of the details on an everyday basis.
1.39.5
தயோர்மத்யே ப்ரவ்ருத்தோऽபூத்யஜ்ஞ: ஸ புருஷோத்தம ।
ஸ ஹி தேஸோ நரவ்யாக்ர ப்ரஸஸ்தோ யஜ்ஞகர்மணி ॥
tayōrmadhyē pravṛttō'bhūdyajñaḥ sa puruṣōttama ।
sa hi dēṡō naravyāghra praṡastō yajñakarmaṇi ॥
O best among men!
The land in between those two mountain ranges
is known to be the best for performing Yajñas.
That is where the Yajña was performed.
1.39.6
தஸ்யாஸ்வசர்யாம் காகுத்ஸ்த த்ருடதந்வா மஹாரத: ।
அம்ஸுமாநகரோத்தாத ஸகரஸ்ய மதே ஸ்தித: ॥
tasyāṡvacaryāṃ kākutstha dṛḍhadhanvā mahārathaḥ ।
aṃṡumānakarōttāta sagarasya matē sthitaḥ ॥
O dear prince of Kākutstha dynasty!
Amṡuman, the great charioteer and archer
guarded the horse on its path
fully entrusted by Sagara.
Aṡwamēdha Yajña was a simple political instrument that was used to bring weak kingdoms under the rule of one large empire.
Any king, who was convinced of his own strength, set a horse free to roam. All the areas that the horse wandered around were claimed by the king, unless the king of that land put up a challenge.
In that process, the weak kingdoms became parts and provinces of a larger kingdom, with minimal military or civilian bloodshed in the process.
The analogy for this, in modern times, is the mergers and acquisitions process among businesses. Small and weak businesses are 'eaten' by large corporations all the time.
The old customers of the old business are served by the new corporation after the merger, in a seamless manner, most of the time.
Governments and kings are the servants of their subjects. Just as businesses provide 'services' to people, the kings and warriors used to provide governance and administrative 'services' to the people.
As such, kings and administrators were interchangeable in those days and the identity of land or people was not tied to the rulers.
The motivation for Indra (Ṡlōka 1.39.7) to take away the horse is not given here, leaving it open for various conjunctures. There are quite a few loose ends like this in the Rāmāyaṇa. It could be because portions of the original text were lost over time, or stories like these were too well known at that time, to be elaborated.
1.39.7
தஸ்ய பர்வணி தம் யஜ்ஞம் யஜமாநஸ்ய வாஸவ: ।
ராக்ஷஸீம் தநுமாஸ்தாய யஜ்ஞீயாஸ்வமபாஹரத் ॥
tasya parvaṇi taṃ yajñaṃ yajamānasya vāsavaḥ ।
rākṣasīṃ tanumāsthāya yajñīyāṡvamapāharat ॥
Indra took the form of a Rākshasa and
took away the horse of that Yajña
that was being performed by Sagara.
1.39.8
ஹ்ரியமாணே து காகுத்ஸ்த தஸ்மிந்நஸ்வே மஹாத்மந:।
உபாத்யாயகணாஸ்ஸர்வே யஜமாநமதாப்ருவந் ॥
hriyamāṇē tu kākutstha tasminnaṡvē mahātmana:।
upādhyāyagaṇāssarvē yajamānamathābruvan ॥
O prince of Raghu dynasty!
As the horse of that Mahātma was being snatched,
all the priests said to the performer of the Yajña:
1.39.9
அயம் பர்வணி வேகேந யஜ்ஞீயாஸ்வோऽபநீயதே ।
ஹர்தாரம் ஜஹி காகுத்ஸ்த ஹயஸ்சைவோபநீயதாம் ॥
ayaṃ parvaṇi vēgēna yajñīyāṡvō'panīyatē ।
hartāraṃ jahi kākutstha hayaṡcaivōpanīyatām ॥
O prince of Kākutstha lineage (Sagara)!
The horse is being taken away quickly on this auspicious day.
You have to strike that abductor and bring the horse back.
1.39.10
யஜ்ஞச்சித்ரம் பவத்யேதத்ஸர்வேஷாமஸிவாய ந: ।
தத்ததா க்ரியதாம் ராஜந் யதாऽச்சித்ர: க்ரதுர்பவேத் ॥
yajñacchidraṃ bhavatyētatsarvēṣāmaṡivāya naḥ ।
tattathā kriyatāṃ rājan yathā'cchidraḥ kraturbhavēt ॥
It would be inauspicious if the Yajña is disrupted now.
