Shloka 30

The Glory of Lamp-Donation

in Kārttika

Devanagari script

अश्वमेधसहस्रेण तस्य किं वा प्रयोजनम् । अश्वमेधप्रकर्ता यः स्वर्गं याति हरेर्दिने

Transliteration

aśvamedhasahasreṇa tasya kiṃ vā prayojanam | aśvamedhaprakartā yaḥ svargaṃ yāti harerdine

Translation

അവനു സഹസ്ര അശ്വമേധയാഗങ്ങളാൽ എന്തു പ്രയോജനം? അശ്വമേധം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ സ്വർഗ്ഗം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു—എന്നാൽ (ഈ ഫലം) ഹരിയുടെ ദിനത്തിൽ (ഹരിപൂജാദിനത്തിൽ) ലഭിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अश्वमेधसहस्रेण: by a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices
• अश्वमेधसहस्रेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (अश्वमेधानां सहस्रं)

• तस्य: for him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• किम्: what
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; प्रश्नवाचक

• वा: or/indeed
• वा: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (alternative/emphasis)

• प्रयोजनम्: use/purpose
• प्रयोजनम्: Karma/Prayojana (Purpose/result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• अश्वमेधप्रकर्ता: performer of the Aśvamedha
• अश्वमेधप्रकर्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (अश्वमेधस्य प्रकर्ता)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• स्वर्गम्: Karma (Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• दिने: on the day
• दिने: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Unspecified (context-dependent within Brahma-khaṇḍa Adhyaya 3)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: हरेः+दिने→हरेर्दिने (विसर्ग→र्)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

Does the verse reject the Aśvamedha sacrifice?

It does not deny the ritual’s merit; it relativizes it, implying that even great sacrificial results depend upon (or are fulfilled through) Hari/Viṣṇu.

What is meant by “on the day of Hari” (harer dine)?

It indicates that the fruition of the sacrifice—attaining heaven—is tied to Hari’s auspicious day/time, stressing Viṣṇu’s sovereignty over karmic results.

What ethical or spiritual emphasis does this verse convey?

It emphasizes that ritual grandeur alone is not ultimate; divine grace and devotion to Hari are presented as the decisive principle behind spiritual outcomes.