Canto XLI: Kapil

"The Father lent a gracious ear And listened to their tale of fear, And kindly to the Gods replied Whom woe and death had terrified:-- 'The wisest Vásudeva, who The Immortals' foe, fierce Madhu, slew, Regards broad Earth with love and pride, And guards, in Kapil's form, his bride. His kindled wrath will quickly fall On the King's sons and burn them all. This cleaving of the earth his eye Foresaw in ages long gone by: He knew with prescient soul the fate That Sagar's children should await.' The Three-and-thirty, freed from fear, Sought their bright homes with hopeful cheer. Still rose the great tempestuous sound As Sagar's children pierced the ground. When thus the whole broad earth was cleft, And not a spot unsearched was left, Back to their home the princes sped, And thus unto their father said:-- 'We searched the earth from side to side, While countless hosts of creatures died. Our conquering feet in triumph trod On snake and demon, fiend and God; But yet we failed, with all our toil, To find the robber and the spoil. What can we more? If more we can, Devise, O King, and tell thy plan,' His children's speech King Sagar heard, And answered thus, to anger stirred:-- 'Dig on, and ne'er your labor stay Till through earth's depths you force your way. Then smite the robber dead, and bring The charger back with triumphing.'

The sixty thousand chiefs obeyed-- Deep through the earth their way they made. Deep as they dug and deeper yet The immortal elephant they met-- Famed Virúpáksha vast of size, Upon whose head the broad earth lies: The mighty beast who earth sustains With shaggy hills and wooded plains. When, with the changing moon, distressed, And longing for a moment's rest, His mighty head the monster shakes, Earth to the bottom reels and quakes. Around that warder strong and vast With reverential steps they passed-- Nor, when the honor due was paid, Their downward search through earth delayed. But turning from the east aside Southward again their task they plied. There Mahápadma held his place, The best of all his mighty race-- Like some huge hill, of monstrous girth, Upholding on his head the earth. When the vast beast the princes saw, They marvelled and were filled with awe. The sons of high-souled Sagar round That elephant in reverence wound. Then in the western region they With might unwearied cleft their way. There saw they with astonished eyes Saumanas, beast of mountain size. Round him with circling steps they went With greetings kind and reverent. On, on--no thought of rest or stay-- They reached the seat of Soma's sway. There saw they Bhadra, white as snow, With lucky marks that fortune show, Bearing the earth upon his head. Round him they paced with solemn tread, And honored him with greetings kind; Then downward yet their way they mined. They gained the tract 'twixt east and north Whose fame is ever blazoned forth, And by a storm of rage impelled, Digging through earth their course they held. Then all the princes, lofty-souled, Of wondrous vigor, strong and bold, Saw Vásudeva standing there In Kapil's form he loved to wear, And near the everlasting God The victim charger cropped the sod. They saw with joy and eager eyes The fancied robber and the prize, And on him rushed the furious band Crying aloud, 'Stand, villain! stand!' 'Avaunt! avaunt!' great Kapil cried, His bosom flushed with passion's tide; Then by his might that proud array All scorched to heaps of ashes lay.