Shloka 5

सगरयज्ञाश्वहरणम्

The Stolen Sacrificial Horse of Sagara

Devanagari script

तयोर्मध्ये प्रवृत्तोऽभूद्यज्ञ स्सपुरुषोत्तम।स हि देशो नरव्याघ्र प्रशस्तो यज्ञकर्मणि।।1.39.5।।

Transliteration

tayor madhye pravṛtto 'bhūd yajñaḥ sa puruṣottama |

sa hi deśo naravyāghra praśasto yajñakarmaṇi || 1.39.5 ||

Translation

ਉਹਨਾਂ ਦੋ ਪਹਾੜਾਂ ਦੇ ਵਿਚਕਾਰ, ਹੇ ਪੁਰੁਸ਼ੋਤਮ, ਯਜ੍ਞ ਆਰੰਭ ਹੋਇਆ; ਹੇ ਨਰਵਿਆਘ੍ਰ, ਉਹ ਦੇਸ ਯਜ੍ਞ-ਕਰਮ ਲਈ ਬਹੁਤ ਹੀ ਪ੍ਰਸ਼ਸਤ ਸੀ।

Word by Word

• तयोः: of those two
• तयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी, द्विवचन (genitive dual)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन

• प्रवृत्तः: was undertaken
• प्रवृत्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√vṛt (धातु) → pravṛtta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘set in motion/undertaken’

• अभूत्: was
• अभूत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यज्ञः: the sacrifice
• यज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: that
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुरुष-उत्तम: O best of men
• पुरुष-उत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (puruṣāṇām uttamaḥ)

• सः: that
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक निपात (indeed/for)

• देशः: region
• देशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नर-व्याघ्र: O tiger among men
• नर-व्याघ्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (narāṇāṃ vyāghraḥ)

• प्रशस्तः: commendable, excellent
• प्रशस्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√śaṃs (धातु) → praśasta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; देश-विशेषण

• यज्ञ-कर्मणि: for/in sacrificial acts
• यज्ञ-कर्मणि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

Context

Then the gods together with the gandharvas, asuras and serpents in bewildered minds approached Lord Brahma.

Characters & Entities

• Himavān
• Vindhya
• Yajña (sacrifice)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes performing yajña in a proper place and manner—right action depends on right context, discipline, and adherence to sacred procedure.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra specifies where Sagara’s sacrifice took place: in the region between Himavān and Vindhya, considered auspicious for ritual.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Ritual conscientiousness: choosing an appropriate site reflects care for correctness (śuddhi) and truthfulness to prescribed duty.