Shloka 117

Śoka-śamana: Kṛṣṇa’s Consolation and Nārada’s Exempla to Sṛñjaya

Chapter 29

Devanagari script

सौवर्णी पृथिवीं कृत्वा दशव्यामां द्विरायताम्‌ । दक्षिणामददद्‌ राजा वाजिमेधे महाक्रतौ

Transliteration

sauvarṇī pṛthivīṃ kṛtvā daśavyāmāṃ dvirāyatām | dakṣiṇām adadad rājā vājimedhe mahākratau |

Translation

वायू म्हणाला—राजाने दहा व्याम रुंद आणि त्याच्या दुप्पट लांब अशी सुवर्णमयी ‘पृथ्वी’ बनवून, महाक्रतु अश्वमेधात ती दक्षिणा म्हणून दान केली.

Word by Word

• सौवर्णीम्: golden (made of gold)
• सौवर्णीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौवर्णी (सुवर्ण-सम्बन्धिनी)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पृथिवीम्: earth; ground (a piece of land)
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कृत्वा: having made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (करणे)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active, Non-finite

• दशव्यामाम्: ten-vyāma in extent (ten spans/arm-lengths)
• दशव्यामाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशव्यामा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• द्विरायताम्: twice as long (double in length)
• द्विरायताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विरायता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• दक्षिणाम्: sacrificial fee; gift (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अददत्: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वाजिमेधे: in the Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
• वाजिमेधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजिमेध
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महाक्रतौ: in the great rite/sacrifice
• महाक्रतौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाक्रतु
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (speaker)
• rājā (the king)
• Aśvamedha (vājimedha)
• dakṣiṇā (sacrificial fee)
• sauvarṇī pṛthivī (golden earth/ground representation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores dharmic kingship expressed through regulated generosity: a ruler should convert wealth into merit by giving appropriate dakṣiṇā in a properly performed sacrifice, treating riches as instruments of duty rather than private indulgence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu describes a king’s extraordinary gift at an Aśvamedha: a gold-made ‘earth’ (a crafted representation/expanse) measured ten vyāmas wide and twice as long, given as the ritual fee to officiants, illustrating the scale and intent of sacrificial giving.