The Story of King Sagara and the 60,000 Sons (contd)

King Sagara's horse sacrifice is disrupted when Indra steals the sacrificial horse. Sagara commands his 60,000 sons to search the earth, leading to divine intervention. 

Rama's Request for the Tale (Shlokas 1.39.1 - 1.39.3)

After hearing Vishwamitra's words, Rama, pleased with the sage's narration, addressed him:

"O Brahman, I wish to hear this tale in detail. How did my ancestor prepare for the sacrifice?"

Vishwamitra smiled and replied, "Listen, O Rama, to the detailed story of the great-souled Sagara."

The Setting of the Sacrifice (Shlokas 1.39.4 - 1.39.6)

• The great Himavan mountain (the Himalayas), father-in-law of Shiva, faced the Vindhya mountain.

• Between these two mountains, the sacrifice took place.

• This region was ideal for sacrificial acts.

• Sagara assigned Anshuman, a skilled archer, to guard the sacrificial horse.

The Theft of the Sacrificial Horse (Shlokas 1.39.7 - 1.39.10)

On the full moon day, during the sacrifice:

1. Indra, disguised as a demon, stole Sagara's sacrificial horse.

2. The priests alerted Sagara: "O King, the horse has been taken. Slay the thief and retrieve it."

3. They warned, "This flaw in the sacrifice will bring misfortune. Ensure the ritual remains flawless."

Sagara's Command to His Sons (Shlokas 1.39.11 - 1.39.15)

Sagara addressed his 60,000 sons:

"Sons, I don't understand how demons breached our defenses. Our sacrifice is protected by mantras and overseen by eminent priests. Therefore:

• Search the entire earth, from ocean to ocean.

• Dig the earth, yojana by yojana, until you find the horse and the thief.

• This is my command.

I will remain here with Anshuman and the priests until the horse is found. May you be safe."

The Search Begins (Shlokas 1.39.16 - 1.39.21)

The princes obeyed their father's command:

• They departed with high spirits.

• Each prince covered one yojana of land.

• They dug the earth with their diamond-sharp nails.

• Their digging caused great upheaval, disturbing creatures in the netherworld.

• They excavated 60,000 yojanas, reaching the netherworld.

• The princes searched throughout Jambudwipa (the Indian subcontinent).

The Gods Approach Brahma (Shlokas 1.39.22 - 1.39.25)

Disturbed by the destruction, the gods, celestial musicians, demons, and serpents approached Lord Brahma. With agitated minds, they said:

"O Lord, Sagara's sons are excavating the entire earth. They're killing many great beings in the lower worlds. They slay all creatures, claiming, 'This one stole our sacrificial horse.'"

Thus ends the thirty ninth sarga (chapter) of Balakanda (The Book of Youth) of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.