Valmiki Ramayana 1.14.7: Bala Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 7
अश्वमेधप्रवृत्तिः · Commencement and Performance of Daśaratha’s Aśvamedha
Setting: Ayodhyā (yajña-śālā)
तृतीयसवनं चैव राज्ञोऽस्य सुमहात्मनः ।
चक्रुस्तेशास्त्रतो दृष्ट्वा तथा ब्राह्मणपुङ्गवाः ॥७॥
tṛtīya-savanaṃ caiva rājño ’sya su-mahātmanaḥ |
cakrus te śāstrato dṛṣṭvā tathā brāhmaṇa-puṅgavāḥ ||7||
उसके बाद तीसरी बार सोम का पानी निकाला। बड़े पंडित लोगों ने शास्त्र देख के सही तरह से यह काम किया। यह सब उस बड़े राजा के लिए किया गया।
Sandhi Notes
- चैव = च + एव
- राज्ञोऽस्य = राज्ञः + अस्य
- चक्रुस्ते = चक्रुः + ते
Those exceedingly noble and eminent brahmins performed third pressing of the soma, in conformity with the sastras.
The teaching
Excellence in duty is grounded in śāstra and careful attention; competence is itself a dharmic virtue.
- Ethical theme
- Professional_dharma (svadharma of priests)
For your practice
Models śraddhā + śāstra-guided practice; encourages disciplined adherence to one’s sādhana method rather than improvisation.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace), with Vira (heroism)
- Mood
- Disciplined, competent, solemn
Themes
- Dharma
- Vedic ritual
- Royal duty
- Satya
- Itihasa
Outer śāstra-anusāra foreshadows inner śāstra-cakṣuṣā—seeing through scripture as a means to right action and later right knowledge.
Muṇḍaka’s contrast of lower knowledge (aparā vidyā: ritual) and higher (parā) is implicitly present—here the aparā is performed flawlessly by the qualified.
Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa: savana-traya structure and roles of priests; Mahābhārata: praise of learned Brāhmaṇas performing rites per śāstra
Vedic ritual injunctions (śrauta-sūtra tradition)
Bālakāṇḍa 14: sequential description of savanas in Daśaratha’s sacrifice
Anuṣṭup (śloka)
Narrative
Madhyama (middle register)
FAQs
Dharma is shown as disciplined adherence to śāstra: sacred acts are to be performed correctly, not arbitrarily, especially when undertaken for public and cosmic welfare.
During King Daśaratha’s great sacrifice, the officiating Brahmins complete the ritual sequence by performing the third (evening) Soma-pressing in full conformity with Vedic rules.
Ritual integrity and conscientiousness (niyama, śāstra-niṣṭhā) of the Brahmins, reflecting a culture of responsibility in sacred duty.
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