Chapter 54 - Recovery of the Sacrificial Horse

Jaimini Reported^[1]:

1. “It behoves you, O Leading Brāhmaṇa to restrain immediately this fire of anger. If not, the entire universe is likely to be burnt by it untimely.

2. Your greatness has been seen. The whole world including the mobile and the immobile beings has been pervaded by this fire of your anger. Forbear, please restrain this anger, O leading Brāhmaṇa. Obeisance to you.”

3. On being eulogised thus, the saintly lord Kapila, immediately controlled the extremely terrible fire of anger.

4. Thereupon, the entire universe including the mobile and the immobile beings became calm. Devas and the ascetics became free from distress.

5. In the meantime, the saintly lord Nārada, O King, casually went to Ayodhyā from the Devaloka (the world of the Devas).

6. On seeing that Nārada had arrived, Sagara worshipped him perfectly in accordance with the injunctions of the scriptures, with Arghya, Pādya and other materials of worship.

7. Accepting that honour and worship, Nārada sat on the exalted seat and spoke these words, O King, to Sagara the tiger among kings.

Nārada said:

8. “Your sons who had gone to take horse around the world, O excellent king, have been struck down by the curse of a Brāhmaṇa. All of them have perished.

9. Your sacrificial horse, O King, that was being guarded by all of them was taken somewhere in the heaven without being noticed by anyone, as ordained by fate.

10. They began to search for the lost horse all over the earth. For a long time, O king, they did not get any information of its whereabouts.

11. Thereupon, they decided to search for the horse underneath the earth. Beginning earnestly, those Sagaras dug up the surface of the earth.

12. While digging the earth, O King, they saw the horse in Pātāla (Netherworlds) and near it they saw the great sage Kapila, the leading Yogin.

13. On seeing him, they committed a sinful deed. All of them being urged by Kāla (God of death), saying—“This is the robber of the horse”, they made Kapila sufficiently infuriated.

14. Thereupon, your sons perished with their bodies as fuel to the fire emanating from his eyes and caused by his anger, the fire that burned the quarters.

15. You need not grieve over them. It does not behove you to grieve over them, O leading King, because they were cruel, of sinful conduct and were creating troubles and impediments to all people.

16. Retain your courage as your asset, as the occurrence of everything concerning you was inevitable. Learned men do not bewail over what is lost, what is dead and what has passed by.

17. Hence, O excellent king, entrust this boy Aṃśumān, your grandson of great intellect, with the mission of fetching the horse back.”

18. After saying this to Sagara, the tiger among kings who was accompanied by the members of the holy assembly and the sacrificial priests, sage Nārada vanished in a trice even as they were watching.

19. On hearing those words of Nārada, the excellent king of exalted intellect became afflicted with misery and grief. He remained engrossed in thought for a long time.

20. As he sat in the assembly, pondering over his fate, with his head bent down, Vasiṣṭha who was conversant with what should be done at the proper time and place, said to the king consoling him.

21. “What is this? If grief were to find place in the heart of courageous people like you, its benefit has not been attained by courage (i.e. courage has become futile).

22. Give up dejection in your mind. Consider that every thing follows the dictates of destiny. Thus it undoubtedly behoves you to carry out the subsequent duties.”

23. On being advised thus by Vasiṣṭha, the king who knew the true essential nature of objectives and duties on hand, regained his inherent vitality and fortitude. And he replied—“So be it”.

24. He called his grandson Aṃśumān who had been habitually modest and slowly spoke to him thus, in the assembly of Brāhmaṇas and Kṣatriyas.

25. “Dear child, all of your uncles have been struck down by the curse of a Brāhmaṇa. Having committed sinful deeds; they have fallen into hell to remain there for many many years.

26. You alone are the child, a perpetuator of my line. You alone are the protector of this kingdom. My welfare both here and hereafter is solely and wholly dependent upon you.

27. Hence, you go, at my behest, to the proximity of Kapila at Pātāla. Take up the great responsibility of fetching back the sacrificial horse. Try strenuously for the same.

