Shloka 12

Devanagari script

गजेन्द्रकुसुमाकीर्ण नीलवस्त्रानुलेपनम्‌ । निर्वपेत्‌ तं तु वल्मीके अस्तं याते दिवाकरे,इस प्रकार कहकर किसी बाँबीपर बलि निवेदन करे। उसपर नागकेसर बिखेर दे, चन्दन चढ़ा दे और उसे नीले कपड़ेसे ढक दे तथा सूर्यास्त होनेपर उस बलिको बाँबीके पास रख दे

Transliteration

gajendrakusumākīrṇaṃ nīlavāstrānulepanam | nirvapet taṃ tu valmīke astaṃ yāte divākare ||

Translation

നാഗകേസര (ഗജേന്ദ്രകുസുമ) പുഷ്പങ്ങൾ വിതറി, ചന്ദനലേപനം ചെയ്ത്, നീലവസ്ത്രം മൂടി; സൂര്യൻ അസ്തമിച്ച ശേഷം ആ ബലി വൽമീകത്തിനരികെ വെക്കണം।

Word by Word

गजेन्द्रकुसुमाकीर्णम्strewn with nāgakesara-flowers

नीलवस्त्रानुलेपनम्an anointing/covering with blue cloth (and unguent)

निर्वपेत्should offer / should place as an offering

तम्that (offering/him)

तुbut/indeed

वल्मीकेat/on the anthill

अस्तम्to setting (at sunset)

यातेwhen (it) has gone

दिवाकरेwhen the sun (is)

Speaker

रेणुक उवाच

Characters & Entities

Reṇukā

valmīka (anthill)

divākara (the sun)

nāgakesara (gajendrakusuma) flowers

nīlavāstra (blue cloth)

anulepana (sandal/unguent)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores disciplined ritual propriety: an offering should be prepared with prescribed auspicious items (flowers, unguents, cloth) and presented at the proper time (sunset). Ethical emphasis lies in orderly, non-harmful observance and reverence toward the sacred context associated with the anthill.

What is happening in the narrative?

Reṇukā gives step-by-step instructions for making a bali (ritual offering) at a valmīka (anthill): decorate it with nāgakesara blossoms, apply fragrant anointing (such as sandal), cover it with a blue cloth, and place it by the anthill after sunset.