Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 6

द्वादशः सर्गः — Aśvamedha-saṅkalpa

Daśaratha resolves on the Horse Sacrifice

Devanagari script

ततस्सुमन्त्रस्त्वरितं गत्वा त्वरितविक्रम:।समानयत्स तान्विप्रान् समस्तान्वेदपारगान्।।।।

Transliteration

tatas sumantras tvaritaṃ gatvā tvaritavikramaḥ | samānayat sa tān viprān samastān vedapāragān ||

Translation

Thereupon Sumantra—swift in action—went at once and brought together all those brahmins who had mastered the Vedas.

Word by Word

• tān: them
• tān: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine Accusative Plural

• pūjayitvā: having honored
• pūjayitvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा)

• dharmātmā: righteous-souled
• dharmātmā: Karta-anuguṇa viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi (yasya ātmā dharmaḥ), Masculine Nominative Singular; qualifying rājā

• rājā: king
• rājā: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular

• daśarathaḥ: Daśaratha
• daśarathaḥ: Karta (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular (proper noun)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Time adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• dharmārthasahitam: endowed with dharma and purpose
• dharmārthasahitam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + sahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (dharma-artha-sahita), Neuter Accusative Singular; qualifying vacanam

• yuktam: appropriate
• yuktam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yukta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally; Neuter Accusative Singular; qualifying vacanam

• ślakṣṇam: gentle/gracious
• ślakṣṇam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ślakṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter Accusative Singular; qualifying vacanam

• vacanam: speech/words
• vacanam: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Singular

• abravīt: spoke
• abravīt: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (Imperfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd person Singular

Context

Then Sumantra, a man of smart movement went immediately and brought all those brahmins who were well-versed in the Vedas.

Characters & Entities

• Sumantra
• brahmins (vipra)
• Vedas

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Faithful service: a minister fulfills the king’s dharmic command promptly, enabling righteous action to proceed without delay.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra carries out Daśaratha’s order by quickly gathering the learned priests.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sumantra’s efficiency and reliability in duty.