Valmiki Ramayana 1.12.8 — Bala Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 8

द्वादशः सर्गः — Aśvamedha-saṅkalpa

Daśaratha resolves on the Horse Sacrifice

Devanagari script

मम लालप्यमानस्य पुत्रार्थं नास्ति वै सुखम्।तदर्थं हयमेधेन यक्ष्यामीति मतिर्मम।।।।

Transliteration

mama lālapyamānasya putrārthaṃ nāsti vai sukham | tadarthaṃ hayamedhena yakṣyāmīti matir mama ||

Translation

„Ich, vom Verlangen nach einem Sohn verzehrt, finde wahrlich kein Glück. Darum habe ich beschlossen: Ich werde das Aśvamedha, das Pferdeopfer, vollziehen.“

Word by Word

• yajña-artham: for the sake of sacrifice
• yajña-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); purpose-accusative (प्रयोजन-द्वितीया)

• prasava-artham: for begetting offspring
• prasava-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasava (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); purpose-accusative

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय)

• svarga-artham: for heaven
• svarga-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); purpose-accusative

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय)

• nareśvaraḥ: lord of men (king)
• nareśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• labhate: obtains
• labhate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु)
• Form: Lakāra: Laṭ (लट्, Present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Puruṣa: Prathama (प्रथम), Vachana: Eka (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kāmam: desire/boon
• kāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• dvija-mukhyāt: from the foremost Brahmin
• dvija-mukhyāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + mukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• viśām-patiḥ: lord of the people
• viśām-patiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viś (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to nareśvaraḥ/saḥ

Context

"There is no happiness for me. I am overwhelmed with grief as I have no son. Therefore, I intend to perform a horse-sacrifice.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Aśvamedha (hayamedha)

FAQs

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

Satya in self-disclosure and dharmic channeling of desire: Daśaratha admits his suffering honestly and seeks a lawful remedy through sanctioned ritual rather than adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha explains to the priests why he wishes to undertake the Aśvamedha—his grief at being without an heir.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Truthfulness and self-restraint: he does not hide his motive, yet commits to a dharmically regulated course.