Shloka 1.39.2
सगरयज्ञाश्वहरणम् — The Stolen Sacrificial Horse of Sagara
श्रोतुमिच्छामि भद्रं ते विस्तरेण कथामिमाम्।पूर्वको मे कथं ब्रह्मन् यज्ञं वै समुपाहरत्।।1.39.2।।
nāgānāṁ mathyamānānām asurāṇāṁ ca rāghava |
rākṣasānāṁ ca durdharṣaḥ sattvānāṁ ninado 'bhavat ||1.39.19||
As they churned and tore through the depths, O Rāghava, an unbearable clamour arose—from the nāgas, the asuras, the rākṣasas, and other beings disturbed there.
"O Brahman! I wish to listen in detail as to how my ancestors made preparations for the sacrifice? Prosperity to you"!.
Dharma recognizes the interconnectedness of life: violent disruption in one realm produces suffering in others; righteous action must account for broader harm and unintended consequences.
The princes’ excavation agitates subterranean beings—nāgas, asuras, and rākṣasas—creating a terrifying uproar.
The verse emphasizes not a virtue but a warning: power used without restraint provokes resistance and disorder.