28. Request him duly. Particularly, take great care to make him pleased. It behoves you, dear one, to return quickly, taking the horse with you”.

Jaimini said:

29. “On being instructed thus by him, Aṃśumān bowed down to the father of his father and said—“So be it.” The highly intelligent boy set off to the proximity of Kapila.

30. He approached the sage duly. He bowed down to him in accordance with the injunctions of the Śāstras as well as his own mind. Bending down in humility, he spoke thus slowly:

31. “Be pleased, O great among Brāhmaṇas. I seek refuge in you. Restrain immediately your anger that has caused destruction of the worlds.

32. If you are furious, the entire universe will meet with destruction. Be pleased to calm down quickly. Let all the worlds be rid of pain and misery.

33. Be pleased with us, O highly fortunate and exalted one. Look at us with gentle eyes. Know me to be the child in the family of those who have been completely burned down by the fire of your anger.

34-35a. My name is Aṃśumān and I am the grandson of king Sagara. I have come here at his behest as well as with a desire to gain your favour, and also to take back the horse if you are pleased to return it.”

35b-36a. On hearing these words of his, the sage, the leading Yogin, became pleased. Glancing at Aṃśumān he spoke thus—

36b-39. “Welcome to you, O dear one. How glad am I that you have come. Hurry up. This horse may be taken back to Sagara. Let his sacrifice that had been held up in the middle, function well. Any boon that you may have in your mind can be chosen from me. Satisfied with your devotion, I shall grant it to you even if it be very difficult to obtain. Go and tell your grand-father about the destruction of these Sagaras and that it does not behove him to lament over the death of these sinners”.

40-41a. Then, bowing down to the leading Yogin, Aṃśumān spoke thus. “If you wish to grant me a boon, O great Sage, I shall request you thus. If I deserve a boon from you, be pleased to grant this one.

41b-42. All of my uncles have been burned down by the fire of your anger. They are sure to fall into hell, O Brāhmaṇa, and remain there for many long years. No offering of the balls of rice or water libations can save those who are struck down by the curse of a Brāhmaṇa.

43-44. Those who are devoid of balls of rice and water libation in this world, O great sage, cannot expect the attainment of the world of ancestors (Pitṛs) as laid down in the Śrutis. But due to your blessings let them have an everlasting’ stay in heaven. O holy Lord, I shall be contented with this boon.

45. Hence, be pleased to tell me the means of getting them a place in heaven. Please tell me the ways and means whereby they can be redeemed from the adverse effects of the fire of your anger.”

46-47. Thereupon, the leading Yogin told him with great delight in his mind—“Their redemption from hell, O dear one, cannot be carried out by you. Those persons of sinful activities must necessarily stay in hell. Let proper time be waited for, when a grandson will be born to you.

48. At the end of that period, O dear one, a highly intelligent grandson will be born to you. He will be known by the name of king Bhagīratha. He will be conversant with the principles of Dharma and Artha.

49. Prompted by his reverence to his ancestors, he will put forth great efforts. He will perform a great steady penance and bring Gaṅgā from heaven.

50. All your ancestors will attain heavenly goal, when the ashes of their limbs and bones are sanctified by its waters.

51. Such is the greatness of Gaṅgā, O prince, she will become well-known in this world as ‘Bhāgīrathī’.

52. If the ashes of bones, hairs and nails of any embodied being are flooded with its waters, it will go to the heavenly world from even hell and remain there permanently.

53. Hence, you go. Welfare unto you. You do not deserve to grieve over any thing. Give this horse to your grand-father”.

Jaimini said:

54-56. “The highly intelligent Aṃśumān said, “So be it”, and bowed down to him devoutly. Permitted by the sage, he went back to the city of Sāketa (Ayodhyā).

He approached Sagara and bowed down to him duly. He then reported the details about himself, the sage and those uncles.

He gave him the horse that he had brought back with great effort. Finally he said to him—“What is to be done by me hereafter?”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

This is not correct. It is the gods who are praying Kapila. Hence it should be: Gods prayed:—