Sarga 39: The Earth Dug Up
Prithvi Khanana
Indra steals Sagara's sacrificial horse; Sagara sends his sixty thousand sons to search the whole earth, and when the horse cannot be found they dig down through the world, slaughtering countless beings, until the terrified gods appeal to Brahma.
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योजनानां सहस्राणि षष्टिं तु रघुनन्दन । बिभिदुर्धरणीं वीरा: रसातलमनुत्तमम्।।1.39.20।।
Meaning
Delight of Raghu, the heroes clove the earth through sixty thousand leagues, down to the supreme nether region.
एवं पर्वतसम्बाधं जम्बूद्वीपं नृपात्मजा:। खनन्तो नरशार्दूल सर्वत: परिचक्रमु:।।1.39.21।।
Meaning
Tiger among men, thus the king's sons, digging, ranged all about the mountain-crowded Jambudvipa in every direction.
ततो देवास्सगन्धर्वास्सासुरास्सहपन्नगा:। सम्भ्रान्तमनसस्सर्वे पितामहमुपागमन्।।1.39.22।।
Meaning
Then the gods, together with the gandharvas, asuras, and serpents, all with troubled minds, approached the grandsire.
ते प्रसाद्य महात्मानं विषण्णवदनास्तदा। ऊचु: परमसन्त्रस्ता पितामहमिदं वच:।।1.39.23।।
Meaning
Having propitiated the great soul, their faces downcast, greatly terrified, they spoke this word to the grandsire.
भगवन् पृथिवी सर्वा खन्यते सगरात्मजै:। बहवश्च महात्मानो हन्यन्ते तलवासिन:।।1.39.24।।
Meaning
Lord, the whole earth is being dug up by Sagara's sons, and many great beings dwelling within it are being slain.
अयं यज्ञहरोऽस्माकमनेनाश्वोऽपनीयते। इति ते सर्वभूतानि निघ्नन्ति सगरात्मजा:।।1.39.25।।
Meaning
Thinking, this one is the destroyer of our sacrifice, by whom our horse is carried off, Sagara's sons are slaying every creature.