Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 49, Shloka 8

अहल्याशापमोक्षः

The Release of Ahalya and Indra’s Restoration

Devanagari script

अग्नेस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा पितृदेवास्समागता:।उत्पाट्य मेषवृषणौ सहस्राक्षे न्यवेशयन्।।।।

Transliteration

agnēs tu vacanaṁ śrutvā pitṛdevāḥ samāgatāḥ | utpāṭya meṣavṛṣaṇau sahasrākṣe nyaveśayan ||

Translation

Mendengar sabda Agni, para Pitṛdevatā pun berkumpul; mereka mencabut buah zakar domba itu dan menanamkannya pada Sahasrākṣa (Indra).

Word by Word

• agneḥ: of Agni
• agneḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• tu: but/then
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• vacanam: word(s)/command
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त)

• pitṛdevāḥ: the Pitṛ-deities
• pitṛdevāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛdeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; कर्मधारय

• samāgatāḥ: assembled
• samāgatāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√gam (सम्+आ+गम् धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural; ‘having assembled/come together’

• utpāṭya: having extracted
• utpāṭya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√paṭ (उद् + पट्/पाट् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यबन्त), ‘having torn out/extracted’

• meṣavṛṣaṇau: the ram’s two testicles
• meṣavṛṣaṇau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meṣa (मेष) + vṛṣaṇa (वृषण) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Dual; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी): ‘ram’s testicles’

• sahasrākṣe: in/onto Sahasrākṣa (Indra)
• sahasrākṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (सहस्र) + akṣa (अक्ष) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; बहुव्रीहि: ‘one who has a thousand eyes’ (Indra)

• nyaveśayan: they implanted/placed
• nyaveśayan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-ava-√viś (नि+अव+विश् धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person, Plural; parasmaipada

Context

Hearing the words of the Fire-god the pitrudevatas assembled, uprooted the testicles of the ram and grafted them on to Indra.

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Pitṛdevatās
• Sahasrākṣa (Indra)
• meṣa (ram)

FAQs

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

Dharma is coordinated action in accordance with legitimate instruction: the Pitṛdevatās uphold order by executing Agni’s directive without delay.

What is the narrative situation?

The Pitṛdevatās respond to Agni’s command by physically performing the transfer that restores Indra.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Collective discipline and dutiful compliance: they act as custodians of ritual and cosmic stability.