Shloka 12

जामदग्न्यस्य विलापः, प्रतिज्ञा, क्षत्रिय-निग्रहः, दानयज्ञश्च

Jāmadagnya Rāma’s Lament, Vow, Kṣatriya Suppression, and Gifts

Devanagari script

वेदीं चाप्पयददद्धैमीं कश्यपाय महात्मने । दशव्यामायतां कृत्वा नवोत्सेधां विशाम्पते,युधिष्ठिर! उन्होंने महात्मा कश्यपको एक सोनेकी वेदी प्रदान की, जिसकी लम्बाई- चौड़ाई दस-दस व्याम (चालीस-चालीस हाथ)-की थी। ऊँचाईमें भी वह वेदी नौ व्याम (छत्तीस हाथ)-की थी

Transliteration

vedīṁ cāpy adad dhēmīṁ kaśyapāya mahātmane | daśa-vyāmāyatāṁ kṛtvā navotsedhāṁ viśāṁ-pate yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

Rāma sprach: „O Herr der Völker, Yudhiṣṭhira! Er übergab dem großherzigen Kaśyapa einen goldenen Opferaltar—zehn Vyāmas in Länge und Breite und zu neun Vyāmas Höhe aufgerichtet.“

Word by Word

• वेदीम्: altar
• वेदीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

• अप्पयत्: gave, presented
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप् (अर्पयति/अर्प्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अदद्धैमीम्: golden
• अदद्धैमीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हैमी (हेम-सम्बन्धिनी)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कश्यपाय: to Kaśyapa
• कश्यपाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्यप
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• महात्मने: to the great-souled one
• महात्मने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• दशव्यामायताम्: having a length/extent of ten vyāmas
• दशव्यामायताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश-व्याम-आयत
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कृत्वा: having made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Active

• नवोत्सेधाम्: having a height of nine (vyāmas)
• नवोत्सेधाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव-उत्सेध
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• विशाम्पते: O lord of the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाम्पति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kaśyapa
• golden vedī (sacrificial altar)
• vyāma (unit of measure)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores dāna aligned with dharma: wealth is best used in righteous, sacrificial contexts and offered to worthy sages, reflecting responsible kingship and the pursuit of merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Rama addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and describes a grand gift: a golden sacrificial altar given to the sage Kaśyapa, specifying its impressive dimensions in vyāmas.