Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 61, Shloka 13

शुनःशेफविक्रयः

The Sale of Śunaḥśepa for the Sacrifice

Devanagari script

गवां शतसहस्रेण विक्रीणीषे सुतं यदि।।।।पशोरर्थे महाभाग कृतकृत्योऽस्मि भार्गव।

Transliteration

gavāṃ śatasahasreṇa vikrīṇīṣe sutaṃ yadi | paśor arthe mahābhāga kṛtakṛtyo 'smi bhārgava ||

Translation

മഹാഭാഗനായ ഭാർഗവാ! യജ്ഞപശുവിന്റെ ആവശ്യത്തിനായി ഒരു ലക്ഷം പശുക്കളുടെ വിലയ്ക്ക് നിന്റെ പുത്രന്മാരിൽ ഒരാളെ നീ വിൽക്കുമെങ്കിൽ, എന്റെ കാര്യം സഫലമാകും.

Word by Word

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; adjective of deśāḥ

• परिसृता: traversed/roamed
• परिसृता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + सृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘roamed over’ (agreeing with deśāḥ)

• देशाः: countries
• देशाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; subject of implied ‘(mayā) parisṛtāḥ’

• याज्ञीयम्: sacrificial
• याज्ञीयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याज्ञीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective of paśum (‘fit for sacrifice’)

• न: not
• न: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• लभे: I obtain
• लभे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘I obtain’

• पशुम्: an animal
• पशुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of labhe

• दातुम्: to give
• दातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive), ‘to give’

• अर्हसि: you should
• अर्हसि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘you ought/are fit’

• मूल्येन: for a price
• मूल्येन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental of price

• सुतम्: a son
• सुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of dātum

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective of sutam

• इतः: from among these
• इतः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपादानार्थे (from here/from among these)

• मम: for me
• मम: Sampradāna/Sambandha (सम्प्रदान/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन; ‘for me/of me’

Context

"O Fortunate descendent of the Bhrigu race! if your son is sold as a sacrificial animal in exchange for a hundred thousand cows, my purpose will be answered.

Characters & Entities

• King Ambarīṣa
• Ṛcīka
• Bhṛgu lineage (Bhārgava)
• cows

FAQs

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

It raises a dharmic tension: the king seeks to complete a sacrifice (a duty) but proposes a transaction involving a human life, prompting reflection on limits of ritual means.

What is the narrative situation?

Ambarīṣa, unable to find a sacrificial animal, asks Ṛcīka to sell a son in exchange for cows for use in the rite.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ambarīṣa’s determination to complete the sacrifice—though the verse also foreshadows the need for discernment (viveka) about righteous methods.