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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.]

viśvāmitravacaśśrutvā kathā.ntē raghunandana:.

uvāca paramaprītō muniṅ dīptamivānalam৷৷1.39.1৷৷


raghunandana: Rama, viśvāmitravaca: Visvamitra's words, śrutvā having heard, paramaprīta: immensely pleased, kathāntē at the end of the narration of the tale, dīptam flaming, analamiva fire like, munim addressing the ascetic, uvāca spoke.

Immensely pleased with the words of Viswamitra, to the ascetic flaming bright like fire, Rama spoke towards the end of the narration:
śrōtumicchāmi bhadraṅ tē vistarēṇa kathāmimām.

pūrvakō mē kathaṅ brahman yajñaṅ vai samupāharat৷৷1.39.2৷৷


brahman O! Brahmana, imāṅ kathām this tale, vistarēṇa in detail, śrōtum to listen, icchāmi I am desirous, tē bhadram prosperity to you, mē my, pūrvaka: ancestor, yajñam sacrifice, katham how, samupāharat arranged.

"O Brahman! I wish to listen in detail as to how my ancestors made preparations for the sacrifice? Prosperity to you"!.
viśvāmitrastu kākutsthamuvāca prahasanniva.

śrūyatāṅ vistarō rāma sagarasya mahātmana:৷৷1.39.3৷৷


viśvāmitrastu Visvamitra on his part, prahasanniva (as though) smilingly, kākutstham addressing Rama, uvāca spoke, mahātmana: of the magnanimous, sagarasya Sagara's, vistara: in detail, śrūyatām 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".
śaṅkaraśvaśurō nāma! himavānacalōttama:.

viṅdhyaparvatamāsādya nirīkṣētē parasparam৷৷1.39.4৷৷


śaṅkaraśvaśura: Sankara's father-in-law, himavānnāma named Himavt, acalōttama: excellent mountain, vindhyaparvatam Vindhya mountain, āsādya approaching, parasparam each other, nirīkṣētē beholding.

"Sankara's father-in-law 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).
tayōrmadhyē pravṛttō.bhūdyajña ssapuruṣōttama!.

sa hi dēśō naravyāghra praśastō yajñakarmaṇi৷৷1.39.5৷৷


puruṣōttama O! Best among men, sa: yajña: that sacrifice, tayō: madhyē in the region in between these two mountains, pravṛtta: abhūt happened, naravyāghra O! Tiger among men, sa: dēśa: that country, yajñakarmaṇi for acts of sacrifices, praśastō hi 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.
tasyāśvacaryāṅ kākutstha dṛḍhadhanvā mahāratha:.

aṅśumānakarōttāta sagarasya matē sthita:৷৷1.39.6৷৷


tāta O! Child, kākutstha O! Kakutstha, dṛḍhadhanvā possessing strong bow, mahāratha: great charioteer, aṅśumān Anshuman,sagarasya Sagara's, matē on the wish, sthita: abiding by, tasya relating to that sacrifice, aśvacaryām following the horse, akarōt 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.
tasya parvaṇi taṅ yajñaṅ yajamānasya vāsava:.

rākṣasīṅ tanumāsthāya yajñīyāśvamapāharat৷৷1.39.7৷৷


vāsava: Vasava (Indra), rākṣasīm pertaining to rakshasa, tanum body, āsthāya assuming, parvaṇi on the concluding day of the fornight (full/new moon), taṅ yajñaṅ yajamānasya while the sacrificer was performing sacrifice, tasya Sagara's, yajñīyāśvam horse relating to sacrifice, apāharat 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.
hriyamāṇē tu kākutstha tasminnaśvē mahātmana:.

upādhyāyagaṇāssarvē yajamānamathābruvan৷৷1.39.8৷৷


kākutstha O! Kakutstha, mahātmana: magnanimous Sagara's, tasmin aśvē when that horse, hriyamāṇē was being stolen away, atha afterwards, sarvē all, upādhyāyagaṇā: the priests, yajamānam performer of the sacrifice, abruvan 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:
ayaṅ parvaṇi vēgēna yajñiyāśvō.panīyatē.

hartāraṅ jahi kākutstha hayaścaivōpanīyatām৷৷1.39.9৷৷


kākutstha O! Kakutstha, king Sagara, parvaṇi on this auspicious Parvan day, ayaṅ yajñiyāśva: this sacrificial horse, vēgēna quickly, apanīyatē forcibly is being taken away, hartāram the thief, jahi slay him, hayaśca horse, upanīyatām be brought back.

