अथ भूम्यां प्रहारास्ते सस्वनुः सर्वतोदिशम् । ते वल्मीकं ततो दृष्ट्वा तं चौरं तस्य मध्यगम्
atha bhūmyāṃ prahārāste sasvanuḥ sarvatodiśam | te valmīkaṃ tato dṛṣṭvā taṃ cauraṃ tasya madhyagam
Alors leurs coups portés sur le sol retentirent de toutes parts. Puis, voyant la termitière, ils aperçurent le voleur assis en son milieu.
Unknown (Tīrthamāhātmya narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating the Māhātmya)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Searchers strike the ground around an anthill; the sound reverberates; then they peer in and see a man seated inside—still, absorbed—contrasting violence outside with calm within.
Intense practice can render a person ‘hidden’ from ordinary recognition; the outer identity (robber) gives way to the inner state (absorbed practitioner).
The verse marks a particular spot on the tīrtha-route associated with a transformative event; the precise name is not given in this line.
No new prescription; it continues the depiction of japa and ascetic absorption.