Shloka 4

हयमेध

यज्ञोपक्रमः — Commencement of the Aśvamedha Preparations

Devanagari script

भवान् स्निग्धस्सुहृन्मह्यं गुरुश्च परमो महान्।ओढव्यो भवता चैव भारो यज्ञस्य चोद्यत:।।1.13.4।।

Transliteration

bhavān snigdhaḥ suhṛn mahyaṃ guruś ca paramo mahān |

oḍhavyo bhavatā caiva bhāro yajñasya codyataḥ || 1.13.4 ||

Translation

તમે મારા પ્રત્યે સ્નેહી સુહૃદ પણ છો અને પરમ મહાન, પૂજ્ય ગુરુ પણ છો; તેથી આરંભાયેલ આ યજ્ઞનો ભાર નિશ્ચયે તમારે જ વહન કરવો.

Word by Word

• bhavān: you
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of implied 'asi' and of oḍhavyaḥ construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (भवत्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun of address, Masculine Nominative Singular

• snigdhaḥ: affectionate
• snigdhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: snigdha (स्निग्ध) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Nominative Singular; predicate adjective of bhavān

• suhṛt: friend
• suhṛt: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suhṛd (सुहृद्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Nominative Singular; predicate noun of bhavān

• mahyam: to me
• mahyam: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान) (beneficiary/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (अस्मद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (चतुर्थी) Singular

• guruḥ: teacher
• guruḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (गुरु) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Nominative Singular; predicate noun

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• paramaḥ: supreme
• paramaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (परम) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Nominative Singular; intensifier/qualifier

• mahān: great
• mahān: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahant (महत्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Nominative Singular; predicate adjective

• oḍhavyaḥ: must be borne
• oḍhavyaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया) (obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vah (वह्) (धातु) → oḍhavya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Gerundive/necessitative (तव्यत्): 'to be borne'; Masculine Nominative Singular; agrees with bhāraḥ

• bhavatā: by you
• bhavatā: Karaṇa (करण) / Agent-in-passive (कर्तृकरण) (doer in passive obligation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (भवत्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया) Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle (निपात): 'indeed/alone'

• bhāraḥ: burden
• bhāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of passive-necessitative predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāra (भार) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular; subject of oḍhavyaḥ

• yajñasya: of the sacrifice
• yajñasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (यज्ञ) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी) Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• udyataḥ: that has begun
• udyataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-yam (उद् + यम्) (धातु) → udyata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: PPP (क्त) / adjectival: 'raised/undertaken/commenced'; Masculine Genitive Singular agreeing with yajñasya (yajñasya udyataḥ = 'of the commenced sacrifice')

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Vasiṣṭha
• yajña (sacrifice)

FAQs

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

Honoring the guru and entrusting sacred duties to qualified authority is dharma; the king recognizes that spiritual leadership rightly guides royal action.

What is the narrative situation?

As the sacrifice is being organized, Daśaratha expresses reliance on Vasiṣṭha as both trusted friend and preceptor, placing the yajña’s responsibility under his guidance.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence and humility: Daśaratha models respect for spiritual authority and willingness to be guided in dharmic action.