Valmiki Ramayana 1.49.9: Bala Kanda, Sarga 49, Shloka 9

अहल्याशापमोक्षः

The Release of Ahalya and Indra’s Restoration

Devanagari script

तदा प्रभृति काकुत्स्थ पितृदेवास्समागता:।अफलान् भुञ्जते मेषान् फलैस्तेषामयोजयन्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 1.49.9

Transliteration

tadā prabhṛti kākutstha pitṛdevāḥ samāgatāḥ | aphalān bhuñjate meṣān phalais teṣām ayojayan ||

Translation

«Ó Kakutstha, desde então os Pitṛdevatās reunidos aceitam como oferenda carneiros sem testículos, pois estes foram ajustados a Indra.»

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Word by Word

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kālādhi karaṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• prabhṛti: from then onwards
• prabhṛti: Kālādhi karaṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prabhṛti (अव्यय)
• Form: Postposition-like indeclinable meaning ‘from (that time) onwards’

• kākutstha: O Kakutstha
• kākutstha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• pitṛdevāḥ: the Pitṛ-deities
• pitṛdevāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛdeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• samāgatāḥ: assembled
• samāgatāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• aphalān: testicle-less
• aphalān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + phala (फल प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; qualifies meṣān

• bhuñjate: eat/partake (accept as offering)
• bhuñjate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (भुज् धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person, Plural; ātmanepada

• meṣān: rams
• meṣān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• phalaiḥ: with the testicles
• phalaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; here ‘with (their) phala’ i.e., testicles

• teṣām: of them/their
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th), Plural; pronoun

• ayojayan: they attached
• ayojayan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-√yuj (अ + युज् धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person, Plural; parasmaipada; ‘they fitted/attached’

Context

"O Son of the Kakutsthas! from then on the pitrudevatas have been accepting rams without testicles as offerings in a sacrifice, with ram's testicles fitted on to Indra.

Characters & Entities

• Kākutstha (Rāma)
• Pitṛdevatās
• Indra
• meṣa (ram)

FAQs

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

Dharma is the creation and preservation of precedent (ācāra): once a corrective ritual is established, tradition continues in a regulated, consistent form.

What is the narrative situation?

The text explains the lasting consequence of the episode: Pitṛdevatās thereafter accept rams without testicles, because the testicles are assigned to Indra.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfast adherence to established practice—continuity in ritual conduct is treated as a virtue sustaining communal order.