Chapter 52 - The sacrificial horse is let loose

Jaimini Said:

1. “After banishing his son, the virtuous-souled Lord Sagara transferred his love for him to the child Aṃśumān whose conduct was righteous.

2. At the very same time, O king, the sons of Sumati grew up collectively. All of them were amiable, devoted and faithful to one another.

3. They had adamantine bodies. They were cruel, merciless and shameless. They were habitually evil in their activities. They had the same nature and characteristics.

4. They co-operated in doing simultaneously the same work. They were deluded in their minds. They were easily irritable. They could not be easily assailed by any living being. They regularly harassed the people.

5. They had no concern for humility, good conduct or the path of virtue. They harassed the entire world around as they pleased, like Asuras.

6. Attacked and tormented by them, the whole world became distressed and unhappy in particular with Yajñas and paths of virtue destroyed. The people could not have their regular self-study of the Vedas nor could they perform holy rites by uttering the Vaṣaṭkāra mantra.

7. When everything was being completely destroyed by the sons of Sagara who were haughty on account of the boons they had been granted, the Devas, Asuras and the great serpents became extremely agitated.

8. The earth overwhelmed by the ocean began to quake though its name is Acalā (immovable). There was a break and hindrance in the penance and abstract meditation of the ascetics.

9. Deprived of the Havya and Kavya offerings, the Devas and the Pitṛs became oppressed by great sorrow. They went to the abode of Brahmā.

10. After going there, the Devas with Śarva^[1] (prob. Śakra) at their head, duly reported to him the entire activities of the sons of Sagara.

11. On hearing their words, Brahmā, the grandfather of the worlds, became engrossed in thought for a short while. The most excellent one among the Suras then said:

12.—“O Devas, listen, attentively to my words. Welfare unto you. There is no doubt that the sons of Sagara will be destroyed ere long.

13. Wait for a short time. Everything is being controlled by time. Everything else is but an instrumental. That time alone is the master of all.

14. Hence, O excellent Suras, what I am going to say for your welfare should now be carried out by all of you without any slackness.

15. The holy lord Kapila, the most excellent among victorious ones, the most exalted among the leading Yogins, is born on the earth with a partial power of Viṣṇu, for the welfare of the universe.

16. He is now sitting, meditating in a lonely place somewhere in the ocean, the water of which had been sucked up by Agastya. This meditation has been going on for the last hundred years according to the reckoning of heaven-dwellers.

17. At my behest, all of you go to the leading sage Kapila. Stand near him wishing for the conclusion of his meditation.

18. At the close of his abstract meditation, you will bow down to him and tell him your purpose in full. He will do what is conducive to your welfare.

19. O excellent Devas, do something whereby a break in the abstract meditation of the sage can be caused through the sons of Sagara”.

Jaimini Said:

20. On being told thus by him, the Devas bowed down to Brahmā and went to Kapila, the most excellent among the Brāhmaṇas; with palms joined in reverence, they spoke to him:—

The Devas said:

21. “Be pleased with us, O excellent sage. We have sought refuge in you. The whole of the universe, harassed by the sons of Sagara, is perishing.

22. It is well-known that you are the cause of the sustenance and annihilation of the worlds. With the partial power of Viṣṇu, you have incarnated on the earth and you stay here as the leading Yogin.

23. A physical body has been voluntarily assumed by you, only for the destruction of the great distress of men afflicted by the three types of agony. Indeed, you are the most excellent among those who perform austerities.

24. Undoubtedly, O Brāhmaṇa, you are capable, at your will, to mentally, create the entire universe, sustain it and annihilate it.

25. You are our creator and dispenser of our destiny. You are our preceptor. You are our greatest resort. You are our protector. Put an end to our adversity.

26. O leading Brāhmaṇa, be the resort and refuge of the leading Brāhmaṇas in particular, who reside in the three worlds and who are being persecuted by the sons of Sagara.

27. Indeed, the activities of people like you will be of Sattva (very good) nature. Hence, O sage of good holy rites, it behoves you to save us and all the world.

28-3la. If not, O holy saint, the entire universe will be destroyed prematurely.”

Jaimini Said:

“On being told thus by all the Devas, Kapila slowly opened his eyes. Glancing at them, he spoke these pleasing words—“Utterly burned by their own actions, the sons of Sagara will surely perish when the proper time arrives. Let that time be awaited by you all. For the achievement of your purpose, O excellent Suras, I shall become the cause of destruction of those evil-minded ones.

31b-33. Ere long, the sons of Sagara, whose minds are inclined towards sinful activities and whose intellects have been adversely affected by Kāla (Time, God of Death) will be burned by the fire of my anger. Hence, O Devas all the worlds shall be rid of distress. They will have fear from nowhere. Let them (sons of Sagara) be wicked in their actions. They will quickly meet with their annihilation. So be free from fear and go back to your own city. Wait for some time. Thereafter, you will realise what you desire.”

34-38. On being told thus by Kapila, all those Devas including Indra, became delighted. After bowing down, to him they went towards heaven.

In the meantime, king Sagara, the Lord of the Earth desired to perform Vājimedha (Horse-Sacrifice), the great Yajña. With the permission of Vasiṣṭha, he gathered together all the necessary requisites. Accompanied by Aurva and other Brāhmaṇas he duly took the initiation for the performance of sacrifice.

For the purpose of letting the horse roam about, the king of great renown called all his sons and commanded them thus:

“O my sons, make the horse roam about all round the earth. It behoves you to do this immediately and bring it back to me.”

Jaimini Said:

39-43. “At the behest of their father they took the horse and made it wander over the entire earth.

It was only because of the directive of the Vedic injunction that the horse was made to go round the earth and not for the conquest of the quarters nor for levying taxes and tributes as the whole of the earth had already been conquered by that king.

Kings had already been made payers of tributes by that king of exalted heroism in the battle-field.

Then those princes reached the lower ground surface of the salt ocean wherein there was no water. With great delight they encircled the horse and entered the interior of the earth.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

misprint for Śakra. Vide V. 34 below where Vāsava is mentioned.