batch.motif.hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg-l5593-l5733
---
record_id: batch.motif.hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg-l5593-l5733
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
passage_locator:
label: Canto XXXIV. Brahmadatta. / Canto XXXIX. The Sons Of Sagar. / Canto XL. The
Cleaving Of The Earth. / Canto XLI. Kapil.; lines 5593-5733
start: '5593'
end: '5733'
translation: The Ramayan of Valmiki
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: The gods are reassured that Vásudeva, in Kapil's form, guards Earth and
has foreseen the fate of Sagar's sons. Sagar's sons dig through the earth in search
of a stolen sacrificial horse, encounter world-bearing elephants, and finally
find Kapil with the horse nearby. They accuse him, and Kapil burns them to ashes.
Sagar later sends his grandson Anśumán underground to recover the horse and complete
the sacrifice; Anśumán respectfully questions a warder elephant, who foretells
his success.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A divine speaker tells the gods that Vásudeva guards Earth in Kapil's form
and that his wrath will burn Sagar's sons.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Sagar's sons cleave and search the earth, causing the deaths of countless
creatures, but initially do not find the robber or the stolen horse.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: King Sagar orders his sons to continue digging through the depths of the earth,
kill the robber, and bring back the horse.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: The princes encounter Vírúpáksha, an enormous elephant who bears the broad
earth on his head; when he shakes his head, the earth quakes.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:5
text: The princes encounter Mahápadma, another enormous elephant bearing the earth
on his head, and reverently circle him.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:6
text: The princes encounter Saumanas, an elephant of mountain-like size, and greet
him reverently.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:7
text: The princes encounter Bhadra, a white elephant who bears the earth on his
head, and honor him before mining downward again.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:8
text: The princes see Vásudeva standing in Kapil's form, with the sacrificial horse
grazing nearby.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:9
text: The princes rush at Kapil, call him a villain, and command him to stand.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:10
text: Kapil cries out and, by his might, scorches the princes to heaps of ashes.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:11
text: Sagar sends Anśumán to follow the underground path of his uncles, carry weapons,
show reverence to the beings below, recover the horse, and complete the sacrifice.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:12
text: Anśumán respectfully questions a warder elephant about his uncles and the
stolen horse, and the elephant replies that Anśumán will bring back the rescued
steed.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: the gods / the Three-and-thirty
description: Divine beings terrified by woe and death, later freed from fear and
returning to their bright homes.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: the father
description: A gracious divine father-figure who listens to the gods and explains
Kapil's role and Sagar's sons' fate.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Vásudeva in Kapil's form
description: The everlasting God standing in Kapil's form near the sacrificial horse;
his anger scorches Sagar's sons to ashes.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:8
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Sagar's sons / sixty thousand chiefs
description: Princes who dig through the earth searching for the stolen horse, encounter
world-bearing elephants, accuse Kapil, and are burned to ashes.
role_refs:
- role:5
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: King Sagar
description: King who orders his sons, and later his grandson Anśumán, to recover
the stolen horse so his sacrifice can be completed.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:9
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Vírúpáksha
description: A vast immortal warder elephant who bears the broad earth on his head
and whose head-shaking causes earthquakes.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Mahápadma
description: A huge elephant in the south who upholds the earth on his head.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Saumanas
description: An elephant of mountain size in the western region, greeted reverently
by Sagar's sons.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Bhadra
description: A white elephant with lucky marks, bearing the earth on his head near
the seat of Soma's sway.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: the sacrificial horse / victim charger
description: The horse sought as stolen spoil and later found grazing near Kapil;
its return is required for Sagar's sacrifice.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Anśumán
description: Sagar's grandson, armed with bow and sword, who follows the underground
path and respectfully questions the warder elephant.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: warder elephant questioned by Anśumán
description: A world-bearing elephant venerated by gods, fiends, giants, birds,
serpents, and shades, who foretells Anśumán's recovery of the horse.
role_refs:
- role:8
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
roles:
- id: role:1
label: fearful divine witnesses
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: They are described as terrified by woe and death and later relieved by the
explanation of Kapil's role.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: divine explainer of fate
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: He explains that Vásudeva guards Earth as Kapil and has foreseen Sagar's
sons' fate.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:3
label: divine guardian of Earth
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The passage says Vásudeva regards and guards broad Earth in Kapil's form.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:4
label: punisher by fiery wrath
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Kapil's wrath is predicted to burn Sagar's sons, and he later scorches them
to ashes.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:8
- id: role:5
label: subterranean searchers
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: They dig through the earth in search of the stolen horse and its robber.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:6
label: doomed accusers
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: They accuse Kapil as the robber and are scorched to ashes.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:7
label: commanding sacrificer-king
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Sagar commands the recovery of the horse and connects Anśumán's success with
completing his sacrifice.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:9
- id: role:8
label: world-bearing elephant
assigned_to:
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:12
basis: The elephants are described as bearing or upholding the earth, or as warder
elephants of superhuman size and reverence.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:10
- id: role:9
label: stolen sacrificial animal
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: The horse is sought as stolen spoil and is needed for the sacrifice's completion.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: role:10
label: respectful recovery-seeker
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: Anśumán follows the underground route, pays proper honor, asks about the
horse, and is told he will retrieve it.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: role:11
label: prophetic informant
assigned_to:
- fig:12
basis: The warder elephant tells Anśumán that he will lead back the rescued steed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: cleft earth and underground path
literal_form: The earth is dug open and mined through to its depths as the search
continues underground.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:9
- id: sym:2
label: earth-bearing elephants
literal_form: Enormous elephants stationed in different regions bear or uphold the
earth on their heads.
associated_figures:
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:12
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:10
- id: sym:3
label: sacrificial horse
literal_form: The victim charger, treated as stolen spoil and later found grazing
near Kapil.
associated_figures:
- fig:10
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: sym:4
label: divine scorching fire
literal_form: Kapil's wrath and power burn or scorch Sagar's sons into heaps of
ashes.
