विश्वामित्रवचः श्रुत्वा कथान्ते रघुनन्दनः। उवाच परमप्रीतो मुनि दीप्तमिवानलम्॥
When Viśvāmitra had ended, hearing his words, Rāma exceedingly pleased, spoke to that ascetic resembling flaming fire, saying,
श्रोतुमिच्छामि भद्रं ते विस्तरेण कथामिमाम्। पूर्वजो मे कथं ब्रह्मन् यज्ञं वै समुपाहरत्॥
I am anxious to hear in detail, good betide you, how, O Brāhmaṇa, my ancestor arranged for the sacrifice.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा कौतूहलसमन्वितः। विश्वामित्रस्तु काकुत्स्थमुवाच प्रहसन्निव ॥
Hearing those words of his, Viśvāmitra, smiling, eagerly spoke to Kākutstha, saying,
श्रूयतां विस्तरो राम सगरस्य महात्मनः। शंकरश्वशुरो नाम्ना हिमवानिति विश्रुतः॥ विन्ध्यपर्वतमासाद्य निरीक्षेते परस्परम्। तयोर्मध्ये समभवद् यज्ञः स पुरुषोत्तम ॥
Do you, O Rāma, hearken to the story of the high-souled Sagara's sacrifice. Sankara's fatherin-law is the far-famed Himavat. And approaching each other, the Himavat and the vindhya behold each other. And on the region lying between them took place, O foremost of men, that sacrifice of Sagara's.
स हि देशो नरव्याघ्र प्रशस्तो यज्ञकर्मणि। तस्याश्वचर्या काकुत्स्थ दृढधन्वा महारथः॥ अंशुमानकरोत् तात सगरस्य मते स्थितः।
And that country, O best of men, is excellent as a sacrificial ground. And, O Kākutstha, equipped with a powerful bow, that mighty carwarrior, living under Sagara's sway, Ansumat, O child, followed the horse, for the purpose of protecting it.
तस्य पर्वणि तं यज्ञं यजमानस्य वासवः॥ राक्षसी तनुमास्थाय यज्ञियाश्वमपाहरत्।
It came to pass that with the intention of disturbing the sacrifice of that monarch, on a certain day Vasava, assuming the, form of a Raksasi, stole away the sacrificial horse. us
ह्रियमाणे तु काकुत्स्थ तस्मिन्नश्वे महात्मनः॥ उपाध्यायगणाः सर्वे यजमानमथाब्रुवन्। अयं पर्वणि वेगेन यज्ञियाश्वोऽपनीयते॥ हर्तारं जहि काकुत्स्थ हयश्चैकोपनीयताम्। यज्ञच्छिद्रं भवत्येतत् सर्वेषामशिवाय नः॥ तत् तथा क्रियतां राजन् यज्ञोऽच्छिद्रः कृतो भवेत्।
O Kākutstha, on the horse of that high-souled one being stolen, the priests said to the king engaged in the ceremony, 'On this auspicious day, has the sacrificial horse been stolen by violence. Do you, O Kākutstha, slay him that steals the horse, and bring it back. Otherwise the sacrifice will be defective, bringing misfortune. Therefore, do you, O king, act so, that the sacrifice may not bemired with defects.'
सोपाध्यायवचः श्रुत्वा तस्मिन् सदसि पार्थिवः॥ षष्ठिं पुत्रसहस्राणि वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह। गतिं पुत्रा न पश्यामि रक्षसां पुरुषर्षभाः॥
Hearing the words of the priests, the king addressed his sixty thousand sons in the midst of his court, saying, 'l'eing, as this great sacrifice is, presided over by eminently pious Brāhmaṇas sanctified by mantras, I do not, you foremost of men, you sons, see how Raksasas may find entrance into it.'
मन्त्रपूतैर्महाभागैरास्थितो हि महाक्रतुः। तद् गच्छथ विचिन्वध्वं पुत्रका भद्रमस्तु वः॥ समुद्रमालिनी सर्वां पृथिवीमनुगच्छथ। एकैकं योजनं पुत्रा विस्तारमभिगच्छत॥ यावद् तुरगसंदर्शस्तावत् खनत मेदिनीम्। तमेव हयहर्तारं मार्गमाणा ममाज्ञया॥
Therefore, repair you, and seek for the horse, you sons. Good betide you! Do you search the entire earth engarlanded with oceans; and do you search Yojana after Yojana, you sons. And do you delve the earth till you light upon the horse, by my command following the track of that stealer of the horse.
दीक्षितः पौत्रसहितः सोपाध्यायगणस्त्वहम्। इह स्थास्यामि भद्रं वो यावत् तुरगदर्शनम्॥
I have been initiated into this sacrifice with my grand-sons and priests.' I will stay here till you light upon the horse.
ते सर्वे हृष्टमनसो राजपुत्रा महाबलाः। जग्मुर्महीतलं राम पितुर्वचनयन्त्रिताः॥
And thereat the mighty princes, enjoined by their father, breathing high spirits, began to range the earth.
योजनायामविस्तारमेकैको धरणीतलम्। बिभिदुः पुरुषव्याघ्रा वज्रस्पर्शसमैर्भुजैः॥ शूलैरशनिकल्पैश्च हलैश्चापि सुदारुणैः। भिद्यमाना वसुमती ननाद रघुनन्दन॥
O Rāma. Then, they each fell to delving the bowels of the earth for the space of a Yojana in length and breadth, with their hands resembling thunder-bolts in feel, and with darts like to thunder-bolts, and with gigantic ploughshares. And being thus rived, the earth, O descendant of Raghu, began to send forth loud cries.
नागानां वध्यमानानामसुराणां च राघव। राक्षसानां दुराधर्षं सत्त्वानां निनदोऽभवत्॥
O Rāghava, O you hard to repress, there arose an uproar from serpents, and Asuras, and Rāks asas, and other creatures, that were being slaughtered.
योजनानां सहस्राणि षष्ठिं तु रघुनन्दन। बिभिदुर्धरणी राम रसातलमनुत्तमम्॥
O descendant of Raghu, they excavated the earth, O Rāma, for sixty thousand Yojanas, you, as if they had intended to reach the lowest depths underground.
एवं पर्वतसम्बाधं जम्बूद्वीपं नृपात्मजाः। खनन्तो नृपशार्दूल सर्वतः परिचक्रमुः॥
Thus, O foremost of kings, those sons of the monarch dug all around Jambūdvīpa, filled with mountains.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सासुराः सहपन्नगाः। सम्भ्रान्तमनसः सर्वे पितामहमुपागमन्॥
Thereat, the gods together with the Gandharvas, and Asuras, and Pannagas, in trepidation appeared before the Grand-sire.
ते प्रसाद्य महात्मानं विषण्णवदनास्तदा। ऊचुः परमसंत्रस्ताः पितामहमिदं वचः॥
And propitiating that high-souled one, they with melancholy countenances and in exceeding agitation, spoke these words to the Grand-sire,
भगवन् पृथिवी सर्वा खन्यते सगरात्मजैः। बहवश्च महात्मानो बध्यन्ते जलचारिणः॥
O adorable one, the entire earth is being excavated by the sons of Sagara; and many are the high-souled ones as well as the aquatic animals that are being slain in consequence.
अयं यज्ञहरोऽस्माकमनेनाश्वोऽपनीयते। इति ते सर्वभूतानि हिंसन्ति सगरात्मजाः॥
This one is the disturber of our sacrifice, and by him has the sacrificial horse been stolen, saying this Sagara's sons are committing havoc upon all creatures.