Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 61, Shloka 9

शुनःशेफविक्रयः

The Sale of Śunaḥśepa for the Sacrifice

Devanagari script

उपाध्यायवचश्श्रुत्वा स राजा पुरुषर्षभ।अन्वियेष महाबुद्धि: पशुं गोभिस्सहस्रश:।।।।

Transliteration

upādhyāyavacaḥ śrutvā sa rājā puruṣarṣabha | anv iyeṣa mahābuddhiḥ paśuṃ gobhiḥ sahasraśaḥ ||

Translation

فلما سمع الملك، ذو العقل الراجح، كلام المعلّم، مضى يبحث عن ذبيحة، عارضًا آلاف الأبقار عوضًا عنها.

Word by Word

• उपाध्यायवचः: the teacher-priest’s words
• उपाध्यायवचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाध्याय + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘उपाध्यायस्य वचः’)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having heard’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), एकवचन; refers to the king

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुरुषर्षभ: O best of men
• पुरुषर्षभ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• अन्वियेष: searched
• अन्वियेष: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + इष्/एष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘searched for’

• महाबुद्धिः: great-minded
• महाबुद्धिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (‘महती बुद्धिः यस्य/महाबुद्धिः’ used adjectivally for the king)

• पशुम्: an animal
• पशुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of anvieṣa

• गोभिः: with cows
• गोभिः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Case 3), बहुवचन; instrumental of accompaniment

• सहस्रशः: in thousands
• सहस्रशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक (distributive: by thousands)

Context

"O Best of men (Rama)! hearing the words of the high priest, the highly intellectual king searched for a human victim in exchange for thousands of cows.

Characters & Entities

• Ambarīṣa
• upādhyāya (priest)
• paśu (sacrificial victim)

FAQs

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

The king treats the completion of a vowed rite as a binding duty, attempting lawful restitution (payment/compensation) to obtain a substitute and preserve ritual integrity.

What is the narrative situation?

Ambarīṣa actively searches for a replacement victim, offering large wealth (thousands of cows) to secure one.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Diligence and resourcefulness in duty (udyama, prajñā): he does not delay but mobilizes wealth to meet the ritual requirement.