Sarga 40: Kapila Burns Sagara's Sons
Kapila Krodha
Brahma reveals that the world-sustaining sage Kapila will destroy Sagara's sons; digging onward past the four guardian elephants of the quarters, the princes find Kapila with the horse and, mistaking him for the thief, rush at him in fury and are reduced to ashes by his wrath.
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देवतानां वचश्श्रुत्वा भगवान्वै पितामह:। प्रत्युवाच सुसन्त्रस्तान्कृतान्तबलमोहितान्।।1.40.1।।
Meaning
Hearing the gods' words, the venerable grandsire replied to those terror-stricken ones, bewildered by the power of Death.
यस्येयं वसुधा कृत्स्ना वासुदेवस्य धीमत:। कापिलं रूपमास्थाय धारयत्यनिशं धराम्।।1.40.2।।
Meaning
This whole earth belongs to wise Vasudeva, who, having taken the form of Kapila, forever sustains her; the king's sons shall be burned by his fire of wrath.
तस्य कोपाग्निना दग्धा भविष्यन्ति नृपात्मजा:।।1.40.3।।
Meaning
"His sons will be consumed by that one's fire of wrath."
पृथिव्याश्चापि निर्भेदोऽदृष्ट एव सनातन:।।1.40.3।। सगरस्य च पुत्राणां विनाशोऽदीर्घजीविनाम्।
Meaning
This cleaving of the earth was eternally foreseen; so too was the destruction of Sagara's short-lived sons.
पितामहवचश्श्रुत्वा त्रयस्त्रिंशदरिन्दम।।1.40.4।। देवा: परमसंहृष्टा: पुनर्जग्मुर्यथागतम्।
Meaning
Foe-tamer, hearing the grandsire's words, the thirty-three gods, greatly delighted, returned as they had come.
सगरस्य च पुत्राणां प्रादुरासीन्महात्मनाम्।।1.40.5।। पृथिव्यां भिद्यमानायां निर्घातसमनिस्वन:।
Meaning
As the earth was being split by the great-souled sons of Sagara, a sound like thunder arose.
ततो भित्वा महीं सर्वे कृत्वा चाभिप्रदक्षिणम्।।1.40.6।। सहिता स्सगरास्सर्वे पितरं वाक्यमब्रुवन्।
Meaning
Then, having cloven the whole earth and circumambulated it, all of Sagara's sons together spoke this word to their father.
परिक्रान्ता मही सर्वा सत्त्ववन्तश्च सूदिता:।।1.40.7।। देवदानवरक्षांसि पिशाचोरगकिन्नरा:। न च पश्यामहेऽश्वं तमश्वहर्तारमेव च।।1.40.8।। किं करिष्याम भद्रं ते बुद्धिरत्र विचार्यताम्।
Meaning
We have traversed the whole earth and slain its living creatures — gods, demons, rakshasas, spirits, serpents, and kinnaras — yet we see neither the horse nor its thief. May you prosper: reflect on what we should do next.
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पुत्राणां राजसत्तम:।।1.40.9।। समन्युरब्रवीद्वाक्यं सगरो रघुनन्दन।
Meaning
Delight of Raghu, hearing his sons' words, the best of kings, Sagara, angrily spoke this word.
भूय: खनत भद्रं वो निर्भिद्य वसुधातलम्।।1.40.10।। अश्वहर्तारमासाद्य कृतार्थाश्च निवर्तथ।
Meaning
Dig once more, may you prosper; having pierced through the earth's surface, having found the horse-thief, return with your purpose fulfilled.