The Curse of Kehama, Volume 1 (of 2)Southey, Robert
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The Curse of Kehama, Volume 1 (of 2)
Southey, Robert
English poetry -- 19th century
"Having respectfully circumambulated this mighty elephant, guardian of
the quarter, they, O Rama! praising him, penetrated into Patala. After
they had thus penetrated the east quarter, they opened their way to
the south. Here they saw that great elephant Muha-pudma, equal to a
huge mountain, sustaining the earth with his head. Beholding him, they
were filled with surprise; and, after the usual circumambulation, the
sixty thousand sons of the great Sugura perforated the west quarter.
{218} In this these mighty ones saw the elephant Soumunusa, of equal
size. Having respectfully saluted him, and enquired respecting his
health, these valiant ones digging, arrived at the north. In this
quarter, O chief of Rughoo! they saw the snow-white elephant Bhudra,
supporting this earth with his beautiful body. Circumambulating him,
they again penetrated the earth, and proceeded north-east to that
renowned quarter; all the sons of Sugura, through anger, pierced the
earth again. There all those magnanimous ones, terrible in swiftness,
and of mighty prowess, saw Kupila, Vasodeva the eternal,[13] and
near him the horse feeding. Filled, O son of Rughoo! with unparalleled
joy, they all knowing him to be the stealer of the horse, with eyes
starting with rage, seizing their spades and their _langulas_, and
even trees and stones, ran towards him full of wrath, calling out,
Stop, stop! thou art the stealer of our sacrificial horse: Thou stupid
one, know that we who have found thee are the sons of Rughoo. Kupila,
filled with excessive anger, uttered from his nostrils a loud sound,
and instantly, O Kakootstha! by Kupila of immeasurable power, were all
the sons of Sugura turned to a heap of ashes."
{219}
Thus far the thirty-third Section, describing the interview with
Kupila.
SECTION THIRTY-FOUR.
"O son of Rughoo! Sugura, perceiving that his sons had been absent a
long time, thus addressed his grandson, illustrious by his own might:
Thou art a hero, possessed of science, in prowess equal to thy
predecessors. Search out the fate of thy paternal relatives, and the
person by whom the horse was stolen, that we may avenge ourselves on
these subterraneous beings, powerful and great. Take thy scymitar and
bow, O beloved one! and finding out thy deceased paternal relatives,
destroy my adversary. The proposed end being thus accomplished,
return. Bring me happily through this sacrifice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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