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 said: “O Bhārata, (some held that) the sacrifice should be performed even with insentient, immobile offerings. In that sacrifice of Indra, among the assembled ascetics, a great dispute arose over this very question. One side argued that a rite should be carried out with moving beings—such as animals—while the other maintained that worship is rightly done with immobile offerings—such as grains and 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.