Do what is needed to continue the Yajña without disruption.
1.39.11
உபாத்யாயவச: ஸ்ருத்வா தஸ்மிந் ஸதஸி பார்திவ: ।
ஷஷ்டிம் புத்ரஸஹஸ்ராணி வாக்யமேததுவாச ஹ ॥
upādhyāyavacaḥ ṡrutvā tasmin sadasi pārthivaḥ ।
ṣaṣṭiṃ putrasahasrāṇi vākyamētaduvāca ha ॥
Hearing those words of the priests,
The king said to his sixty thousand sons
in the presence of every one:
1.39.12
கதிம் புத்ரா ந பஸ்யாமி ரக்ஷஸாம் புருஷர்ஷபா: ।
மந்த்ரபூதைர்மஹாபாகைராஸ்திதோ ஹி மஹாக்ரது: ॥
gatiṃ putrā na paṡyāmi rakṣasāṃ puruṣarṣabhāḥ ।
mantrapūtairmahābhāgairāsthitō hi mahākratuḥ ॥
O my sons, best among men!
I do not believe Rākshasas can enter this area of the Yajña,
that is made sacred by the Mantras of all the great priests.
1.39.13
தத்கச்சத விசிந்வத்வம் புத்ரகா பத்ரமஸ்து வ: ।
ஸமுத்ரமாலிநீம் ஸர்வாம் ப்ருதிவீமநுகச்சத ॥
tadgacchata vicinvadhvaṃ putrakā bhadramastu vaḥ ।
samudramālinīṃ sarvāṃ pṛthivīmanugacchata ॥
My dear sons! Go and search the entire earth to its edges,
that is surrounded by the waters of the oceans
for the horse that was taken away.
May all bode well for you!
1.39.14
ஏகைகம் யோஜநம் புத்ரா விஸ்தாரமபிகச்சத ।
யாவத்துரகஸந்தர்ஸஸ்தாவத் கநத மேதிநீம் ।
தம் சைவ ஹயஹர்தாரம் மார்கமாணா மமாஜ்ஞயா ॥
ēkaikaṃ yōjanaṃ putrā vistāramabhigacchata ।
yāvatturagasandarṡastāvat khanata mēdinīm ।
taṃ caiva hayahartāraṃ mārgamāṇā mamājñayā ॥
Each one of you should dig one Yōjana of the earth
in search of the abductor.
Continue your search till you find the horse.
1.39.15
தீக்ஷித: பௌத்ரஸஹித: ஸோபாத்யாயகணோ ஹ்யஹம் ।
இஹ ஸ்தாஸ்யாமி பத்ரம் வோ யாவத்துரகதர்ஸநம் ॥
dīkṣitaḥ pautrasahitaḥ sōpādhyāyagaṇō hyaham ।
iha sthāsyāmi bhadraṃ vō yāvatturagadarṡanam ॥
I will wait here in Deeksha
along with my grandson (Amṡuman) and the priests
till the horse is recovered.
May all bode well for you!
1.39.16
தே ஸர்வே ஹ்ருஷ்டமநஸோ ராஜ புத்ரா மஹாபலா: ।
ஜக்முர்மஹீதலம் ராம பிதுர்வசநயந்த்ரிதா: ॥
tē sarvē hṛṣṭamanasō rāja putrā mahābalāḥ ।
jagmurmahītalaṃ rāma piturvacanayantritā: ॥
O Rāma! All of those mighty strong princes
went on to dig the earth with enthusiasm,
as dictated by their father.
1.39.17
யோஜநாயாமவிஸ்தாரமேகைகோ தரணீதலம் ।
பிபிது: புருஷவ்யாக்ர வஜ்ரஸ்பர்ஸஸமைர்நகை: ॥
yōjanāyāmavistāramēkaikō dharaṇītalam ।
bibhiduḥ puruṣavyāghra vajrasparṡasamairnakhaiḥ ॥
Each one of those tigers among men,
broke apart one Yōjana area of the ground
with their nails that were as hard as diamonds.
1.39.18
ஸூலைரஸநிகல்பைஸ்ச ஹலைஸ்சாபி ஸுதாருணை: ।
பித்யமாநா வஸுமதீ நநாத ரகுநந்தந ॥
ṡūlairaṡanikalpaiṡca halaiṡcāpi sudāruṇaiḥ ।
bhidyamānā vasumatī nanāda raghunandana ॥
O prince of Raghu dynasty!
