Shloka 12

जामदग्न्यस्य विलापः, प्रतिज्ञा, क्षत्रिय-निग्रहः, दानयज्ञश्च

Jāmadagnya Rāma’s Lament, Vow, Kṣatriya Suppression, and Gifts

Devanagari script

वेदीं चाप्पयददद्धैमीं कश्यपाय महात्मने । दशव्यामायतां कृत्वा नवोत्सेधां विशाम्पते,युधिष्ठिर! उन्होंने महात्मा कश्यपको एक सोनेकी वेदी प्रदान की, जिसकी लम्बाई- चौड़ाई दस-दस व्याम (चालीस-चालीस हाथ)-की थी। ऊँचाईमें भी वह वेदी नौ व्याम (छत्तीस हाथ)-की थी

Transliteration

vedīṁ cāpy adad dhēmīṁ kaśyapāya mahātmane | daśa-vyāmāyatāṁ kṛtvā navotsedhāṁ viśāṁ-pate yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

Rama disse: “Ó senhor dos povos, Yudhiṣṭhira, ele ofereceu ao magnânimo Kaśyapa um altar sacrificial de ouro—feito com dez vyāmas de comprimento e de largura, e elevado à altura de nove vyāmas.”

Word by Word

वेदीम्altar

चand

अप्पयत्gave, presented

अदद्धैमीम्golden

कश्यपायto Kaśyapa

महात्मनेto the great-souled one

दशव्यामायताम्having a length/extent of ten vyāmas

कृत्वाhaving made

नवोत्सेधाम्having a height of nine (vyāmas)

विशाम्पतेO lord of the people

युधिष्ठिरO Yudhiṣṭhira

Speaker

राम उवाच

Characters & Entities

Rama

Yudhiṣṭhira

Kaśyapa

golden vedī (sacrificial altar)

vyāma (unit of measure)

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 dāna aligned with dharma: wealth is best used in righteous, sacrificial contexts and offered to worthy sages, reflecting responsible kingship and the pursuit of merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Rama addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and describes a grand gift: a golden sacrificial altar given to the sage Kaśyapa, specifying its impressive dimensions in vyāmas.