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:8
- id: sym:5
label: ashes
literal_form: The bodies of Sagar's sons become heaps of ashes after Kapil's cry.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:6
label: mountain-sized beings
literal_form: Several elephants are described through vastness, including hill-like
girth and mountain size.
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs:
- mountain
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Divine reassurance about Kapil
summary: A divine father-figure tells the gods that Vásudeva, in Kapil's form, protects
Earth and has long foreseen that Sagar's sons will be burned by his wrath.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Sagar's sons report failure and are ordered deeper
summary: After searching the earth and causing many deaths, Sagar's sons report
that they have not found the robber or horse; Sagar commands them to dig farther,
kill the robber, and bring back the horse.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:10
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Encounters with world-bearing elephants
summary: As they dig through the earth, Sagar's sons meet Vírúpáksha, Mahápadma,
Saumanas, and Bhadra, showing reverence before continuing their search.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:4
label: Kapil and the horse
summary: The princes find Vásudeva in Kapil's form with the horse nearby, accuse
him as the robber, and are scorched to ashes by Kapil's power.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:10
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: scene:5
label: Anśumán sent underground
summary: Sagar sends Anśumán along the underground path to recover the horse and
complete the sacrifice; Anśumán honors a warder elephant and asks about his uncles
and the horse.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:10
- fig:11
- fig:12
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: divine wrath as judgment by burning
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: Kapil's wrath is foretold, and when Sagar's sons accuse and rush him, he
burns them to heaps of ashes.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The passage presents the destruction as divine wrath, but it does not
explicitly state a formal trial or judgment scene.
- id: motif:2
label: descent into the earth to recover a stolen sacred object
taxonomy_refs:
- hero_descent
- sacred_theft
basis: Sagar's sons and then Anśumán follow a dug underground route in search of
the stolen sacrificial horse.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:9
- ev:10
confidence: medium
cautions: The descent is literal excavation through the earth rather than a named
underworld journey.
- id: motif:3
label: world supported by gigantic animals
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The passage describes enormous elephants stationed in regions below who bear
the earth on their heads.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: No available motif-family reference exactly matches world-bearing animals,
so no taxonomy reference is assigned.
- id: motif:4
label: sacrificial completion depends on recovering the horse
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
basis: Sagar commands the horse's recovery, and later tells Anśumán that his success
will complete the sacrifice.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:9
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not narrate the completed sacrifice within this excerpt.
- id: motif:5
label: proper reverence toward cosmic guardians
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The princes and Anśumán honor the warder elephants with circling steps and
greetings before continuing or asking questions.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:10
confidence: medium
cautions: This is a recurrent action in the passage, but no supplied taxonomy family
directly corresponds to it.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 5593-5608
quote_or_summary: The divine father-figure tells the gods that Vásudeva guards Earth
in Kapil's form and that his wrath will burn Sagar's children, whose fate he foresaw.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 5610-5623
quote_or_summary: Sagar's sons cleave and search the earth, killing many creatures
and treading on snakes, demons, fiends, and gods, but they fail to find the robber
or the spoil.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 5624-5631
quote_or_summary: King Sagar orders his sons to keep digging through the earth's
depths, kill the robber, and bring back the horse.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 5632-5645
quote_or_summary: The sons encounter Vírúpáksha, a vast immortal elephant bearing
the earth; when he shakes his head, the earth quakes, and they circle him reverently.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 5646-5654
quote_or_summary: In the south, the sons see Mahápadma, a huge elephant upholding
the earth on his head, and they reverently circle him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 5655-5660
quote_or_summary: In the western region, the sons see Saumanas, an elephant of mountain
size, and greet him with reverence.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 5661-5669
quote_or_summary: At the seat of Soma's sway, the sons see Bhadra, white as snow
and bearing the earth on his head, honor him, and continue mining downward.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 5670-5683
quote_or_summary: The princes see Vásudeva standing in Kapil's form with the horse
nearby, accuse him as the robber, and are scorched by his might into heaps of
ashes.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 5684-5701
quote_or_summary: Sagar sends Anśumán to follow his uncles' underground course,
armed with bow and sword, paying reverence below, recovering the horse, and completing
the sacrifice.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 5702-5733
quote_or_summary: Anśumán follows the underground path, honors a world-bearing warder
elephant, asks about his uncles and the horse, and is told he will lead back the
rescued steed.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized for extraction.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal extraction is well supported by the provided passage. Motif assignments
are cautious and limited to available taxonomy where appropriate. No external
comparison claims are made.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Only the supplied passage and metadata were used. The passage begins in Canto XLI and continues into Canto XLII despite the broader locator label.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg__l5593-l5733
passage_sha256=1c505b793917f60627c03c3d20b02a583ba625da75801201596d40aed6a2c60b