Shloka 10

आस्तीक-वरप्रदानम् (Āstīka’s Boon and the Interruption of the Sarpa-satra)

Devanagari script

ततस्ते ऋत्विजस्तस्य शास्त्रतो द्विजसत्तम । त॑ं देशं मापयामासुर्यज्ञायतनकारणात्‌,द्विजश्रेष्ठ] तब उन ऋत्विजोंने शास्त्रीय विधिके अनुसार यज्ञमण्डप बनानेके लिये वहाँकी भूमि नाप ली

Transliteration

tataste ṛtvijastasya śāstrato dvijasattama | taṁ deśaṁ māpayāmāsur yajñāyatanakāraṇāt ||

Translation

Then his officiating priests, following the prescriptions of the sacred manuals, measured out that site in order to establish the sacrificial enclosure and set the ritual ground.

Word by Word

ततःthen/from thereupon

तेthey

ऋत्विजःpriests (ṛtviks)

तस्यof him/of that (king)

शास्त्रतःaccording to the scriptures

द्विजसत्तमO best of the twice-born

तम्that (place/land)

देशम्region/place

मापयामासुःthey measured (caused to be measured)

यज्ञायतनकारणात्for the purpose of (making) the sacrificial enclosure/altar-site

द्विजश्रेष्ठO best of the twice-born

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Janamejaya

Ṛ

ṛtvijas (officiating priests)

yajñāyatana (sacrificial ground/enclosure)

deśa (the site/land)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights śāstra-guided action: sacred and public undertakings—especially royal sacrifices—should be performed with regulated procedure, competent specialists, and respect for established norms, reinforcing dharma through order and accountability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Janamejaya describes how the officiating priests, adhering to ritual prescriptions, measure the chosen land so that a proper yajña-enclosure (yajñāyatana) can be constructed for the sacrifice.