Shloka 15

Instruction to Śatrughna and the Mobilization for Rāma’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

पत्तयः शतशो मह्यमायांत्वस्त्राग्न्यपाणयः । हयमेधार्हवाहस्य रक्षणे विततोद्यमाः

Transliteration

pattayaḥ śataśo mahyamāyāṃtvastrāgnyapāṇayaḥ | hayamedhārhavāhasya rakṣaṇe vitatodyamāḥ

Translation

“ទាហានថ្មើរជើងរាប់រយបានមកជួយខ្ញុំ កាន់អាវុធ និងភ្លើងនៅក្នុងដៃ; ពួកគេប្រឹងប្រែងពេញទំហឹងក្នុងការការពារសេះដែលសមស្របសម្រាប់យជ្ញា អស្វមេធៈ”

Word by Word

• पत्तयः: soldiers, footmen
• पत्तयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शतशः: by hundreds
• शतशः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), प्रकार/परिमाण-अव्यय (adverb of manner/number): "by hundreds"

• मह्यम्: to me
• मह्यम्: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• आयान्तु: let them come
• आयान्तु: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + आ- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• त्वस्त्र-अग्नि-पाणयः: those with hands like Tvaṣṭṛ and Agni (mighty-handed ones)
• त्वस्त्र-अग्नि-पाणयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive-determinative): "(having) hands (like) Tvaṣṭṛ and Agni" / "Tvaṣṭṛ-Agni-handed" (epithet)

• हयमेध-अर्ह-वाहस्य: of the mount/horse worthy of the Aśvamedha
• हयमेध-अर्ह-वाहस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हयमेध (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक) + वाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास: "fit (अर्ह) for the horse-sacrifice (हयमेध)" qualifying "वाह" (mount/vehicle/horse)

• रक्षणे: in/for guarding, in protection
• रक्षणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location-occasion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• वितत-उद्यमाः: fully exerting themselves, with sustained effort
• वितत-उद्यमाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वितत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √तन् (धातु) + वि-) + उद्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारय: "विततः उद्यमः येषाम्" (having extended/fully-applied effort)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within the chapter; exact speaker not determinable from the single verse alone).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: मह्यमायांत्वस्त्राग्न्यपाणयः → मह्यम् + आयान्तु + त्वस्त्र-अग्नि-पाणयः; विततोद्यमाः → वितत-उद्यमाः; हयमेधार्हवाहस्य → हयमेध-अर्ह-वाहस्य.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvamedha (horse sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the “Aśvamedha-worthy horse” mentioned in this verse?

It refers to the consecrated horse designated for the Aśvamedha (horse sacrifice), a major royal rite where protecting the horse is essential to the ritual’s legitimacy.

Why are “weapons and fire” emphasized together here?

The pairing suggests both martial readiness (weapons) and forceful deterrence or ritual/strategic fire-use (agni), highlighting intense, all-out protection of the sacrificial horse.

What ethical or practical lesson does this verse convey?

It underscores vigilance and collective responsibility: a sacred or high-stakes undertaking is safeguarded through coordinated effort and unwavering commitment.