Sutra 24

Devanagari script

तस्मादृतुमत्यां महिष्यामृत्विजश्चरुमैन्द्राबार्हस्पत्यं निर्वपेयुः ॥ कZ_०१.१७.२४ ॥

Transliteration

tasmād ṛtumatyāṃ mahiṣyām ṛtvijaś carum aindrābārhaspatyaṃ nirvapeyuḥ

Translation

Therefore, when the chief queen is in season, the officiating priests should offer the Indra-and-Bṛhaspati oblation (aindra-bārhaspatya caru).

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that (reason)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; पञ्चमी एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (ablative sg. of तद्)

• ऋतुमत्याम्: in (a woman) who is in season / fertile period
• Type: Noun (adjectival feminine)
• Root: ऋतुमती
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; विशेषण (locative sg.)

• महिष्याम्: in the chief queen
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिषी
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative sg.)

• ऋत्विजः: the officiating priests
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; कर्तृ (nom. pl.)

• चरुम्: a cooked oblation (caru)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरु
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्म (acc. sg.)

• ऐन्द्राबार्हस्पत्यम्: pertaining to Indra and Bṛhaspati (i.e., dedicated to both)
• Type: Adjective (ritual epithet)
• Root: ऐन्द्राबार्हस्पत्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण (acc. sg.)—चरुम् इति विशेषयति; (इन्द्र + बृहस्पति-सम्बन्धि)

• निर्वपेयुः: should offer / should place (the oblation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्वप्
• Form: लिङ् (विधिलिङ्); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; धातु: वप् (वपन/निक्षेप) उपसर्ग: निर्; विधेय-क्रिया

Entities Mentioned

• chief queen (mahiṣī)
• priests (ṛtvij)
• Indra
• Bṛhaspati

More Details

FAQs

Why does a governance text prescribe fertility rites?

Because producing a legitimate heir is a core state-security objective; ritual also publicly reinforces legitimacy and elite consensus.