Shloka 31

राजपूजाविधानम् / Royal Reception Protocols during Āśvamedha Preparations

Devanagari script

इष्टका: काज्चनीश्षात्र चयनार्थ कृता5भवन्‌ | शुशुभे चयन तच्च दक्षस्थेव प्रजापते:

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca |

iṣṭakāḥ kāñcanīś cātra cayanārthaṃ kṛtābhavan |

śuśubhe cayanaṃ tac ca dakṣasyeva prajāpateḥ ||

Translation

قال فايشَمبايانا: «وهناك أُعِدَّت لِبِناتٌ من ذهب لبناء المذبح. فلما اكتمل تشييدُه أشرق موضعُ القربان ببهاءٍ كبهاءِ مذبحِ يَجْنَا الشهير لبراجاباتي دَكشا.»

Word by Word

• इष्टकाः: bricks
• इष्टकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्टका
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• काञ्चनीः: golden
• काञ्चनीः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चनी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• शात्र: in/at the sacrificial enclosure (śātra)
• शात्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शात्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• चयनार्थम्: for the purpose of piling/constructing (the altar)
• चयनार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चयन + अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कृताः: made, prepared
• कृताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (कृत)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• अभवन्: were/occurred
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Plural

• शुशुभे: shone, became splendid
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• चयनम्: the piling/construction (of the altar)
• चयनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चयन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• दक्षस्थेव: as if (it were) at Dakṣa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षस्थ + इव

• प्रजापतेः: of Prajāpati
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Prajāpati Dakṣa
• yajña-vedī (sacrificial altar/platform)
• golden bricks (kāñcanī iṣṭakāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and dharmic dimension of ritual: a yajña is not merely an act but a carefully ordered, sanctified undertaking. The use of proper materials and correct construction symbolizes reverence, legitimacy, and the intention to align royal action with sacred law.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the context of the Aśvamedha preparations, golden bricks are made to build the sacrificial altar. Once completed, the altar is described as shining like the renowned yajña-altar of Prajāpati Dakṣa, emphasizing the grandeur and ritual correctness of the ceremony.