Rāmāyana | Bala Kaṇḍa | Chapter 41

Sargam [Chapter]: 41
Yajña Completion

[King Sāgara asks Amśumān to search for the horse as well as his fathers. He locates both of them. Realizing that he had to perform obsequies to the departed souls, when he starts to do it, Garuda, the uncle of Sāgaras, comes there and tells him that if he wants his fathers to go to heaven, he has to perform the ceremonies with water of Ganges, who is in heaven. Amśumān, realising that it is not possible, goes back to Sāgara with the horse and the Yajña is properly completed.]

"Oh son of the Raghu clan, the King Sāgara realizing that his sons had gone long back addressed Amśumān, his grandson, who shined by his own lustre. " 41.1

"Oh valorous one, who has acquired knowledge in all fiends and who is equal in lustre to his ancestors, go and find out about the path taken by your fathers as well the thief who took away the horse." 41.2

"The beings that live below the earth are greatly valorous and mighty and so go there armed with mighty weapons and bows." 41.3

"You honour those who deserve to be honoured; kill those who create obstacles; you come back after completing your objective so that the Yajña can be completed properly." 41.4

"After being completely instructed by the great Sāgara, Amśumān left carrying a sword and bow in long strides." 41.5

"Oh great man, he followed the path that his great fathers had taken as directed by King Sāgara and went in to the depth of the earth." 41.6

"The greatly valorous Amśumān saw the Elephant of directions being worshipped by devas, asuras Rākṣasa, Ghosts, serpents." 41.7

"After going round him and after enquiring about his welfare, he enquired about the whereabouts of his fathers as well as person who had stolen the sacrificial horse." 41.8

"Having listened to the words of Amśumān, that elephant of direction told, "Oh Amśumān, the son of Asamanjās, as soon as you complete your mission, you should go back along with the horse." 41.9

"After listening well to the words of the elephant, Amśumān enquired from the elephant about the positioning of other elephants of direction." 41.10

That honoured guardian of the direction, who was an expert in use of words and proficient in their usage, treated him kindly and told him, "I am directed to say that you will go back with the horse." 41.11

"Hearing the words of the elephant that valorous one started going in quick steps and reached the place where all his fathers had been reduced to a heap of ash." 41.12

"And that son of Asamanjā started wailing due to the great grief and distress caused by their destruction." 41.13

"Though possessed with great grief, Amśumān, the tiger among men saw the sacrificial horse nearby." 41.14

"Having decided to offer death rites and water oblation to those dead souls, he searched for water but could not see any collection of water anywhere." 41.15

"Extending his intelligent sight, he would see Garuda, the King of Birds, who was the uncle of his fathers and who was as swift as wind." 41.16

These words were spoken by the strong son of Vinatā "Oh tiger among men, do not grieve for this killing as it was done for the sake of welfare of three worlds." 41.17

"They have been burnt by sage Kapila with unmatched power and knowledge; ordinary water would not be sufficient for performing their traditional rites." 41.18

"Oh greatly valorous one, you have to perform the death rites of your fathers with water from Ganga, who is the elder daughter of the Himalayas." 41.19

"Ganga, the purifier of the world, will sanctify your fathers who have been reduced to this heap of ashes. These heaps if inundated by the waters of Ganga, who is the beloved of the world, will take all these sixty thousand souls to heaven. " 41.20

"Oh great one, oh best among men, take back that horse. Oh valorous one, you deserve to complete the Yajña of your grandfather." 41.21

"Hearing the words of Garuda, the valorous and famous Amśumān, taking hold of the horse, reached back quickly." 41.22

"Oh son of Raghu clan, he having reached the King, who was under penance for doing the Yajña, truthfully told what was told to him by Garuda." 41.23

"Hearing the horrifying news from Amśumān, the King completed the Yajña as per the rules." 41.24

"Oh auspicious one, the King having completed the Yajña reached back his town and could not arrive at any decision for bringing Ganga down to earth." 41.25

"Without taking any further decision, the King Sāgara ruled for thirty thousand long years and then ascended to heaven." 41.26

This is the end of Forty First Sarga of Bala Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.