बाल-काण्ड > सगर कि आज्ञा से अंशुमन का घोड़े को ले आना



Amshuman's search for horse reveals that Kapila rendered his paternal-uncles to ashes. When he wanted to offer water oblation as obsequies to their souls he did not find water. Then Garuda, the Eagle-vehicle of Vishnu and maternal uncle of Amshuman advises him to get River Ganga onto earth whereby the souls are cleansed and they go to heaven. Amshuman reports the same to King Sagara, but Sagara not finding any way to get River Ganga onto earth departs to heaven at the end of his time.

पुत्रान् चिर गतान् ज्ञात्वा सगरो रघुनंदन |
नप्तारम् अब्रवीत् राजा दीप्यमानम् स्व तेजसा || १-४१-१
"On observing that his sons have gone long time back in search of ritual-horse, oh, Rama, king Sagara spoke this to his grandson, Amshuman, who is radiant with his own self-resplendence." Thus Vishvamitra continued his narration about Sagara. [1-41-1]
शूरः च कृत विद्यः च पूर्वैः तुल्यो असि तेजसा |
पितृणाम् गतिम् अन्विच्छ येन च अश्वो अपहारितः || १-४१-२
" 'You are brave one and completed your education in warfare, such as you are, you are a coequal to your paternal-uncles in magnificence, thus you search the course of your paternal uncles, also him by whom the horse is stolen.' Thus King Sagara started speaking to his grandson Amshuman. [1-41-2]
अन्तर् भौमानि सत्त्वानि वीर्यवन्ति महान्ति च |
तेषाम् त्वम् प्रतिघात अर्थम् स असिम् गृह्णीष्व कार्मुकम् || १-४१-३
" 'The living beings in netherworlds of earth are intrepid and they are extraordinary also, hence you take your bow along with your sword to retaliate them in the event of their attacking you. [1-41-3]
अभिवाद्य अभिवाद्यान् त्वम् हत्वा विघ्न करान् अपि |
सिद्धार्थः संनिवर्तस्व मम यज्ञस्य पारगः || १-४१-४
" 'On saluting them that are worthy for salutations, and on eliminating them that are the causer of obstructions, you shall achieve your purpose of tracking the ritual-horse, and thus you comeback safely and let my Vedic-ritual be crossed over to the other shore of mortality by you.' Thus king Sagara told his grandson Amshuman. [1-41-4]
एवम् उक्तो अंशुमान् संयक् सगरेण महात्मना |
धनुर् आदाय खड्गम् च जगाम लघुविक्रमः || १-४१-५
"When the great-souled king Sagara has thoroughly said in this way, that adroitly agile Amshuman proceeded wielding a bow and a sword. [1-41-5]
स खातम् पितृभिः मार्गम् अन्तर् भौमम् महात्मभिः |
प्रापद्यत नरश्रेष्ठ तेन राज्ञा अभिचोदितः || १-४१-६
"Motivated by the King Sagara, oh, Rama, the best one among men, Amshuman progressed on the walkway that was hollowed out by his great-souled paternal-uncles inside the earth. [1-41-6]
देव दानव रक्षोभिः पिशाच पतग उरगैः |
पूज्यमानम् महातेजा दिशा गजम् अपश्यत || १-४१-७
"And he that resplendent Amshuman beheld one of the four directional elephant of the earth which is being venerated by gods, monsters, demons, imps, vultures and serpents. [1-41-7]
स तम् प्रदक्षिणम् कृत्वा पृष्ट्वा चैव निरामयम् |
पितृइन् स परिपप्रच्छ वाजि हर्तारम् एव च || १-४१-८
On circumambulating that elephant in supplication, and even on enquiring after its well-being, he that Amshuman has enquired in detail with it for his paternal-uncles and even about the robber of the ritual-horse. [1-41-8]
दिशा गजः तु तत् श्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाच महामतिः |
आसमंज कृतार्थः त्वम् सह अश्वः शीघ्रम् एष्यसि || १-४१-९
"On hearing that enquiry of Amshuman that directional elephant with great perception replied on its part saying, 'oh Amshuman, son of Asamanja, on achieving your mission you will return expeditiously along with the horse. [1-41-9]
तस्य तद् वचनम् श्रुत्वा सर्वान् एव दिशा गजान् |
यथा क्रमम् यथा न्यायम् प्रष्टुम् समुपचक्रमे || १-४१-१०
"On hearing that word of that directional elephant he departed from there, and on sequentially reaching other directional elephants that are abiding in other directions of earth, he commenced to ask the same enquiry which he made with the first, according to the positioning of elephants in directions, and according to the established procedures of their venerability. [1-41-10]
तैः च सर्वैः दिशा पालैः वाक्यज्ञैः वाक्यकोविदैः |
पूजितः स हयः चैव गन्ता असि इति अभिचोदितः || १-४१-११
"All the elephants that safeguard the directions of earth which have the faculties of articulation and eloquence have adored Amshuman and motivated him by saying, 'you will be going from here taking the horse.' [1-41-11]
तेषाम् तत् वचनम् श्रुत्वा जगाम लघुविक्रमः |
भस्म राशी कृता यत्र पितरः तस्य सागराः || १-४१-१२
