Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 61, Shloka 8

शुनःशेफविक्रयः

The Sale of Śunaḥśepa for the Sacrifice

Devanagari script

प्रायश्चित्तं महद्ध्येतन्नरं वा पुरुषर्षभ ।आनयस्व पशुं शीघ्रं यावत्कर्म प्रवर्तते।।।।

Transliteration

prāyaścittaṃ mahad hy etan naraṃ vā puruṣarṣabha | ānayasva paśuṃ śīghraṃ yāvat karma pravartate ||

Translation

O best of men, this calls for a grave expiation: bring at once the animal—or a human substitute—so that the sacrificial rite may proceed.

Word by Word

• प्रायश्चित्तम्: expiation
• प्रायश्चित्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Case 1/2), एकवचन; here as predicate/thing to be done

• महत्: great
• महत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of प्रायश्चित्तम्

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/indeed

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Anvaya/Pratyaya (सर्वनाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun referring to the expiation

• नरम्: a man
• नरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन; object of ānayasva (alternative)

• वा: or
• वा: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• पुरुषर्षभ: O best of men
• पुरुषर्षभ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/संबोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘पुरुषाणाम् ऋषभः’)

• आनयस्व: bring
• आनयस्व: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + नी (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पशुम्: an animal
• पशुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन; object of ānayasva (alternative)

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-द्वितीया-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: Kāla-avadhi (कालावधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध)
• Form: अव्यय, यावदर्थे (until/as long as) introducing limit

• कर्म: the rite/sacrifice
• कर्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), एकवचन; subject of pravartate; here ‘rite/sacrifice’

• प्रवर्तते: proceeds/continues
• प्रवर्तते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘goes on/continues’

Context

"O Best of men! you must pay a big price for this. Bring either the beast or a man immediately so that the sacrifice can be completed".

Characters & Entities

• Ambarīṣa
• upādhyāya (priest)
• yajña
• paśu

FAQs

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

Dharma here is framed as fidelity to vowed action (satya to one’s undertaking) and the idea that disruptions require corrective measures (prāyaścitta) to restore order.

What is the narrative situation?

The priest instructs the king to quickly procure a replacement victim so the sacrifice does not stall.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Resolve to complete an obligation (dṛḍha-niścaya) under pressure—continuing the rite by sanctioned remedies.