Shloka 1.40.21
सगरपुत्राणां रसातलगमनम् — The Descent of Sagara’s Sons and the Wrath of Kapila
उत्तरस्यां रघुश्रेष्ठ ददृशुर्हिमपाण्डुरम्।।।।भद्रं भद्रेण वपुषा धारयन्तं महीमिमाम्।
uttarasyāṃ raghuśreṣṭha dadṛśur himapāṇḍuram |
bhadraṃ bhadreṇa vapuṣā dhārayantaṃ mahīm imām ||
O best of the Raghus, in the northern quarter they saw Bhadra, snow-white, bearing this earth in his auspicious form.
O Rama! in the northern region, they beheld an auspicious elephant named Bhadra, who was white like snow, was holding that quater.
Dharma is symbolized as sustaining the world through purity and auspiciousness: Bhadra’s snow-white, ‘auspicious’ form suggests that support of the world is tied to sattvic integrity.
In their digging toward the north, Sagara’s sons encounter the northern directional elephant Bhadra, described with vivid purity imagery.
Purity and beneficence: the guardian’s auspicious form implies benevolent strength aligned with righteousness.