Bala Kanda, Sarga 41

Meaning

Perceiving that his sons had been away for a long time, O scion of Raghu, King Sagara spoke as follows to his grandson, Aṁśumān, resplendent with his own glory : (1)

Meaning

“You are valiant and learned and the compeer of your forbears in splendour. Trace the whereabouts of your uncles as well as of the man by whom the sacrificial horse has been stolen away. (2)

Meaning

“The living beings inhabiting the subterranean regions are full of great prowess and gigantic of body. In order to meet their assault, therefore, take up a bow alongwith a sword. (3)

Meaning

“Bowing to those who deserve to be greeted and at the same time killing those who come in your way, return you only when you have accomplished your purpose, and thus ensure the completion of my sacrificial performance.” (4)

Meaning

Duly instructed thus by the high-souled Sagara and taking his bow and sword, Aṁśumān departed with quick paces. (5)

Meaning

Urged by the aforesaid king, O jewel among men, he reached in no time the underground passage dug by his high-minded uncles. (6)

Meaning

The exceptionally glorious Aṁśumān presently saw an elephant guarding one of the four quarters, that was being worshipped by gods, demons and ogres, fiends, winged creatures and serpents. (7)

Meaning

Walking clockwise round the elephant and inquiring after his welfare, he questioned him about his uncles as well as about the stealer of the sacrificial horse of his father. (8)

Meaning

Hearing his aforesaid question, the highly intelligent elephant presiding over the quarter, for his part, replied, “Accomplished of purpose, O son of Asamañja, you will soon come back alongwith the horse.” (9)

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid reply of the elephant, Aṁśumān proceeded to ask the same question of all the elephants guarding the quarters in their order of seniority and in a befitting manner. (10)

Meaning

He was received with honour by all the elephants guarding all the four quarters—who could easily understand the meaning of others’ speech and were equally adept in expression—and told that he would return alongwith the horse. (11)

Meaning

Hearing that reply of theirs, Aṁśumān repaired with quick paces to the place where his uncles, the sons of Sagara, lay reduced to heaps of ashes. (12)

Meaning

Already fallen a prey to affliction on not finding them, the said son of Asamañja for his part thereupon felt deeply distressed over their death and actually cried in great agony. (13)

Meaning

Nay, full of sorrow and grief the tiger among men also perceived the sacrificial horse grazing on the spot not very far from him. (14)

Meaning

He felt inclined to offer water to the spirits of those princes. Though desirous of water for that purpose, that exceptionally glorious prince, however, did not come across any reservoir of water nearby. (15)

Meaning

Extending his penetrating vision all round, O Rāma, he then saw Garuḍa, the king of birds, who is swift as the wind, and the maternal uncle of his uncles. (16)

Meaning

The exceptionally mighty Garuḍa (son of Vinatā), however, addressed to him the following admonition : “This death of your uncles, O tiger among men, is conducive to the interests of all the three worlds inasmuch as it will serve as an occasion for the advent of the holy Gaṅgā to the terrestrial plane. These exceptionally mighty princes have undoubtedly been burnt to death by Sage Kapila of immeasurable glory. You should not therefore offer them earthly* water, O wise prince ! (17-18)

Meaning

Gaṅgā is the elder daughter of Himavān, the deity presiding over the Himālayas. Offer water, O mighty-armed prince, to the soul of your departed uncles in that river, O jewel among men ! (19)

Meaning

“When the Gaṅgā, which is capable of purifying the whole world, washes them, reduced as they are to heaps of ashes, this heap of ashes soaked by the Gaṅgā, a river pleasing to the world, will take the souls of the sixty thousand princes to the celestial plane. (20)

Meaning

“Taking the horse with you, O highly blessed one, depart from this region, O jewel among men ! Thereby you ought to ensure the completion of your grandfather’s sacrificial undertaking, O valiant prince !” (21)

Meaning

Hearing the admonition of Garuḍa, the celebrated Aṁśumān, who was exceptionally powerful and a great ascetic too, speedily returned to his grandfather’s capital taking the sacrificial horse with him. (22)

Meaning

Then seeking the presence of the king, who stood consecrated for the sacrifice yet, O scion of Raghu, he related exactly what had happened as well as reproduced faithfully the utterance of Garuḍa. (23)

Meaning

Hearing that apparently awe-inspiring tale from the lips of Aṁśumān, the king Sagara concluded the sacrifice to the best of his capacity in accordance with the scriptural ordinance. (24)

Meaning

Having performed the sacrifice the glorious emperor for his part returned to his capital. The monarch, however, could not hit upon any plan for ensuring the descent of the Gaṅgā to the terrestrial plane. (25)

Meaning

Failing to reach any conclusion in the aforesaid matter even after a considerable time and having reigned for thirty thousand years, the great king ascended to heaven. (26)