Shloka 28

राजपूजाविधानम् / Royal Reception Protocols during Āśvamedha Preparations

Devanagari script

देवदारुमयौ द्वौ तु यूपौ कुरुपतेर्मखे । श्लेष्मातकमयं चैक॑ याजका: समकल्पयन्‌

Transliteration

devadārumayau dvau tu yūpau kurupater makhe | śleṣmātakamayaṃ caikaṃ yājakāḥ samakalpayan bharataśreṣṭha |

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: In the sacrifice of the Kuru lord, the officiating priests prepared two sacrificial posts made of deodar wood, and one made of śleṣmātaka wood, O best of the Bharatas. This detail underscores the careful, rule-bound arrangement of the Aśvamedha rite, where each material is selected and installed according to prescribed tradition, reflecting the king’s commitment to dharma through properly performed sacrifice.

Word by Word

• देवदारुमयौ: made of deodar wood
• देवदारुमयौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देवदारुमय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• यूपौ: two sacrificial posts
• यूपौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• कुरुपतेः: of the lord of the Kurus
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुपति
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• मखे: in the sacrifice
• मखे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• श्लेष्मातकमयम्: made of śleṣmātaka wood
• श्लेष्मातकमयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लेष्मातकमय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• याजकाः: the priests
• याजकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: याजक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समकल्पयन्: they arranged/prepared
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+कॢप्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Plural

• भरतश्रेष्ठ: O best of the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Kuru lord (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• yūpa (sacrificial post)
• deodar wood (devadāru)
• śleṣmātaka wood
• officiating priests (yājakāḥ)
• sacrifice (makha/yajña)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma expressed through meticulous adherence to prescribed ritual order: the king’s public commitment to righteous rule is reinforced by a properly conducted sacrifice, where even the materials (types of wood for the yūpas) are selected according to tradition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates the preparations for Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha: the priests ready specific sacrificial posts—two of deodar and one of śleṣmātaka—indicating the formal installation of ritual equipment as the ceremony proceeds.