"On hearing that common blessing of all the directional-elephants, he that nimble-footed Amshuman has gone to the place where his paternal-uncles, sons of Sagara, were rendered as mounds of ashes. [1-41-12]
स दुःख वशम् आपन्नः तु असमंज सुतः तदा |
चुक्रोश परम आर्तः तु वधात् तेषाम् सुदुःखितः || १-४१-१३
"But he on whom the control of anguish has chanced for not physically seeing his paternal-uncles, that son of Asamanja then wept, as he is highly agonised and extremely anguished at their destruction. [1-41-13]
यज्ञियम् च हयम् तत्र चरन्तम् अविदूरतः |
ददर्श पुरुषव्याघ्रो दुःख शोक समन्वितः || १-४१-१४
"That tigerly-man Amshuman who is overwhelmed by agony and anguish, also beheld there the horse of Vedic-ritual that is grazing nearby. [1-41-14]
स तेषाम् राज पुत्राणाम् कर्तु कामो जल क्रियाम् |
स जलार्थम् महातेजा न च अपश्यत् जल आशयम् || १-४१-१५
"When he that great resplendent Amshuman wanted to offer obsequial waters to the departed sons of Sagara and searched for water he has not found any fount of water. [1-41-15]
विसार्य निपुणाम् दृष्टिम् ततो अपश्यत् खग अधिपम् |
पितृणाम् मातुलम् राम सुपर्णम् अनिल उपमम् || १-४१-१६
"Spanning his expert glances, oh, Rama, he then saw the rapid-winged king of birds, namely Garuda, the Eagle-vehicle of Vishnu, who is the maternal uncle of his father and other paternal-uncles, and whose flight will be similar to that of the Wind-god. [1-41-16]
स च एनम् अब्रवीत् वाक्यम् वैनतेयो महाबलः |
मा शुचः पुरुषव्याघ्र वधो अयम् लोक सम्मतः || १-४१-१७
"That great-mighty son of Lady Vinata, namely Garuda, also spoke this word to Amshuman, 'do not bemoan, oh, tigerly-man, this eradication of your paternal-uncles is worthwhile to the worlds. [1-41-17]
कपिलेन अप्रमेयेण दग्धा हि इमे महाबलाः |
सलिलम् न अर्हसि प्राज्ञ दातुम् एषाम् हि लौकिकम् || १-४१-१८
" 'In fact, Kapila, the Imponderable Sage, has burnt down those great-mighty paternal-uncles of yours, oh, observant Amshuman, as such it will not be apt of you to offer the mundane obsequial water-oblations to them, indeed. [1-41-18]
गंगा हिमवतो ज्येष्ठा दुहिता पुरुषर्षभ |
तस्याम् कुरु महाबाहो पितॄणाम् तु जल क्रियाम् || १-४१-१९
" 'Oh, best one among men, River Ganga is the elder daughter of Himavanta, and oh, dextrous one, you have to offer water-oblation to the departed paternal-uncles of yours in her waters, namely the holy waters of River Ganga. [1-41-19]
भस्म राशी कृतान् एतान् पावयेत् लोक कांतया |
तया क्लिन्नम् इदम् भस्म गंगया लोक कान्तया |
षष्टिम् पुत्र सहस्राणि स्वर्ग लोकम् गमिष्यति || १-४१-२०
" 'World purifier River Ganga will drift them who are rendered as mounds of ashes to heaven, and when she who is much adored by all worlds drenches this ash, that River Ganga herself will lead the sixty-thousand sons of Sagara to heaven. [1-41-20]
निर्गच्छ च अश्वम् महाभाग संगृह्य पुरुषर्षभ |
यज्ञम् पैतामहम् वीर निर्वर्तयितुम् अर्हसि || १-४१-२१
" 'Oh, great fortunate one, oh, best one among men, you may proceed from here with the horse, oh, brave one, it will be apt of you to carry out the Vedic-ritual of your grandfather.' Thus Garuda said to Amshuman. [1-41-21]
सुपर्ण वचनम् श्रुत्वा सः अंशुमान् अतिवीर्यवान् |
त्वरितम् हयम् आदाय पुनर् आयात् महायशाः || १-४१-२२
"On hearing the words of that great-winged eagle, Garuda, he that highly brave and well-renowned Amshuman swiftly took the horse, and returned to the ritual place of his grandfather, king Sagara. [1-41-22]
ततो राजानम् आसाद्य दीक्षितम् रघुनंदन |
न्यवेदयत् यथा वृत्तम् सुपर्ण वचनम् तथा || १-४१-२३
"Then on reaching the King Sagara, who is under the vow of the ritual, oh, Rama, Amshuman described what all has happened and even the words of Garuda. [1-41-23]
तत् श्रुत्वा घोर संकाशम् वाक्यम् अंशुमतो नृपः |
यज्ञम् निर्वर्तयामास यथा कल्पम् यथा विधि || १-४१-२४
"On hearing those unendurable words from Amshuman, the king Sagara firstly completed the Vedic-ritual scripturally and procedurally. [1-41-24]
स्व पुरम् च अगमत् श्रीमान् इष्ट यज्ञो महीपतिः |
गंगायाः च आगमे राजा निश्चयम् न अध्यगच्छत || १-४१-२५
"On completing the Vedic-ritual King Sagara arrived at his capital, but that king could not arrive at a decision about the arrival of Ganga to the earth. [1-41-25]
अगत्वा निश्चयम् राजा कालेन महता महान् |
त्रिंशत् वर्ष सहस्राणि राज्यम् कृत्वा दिवम् गतः || १-४१-२६
"That great king Sagara could not get at any resolve in getting Ganga to earth even after a long time, and on ruling kingdom for thirty-thousand years he went to heaven." Thus Vishvamitra continued his narration about the ancestors of Rama. [1-41-26]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे एक चत्वारिंशः सर्गः