Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 34

अश्वमेधप्रवृत्तिः

Commencement and Performance of Daśaratha’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

पतत्रिणस्तस्य वपा मुद्धृत्य नियतेन्द्रिय:।ऋत्विक्परमसम्पन्न: श्रपयामास शास्त्रत:।।।।

Transliteration

patatriṇas tasya vapāṃ uddhṛtya niyatendriyaḥ |

ṛtvik paramasampannaḥ śrapayāmāsa śāstrataḥ ||

Translation

Alors l’officiant, maître de ses sens et parfaitement accompli dans la science des śāstra, retira la vapā du cheval et la fit cuire selon la règle scripturaire.

Word by Word

• पतत्रिणः: of the horse
• पतत्रिणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patatrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वपाम्: marrow/omentum
• वपाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उद्धृत्य: having removed
• उद्धृत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uddhṛtya (कृदन्त; √hṛ (धातु) + उद्- उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund) = 'having taken out/removed'

• नियत-इन्द्रियः: restrained-sensed
• नियत-इन्द्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyata (कृदन्त; √yam (धातु) + नि-) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि = 'one whose senses are restrained'

• ऋत्विक्: the officiating priest
• ऋत्विक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtvik/ṛtvij (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परम-सम्पन्नः: highly accomplished
• परम-सम्पन्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + sampanna (कृदन्त; √pad (धातु) + सम्-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय = 'supremely accomplished'

• श्रपयामास: cooked
• श्रपयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śrap (धातु; to cook)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; periphrastic perfect sense 'cooked'

• शास्त्रतः: according to scripture
• शास्त्रतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śāstratas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण

Context

The official priest, highly knowledgeable in scriptures and having restrained senses, removed the marrow from the horse and cooked it according to tradition.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvamedha horse

FAQs

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

Dharma is the union of right knowledge and right conduct: ritual authority is grounded in self-restraint and faithful execution according to śāstra.

What is the narrative situation?

A specific Aśvamedha procedure is described: the priest extracts a designated portion (vapā) and prepares it in the prescribed way.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Niyatendriyatā—mastery over the senses—presented as essential for sacred action.