Shloka 186

अश्वमेधावसानम् — Dakṣiṇā-vibhāga and Avabhṛtha

Completion of the Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

जड़मै: स्थावरैर्वापि यष्टव्यमिति भारत । इन्द्रके उस यज्ञमें जुटे हुए तपस्वी लोगोंमें इस प्रश्नको लेकर महान्‌ विवाद खड़ा हो गया। भारत! एक पक्ष कहता था कि जंगम पदार्थ (पशु आदि)-के द्वारा यज्ञ करना चाहिये और दूसरा पक्ष कहता था कि स्थावर वस्तुओं (अन्न-फल आदि)-के द्वारा यजन करना उचित है

Transliteration

jaḍaiḥ sthāvarair vāpi yaṣṭavyam iti bhārata | indre ca tasmin yajñe juṭeṣu tapasviṣu janaiḥ asmin praśne mahān vivādaḥ samajāyata | bhārata! ekaḥ pakṣaḥ jagamadravyaiḥ (paśv-ādibhiḥ) yajñaṃ kartavyam iti, aparaḥ pakṣaḥ sthāvaravastubhiḥ (anna-phala-ādibhiḥ) yajanaṃ yuktam iti ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : «Ô Bhārata, (certains soutenaient que) le sacrifice devait être accompli même avec des offrandes inertes et immobiles. Lors de ce sacrifice d’Indra, parmi les ascètes rassemblés, une grande querelle s’éleva précisément sur ce point. Un camp affirmait que le rite devait se faire avec des êtres mobiles — tels les animaux —, tandis que l’autre soutenait que le culte se fait à bon droit avec des offrandes immobiles — tels les grains et les fruits.»

Word by Word

• {'jaḍa': 'inert, insentient

• non-sentient substance', 'sthāvara': 'immobile, stationary

• plants/produce and other fixed offerings', 'jagama (jāṅgama)': 'moving, animate

• living beings such as animals', 'yaṣṭavyam': 'should be sacrificed/should perform a yajña (gerundive of √yaj)', 'yajña': 'sacrificial rite

• ritual offering ordered by Vedic injunctions', 'yajana': 'act of worship/sacrificing

• performance of ritual offering', 'tapasvin': 'ascetic

• one devoted to austerity', 'vivāda': 'dispute, controversy, debate', 'pakṣa': 'side in a debate

• position or thesis', 'bhārata': 'O descendant of Bharata

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhārata (Janamejaya)
• Indra
• yajña (sacrifice)
• tapasvins (ascetics)
• jāṅgama offerings (animals)
• sthāvara offerings (grains, fruits)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical-ritual dilemma: whether sacrificial duty is fulfilled through animal (jāṅgama) offerings or through non-violent, immobile (sthāvara) offerings like grains and fruits. It highlights that dharma can involve competing interpretations, especially when ritual obligation and non-harm are both valued.

What is happening in the narrative?

During Indra’s sacrifice, the gathered ascetics begin a major debate. Two factions form—one advocating animal sacrifice as proper to yajña, the other advocating offerings of grains/fruits—setting up a discussion on the correct means of performing the rite.