'O Kakutstha! on this auspicious (full-moon) day the sacrificial horse has been stolen away suddenly and forcibly. Slay the thief and bring back the horse'.
yajñacchidraṅ bhavatyētatsarvēṣāmaśivāya na:.

tattathā kriyatāṅ rājan! yathā.cchidra: kraturbhavēt৷৷1.39.10৷৷


ētat yajñacchidram this is a flaw (hole) to sacrifice, na: sarvēṣām for all of us, aśivāya bhavēt will be inauspicious, tat for that reason, rājan O! king, kratu: this sacrifice, acchidra: without flaw (hole for leakage ), yathā in whichever manner, bhavēt be, tathā in that manner, kriyatām 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'.
upādhyāyavaca śśrutvā tasmin sadasi pārthiva:.

ṣaṣṭiṅ putrasahasrāṇi vākyamētaduvāca ha৷৷1.39.11৷৷


pārthiva: that king, upādhyāyavaca: words of officiating priests, śrutvā having heard, tasmin sadasi in that sacrificial assembly, ṣaṣṭiṅ sixty, putrasahasrāṇi thousand sons, ētat vākyam these words, uvāca ha spoke.

Having heard the words of the officiating priests, the king (Sagara) addressed his sixty thousand sons in the sacrificial assembly, saying:
gatiṅ putrā: na paśyāmi rakṣasāṅ paruṣarṣabhā:.

mantrapūtairmahābhāgairāsthitō hi mahākratu:৷৷1.39.12৷৷


paruṣarṣabhā: O! Best among men, putrā: O! Sons, rakṣasām for rakshsas, gatim access, na paśyāmi hi I do not see indeed, mahākratu: this great sacrifice, mantrapūtai: consecrated by mantras, mahābhāgai: by eminent and pious priests, āsthita: 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.
tadgacchata vicinvadhvaṅ putrakā: bhadramastu va:.

samudramālinīṅ sarvāṅ pṛthivīmanugacchata৷৷1.39.13৷৷


putrakā: O! Sons, tat for that reason, gacchata you may go, va: for you, bhadram auspiciousness, astu happen, samudramālinīm garlanded by oceans, sarvām entire, pṛthivīm earth, anugacchata search for.

'Therefore my sons, go and search this entire earth surrounded by oceans. May you be safe'.
ēkaikayōjanaṅ putrā vistāramadhigacchata.

yāvatturagasandarśa: tāvat khanata mēdinīm.

taṅ caiva hayahartāraṅ mārgamāṇā mamājñayā৷৷1.39.14৷৷


putrā: O! Sons, ēkaikayōjanam yojana by yojana, vistāram length and breadth of earth, adhigacchata you may acquire, mama my, ājñayā by command, taṅ hayahartāram that thief of horse, mārgamāṇā: while search for, turagasandarśa: finding the horse, yāvat tāvat till such time, mēdinīm earth, khanata 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'.
dīkṣita: pautrasahitassōpādhyāyagaṇō hyaham.

iha sthāsyāmi bhadraṅ vō yāvatturagadarśanam৷৷1.39.15৷৷


dīkṣita: having been initiated into the sacrifice, aham I, pautrasahita: with my grandson, Anshuman, sōpādhyāyagaṇa: together with spiritual preceptors, yāvatturagadarśanam till such time the horse is found, iha here, sthāsyāmi I will stay here, va: to you, bhadram 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!'
ityuktā hṛṣṭamanasō rājaputrā mahābalā:.

jagmurmahītalaṅ rāma piturvacanayantritā:৷৷1.39.16৷৷


rāma O! Rama, iti uktā: thus spoken, mahābalā: highly powerful, rājaputrā: princes, hṛṣṭamanasa: with joyful hearts, pitu: their father's, vacanayantritā: commanded by the words, mahītalam about earth, jagmu: 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.
yōjanāyāmavistāramēkaikō dharaṇītalam.

