RAMAYANA FOR CHILDREN –CHAPTER 39
SAGARA’S HORSE-SACRIFICE
When the narrative ended, Rama asked, “My Master, I wish to hear fully how my ancestor celebrated his sacrifice!” Visvamitra was greatly amused at the eagerness shown by Rama. He said, “Nothing would give me greater pleasure. You see there the abode of Snow and Ice. It is the sky topped Himalaya. He is the father-in-law of the Black Throated One and faces proudly the far-famed Vindhya; and between them lies a broad land. Regard it as one of the holiest spots of the earth. For, countless sacrifices have been performed there. And your ancestor, Sagara, performed his Asvamedha there. Amsuman was the favourite grandson of the monarch. He was directed to go along with the consecrated horse and guard it. King Sagara was a mighty warrior and a famous general. And while he was duly conducting the sacrifice, Indra assumed the shape of a Rakshasa and spirited away the consecrated horse. At this, the sacrificial priests cried out to the King, “The consecrated horse has been taken away. This is an important day. Slay the robber and bring back the horse. Such a defeat as this is fraught with danger. So see to it that the sacrifice comes to a safe end.”
Thereupon the monarch turned to his sons. There were 60000 of them. And he addressed them, “There is no room for any Rakshasa to interfere with this sacrifice. This sacrifice is conducted by honourable priests who have been purified by high learning and powerful Mantras. So here my words. So go and search the whole earth. Search the earth through and through. Do it with my grandson and the priests, till the horse come back.
Sagara’s sons went forward with cheerful hearts. They searched the surface of the earth from end to end. But they found neither the horse nor the thief. Then they delved into the earth. Every one of them delved a yojana. They were armed with adamantine nails, with tridents and with terrible ploughshares. The patient earth was pierced in her vitals. The earth began to emit loud cries of distress. Nagas, Asuras, Rakshasas and other mighty beings cried and died. They all were slaughtered by thousands by the infuriated sons of Sagara. Yet they dug into the bowels of the earth. Thereupon, the gods and the Gandharvas, the Asuras and Pannagas sought out the Great Ancient. They said, “Lord, behold see the sons of Sagara piercing into the bowels of the earth. They have slayed the creatures there by hundreds of thousands. They shout, “There goes the thief! There is the daring wretch who has laid his impious sacrifice! And countless myriads go down before their blind fury.”
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