The earth reverberated with loud sounds
as it was broken everywhere with
spears comparable to Vajrāyudha
and ploughs that were horrendous.
Vajrāyudha is the celebrated weapon of Indra.
1.39.19
நாகாநாம் வத்யமாநாநாமஸுராணாம் ச ராகவ ।
ராக்ஷஸாநாம் ச துர்த்தர்ஷ: ஸத்த்வாநாம் நிநதோऽபவத் ॥
nāgānāṃ vadhyamānānāmasurāṇāṃ ca rāghava ।
rākṣasānāṃ ca durddharṣaḥ sattvānāṃ ninadō'bhavat ॥
O prince of Raghu dynasty!
The terrible cries made by
Rākshasas, Asuras, serpents and other beings
as they were being crushed, filled the earth.
1.39.20
யோஜநாநாம் ஸஹஸ்ராணி ஷஷ்டிம் து ரகுநந்தந ।
பிபிதுர்தரணீம் வீரா ரஸாதலமநுத்தமம் ॥
yōjanānāṃ sahasrāṇi ṣaṣṭiṃ tu raghunandana ।
bibhidurdharaṇīṃ vīrā rasātalamanuttamam ॥
O prince of Raghu dynasty!
Those Veeras broke the earth
over an area of sixty thousand Yōjanas
turning it into the nether world of Rasātala.
1.39.21
ஏவம் பர்வதஸம்பாதம் ஜம்பூத்வீபம் ந்ருபாத்மஜா: ।
கநந்தோ ந்ருபஸார்தூல ஸர்வத: பரிசக்ரமு: ॥
ēvaṃ parvatasambādhaṃ jambūdvīpaṃ nṛpātmajāḥ ।
khanantō nṛpaṡārdūla sarvataḥ paricakramuḥ ॥
O tiger among princes!
They kept digging all over Jamboo Dweepa,
which was surrounded by mountains.
1.39.22
ததோ தேவா: ஸகந்தர்வா: ஸாஸுராஸ்ஸஹபந்நகா: ।
ஸம்ப்ராந்தமநஸ: ஸர்வே பிதாமஹமுபாகமந் ॥
tatō dēvāḥ sagandharvāḥ sāsurāssahapannagāḥ ।
sambhrāntamanasaḥ sarvē pitāmahamupāgaman ॥
Then the Dēvas, Gandharvas, Asuras and Serpents
were agitated and concerned and went to lord Brahma.
1.39.23
தே ப்ரஸாத்ய மஹாத்மாநம் விஷண்ணவதநாஸ்ததா ।
ஊசு: பரமஸந்த்ரஸ்தா: பிதாமஹமிதம் வச: ॥
tē prasādya mahātmānaṃ viṣaṇṇavadanāstadā ।
ūcuḥ paramasantrastāḥ pitāmahamidaṃ vacaḥ ॥
With frightened minds and saddened faces
they pleaded to him, received his attention and said:
1.39.24
பகவந் ப்ருதிவீ ஸர்வா கந்யதே ஸகராத்மஜை: ।
பஹவஸ்ச மஹாத்மாநோ ஹந்யந்தே தலவாஸிந: ॥
bhagavan pṛthivī sarvā khanyatē sagarātmajaiḥ ।
bahavaṡca mahātmānō hanyantē talavāsinaḥ ॥
The entire earth is being dug by the sons of Sagara.
They are killing many Mahātmas
who live underneath the earth.
1.39.25
அயம் யஜ்ஞஹரோऽஸ்மாகமநேநாஸ்வோऽபநீயதே ।
இதி தே ஸர்வபூதாநி நிக்நந்தி ஸகராத்மஜா: ॥
ayaṃ yajñaharō'smākamanēnāṡvō'panīyatē ।
iti tē sarvabhūtāni nighnanti sagarātmajāḥ ॥
The sons of Sagara suspect
everyone of having taken their horse.
They are killing everyone who is not able to
show their horse to them.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
ஸ்ரீமத்பாலகாண்டே ஏகோநசத்வாரிம்ஸ: ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ṡrīmadbālakāṇḍē ēkōnacatvāriṃṡaḥ sargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the thirty ninth Sarga
in Bāla Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
We completed reading 1202 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.