bibhidu: paruṣavyāghra vajrasparśasamairnakhai:৷৷1.39.17৷৷


paruṣavyāghra O! Tiger among men, ēkaika: each one of them, yōjanāyāmavistāram one yojana of length and width, dharaṇītalam ground, vajrasparśasamai: resembling the touch (sharpness) of diamonds, nakhai: with their nails, bibhidu: 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.
śūlairaśanikalpaiśca halaiścāpi sudāruṇai:.

bhidyamānā vasumatī nanāda raghunandana৷৷1.39.18৷৷


raghunandana O! Rama, aśanikalpai: similar to thunder-bolt, śūlai: with lances, sudāruṇai: which were dreadful, halaiśca with plough, bhidyamānā being broken, vasumatī earth, nanāda emanated sounds.

O Son of the Raghus (Rama)! dreadful sounds emanated while the earth was being broken open by ploughs and lances similar to thunder-bolt.
nāgānāṅ mathyamānānāmasurāṇāṅ ca rāghava! .

rākṣasānāṅ ca durdharṣassattvānāṅ ninadō.bhavat৷৷1.39.19৷৷


rāghava O! Rama, mathyamānānām being churned, nāgānām of serpents, asurāṇāṅ ca of demons, rākṣasānāṅ ca of rakshasas, sattvānām of all the creatures, durdharṣa: intolerable, ninada: abhavat sound emerged.

O descendant of Raghu! when the earth was being churned, an irrepressible sound of serpents, demons and rakshasas --of all creatures emerged.
yōjanānāṅ sahasrāṇi ṣaṣṭiṅ tu raghunandana! .

bibhidurdharaṇīṅ vīrā: rasātalamanuttamam৷৷1.39.20৷৷


raghunandana O! Rama, vīrā: heroes, yōjanānām of yojanas, ṣaṣṭiṅ sahasrāṇi sixty thousand, dharaṇīm earth, anuttamam great, rasātalam nether world, bibhidu: 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).
ēvaṅ parvatasambādhaṅ jambūdvīpaṅ nṛpātmajā:.

khanantō naraśārdūla! sarvata: paricakramu:৷৷1.39.21৷৷


naraśārdūla O! Foremost of men, nṛpātmajā: sons of Sagara, parvatasambādham filled with mountains, jambūdvīpam Jambudweepa, ēvam in this way, khananta: while excavating, sarvata: everywhere, paricakramu: moved around.

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

sambhrāntamanasassarvē pitāmahamupāgaman৷৷1.39.22৷৷


tata: afterwards, sagandharvā: together with gandharvas, sāsurā: with asuras, sapannagā: with serpents, dēvā: gods, sarvē all, sambhrāntamanasa: with bewildered minds, pitāmaham lord Brahma, upāgaman approached.

Then the gods together with the gandharvas, asuras and serpents in bewildered minds approached Lord Brahma.
tē prasādya mahātmānaṅ viṣaṇṇavadanāstadā.

ūcu: paramasantrastā pitāmahamidaṅ vaca:৷৷1.39.23৷৷


paramasantrastā: highly agitated, viṣaṇṇavadanā: with meloncholic faces, tē they, mahātmānam magnanimous, pitāmaham Brahma, prasādya having propitiated him, idaṅ vacaḥ these words, ūcu: spoke.

With highly agitated minds and meloncholic faces, all of them approached magnanimous Brahma and having propitiated him said:
bhagavan pṛthivī sarvā khanyatē sagarātmajai:.

bahavaśca mahātmānō hanyantē talavāsina:৷৷1.39.24৷৷


bhagavan O! Venerable one, sarvā entire, pṛthivī earth, sagarātmajai: by sons of Sagara, khanyatē is being excavated, talavāsina: those living in the lower worlds, bahava: many, mahātmāna: great beings, hanyantē 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.
ayaṅ yajñaharō.smākamanēnāśvō.panīyatē.

iti tē sarvabhūtāni nighnanti sagarātmajā:৷৷1.39.25৷৷


ayam this one, asmākaṅ our, yajñahara: destroyer of our sacrifice, anēna by him, aśva: horse, apanīyatē is being stolen away, iti saying so, tē sagarātmajā: those sons of Sagara, sarvabhūtāni all beings, nighnanti 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".
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē ēkōnacatvāriṅśassarga: ৷৷
Thus ends the thirtyninth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.