Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 47

अश्वमेधप्रवृत्तिः

Commencement and Performance of Daśaratha’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तो नरपतिर्ब्राह्मणैर्वेदपारगै:।।।।गवां शतसहस्राणि दश तेभ्यो ददौ नृप:। 4शतकोटीस्सुवर्णस्य रजतस्य चतुर्गुणम् ।।।।

Transliteration

evam ukto narapatir brāhmaṇair vedapāragaiḥ |

gavāṃ śatasahasrāṇi daśa tebhyo dadau nṛpaḥ |

śatakoṭīs suvarṇasya rajatasya caturguṇam ||

Translation

So angesprochen von Brahmanen, die in den Veden bewandert waren, schenkte der König ihnen eine Million Kühe, hundert Krore Gold und das Vierfache davon an Silber.

Word by Word

• ṛtvijaḥ: the priests
• ṛtvijaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtvij (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kala (काल/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘thereafter/from that’

• sarve: all
• sarve: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of ṛtvijaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• pradaduḥ: gave
• pradaduḥ: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dā (दा धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• sahitāḥ: together
• sahitāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of ṛtvijaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahita (√sah/with, कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• vasu: wealth
• vasu: Karma (कर्म/Object of pradaduḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ṛśyaśṛṅgāya: to Ṛśyaśṛṅga
• ṛśyaśṛṅgāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛśyaśṛṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• munaye: to the sage
• munaye: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• vasiṣṭhāya: to Vasiṣṭha
• vasiṣṭhāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• dhīmate: to the wise one
• dhīmate: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of vasiṣṭhāya)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

Lord of men, the king having been thus addressed by brahmins who were well-versed in the Vedas, bestowed on them ten hundred thousand cows, a hundred crore of gold coins and four times as much in silver coins.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Brāhmaṇas
• Veda
• Cows
• Gold
• Silver

FAQs

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

Dharma is fulfilled through generous, proportionate dakṣiṇā: the king honors sacred labor and maintains social-spiritual reciprocity between ruler and ritual specialists.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha responds to the priests’ request for substitute gifts by granting vast quantities of cattle and precious metals.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Royal generosity and responsiveness—Daśaratha gives promptly and abundantly rather than bargaining or delaying.