Shloka 32

राजपूजाविधानम् / Royal Reception Protocols during Āśvamedha Preparations

Devanagari script

चतुश्नित्यश्न॒ तस्यासीदष्टादशकरात्मक: । स रुकक्‍्मपक्षो निचितस्त्रिकोणो गरुडाकृति:,उस यज्ञमण्डपमें अग्निचयनके लिये चार स्थान बने थे। उनमेंसे प्रत्येककी लम्बाई- चौड़ाई अठारह हाथकी थी। प्रत्येक वेदी सुवर्णमय पंखसे युक्त एवं गरुड़के समान आकारवाली थी। वह त्रिकोणाकार बनायी गयी थी

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

catuḥ sthityāśna tasya āsīd aṣṭādaśa-karātmakaḥ |

sa rukma-pakṣo nicitas trikoṇo garuḍākṛtiḥ ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «В том жертвенном ограждении были приготовлены четыре постоянных места для выкладки огненного алтаря (агни-чайана). Каждое имело восемнадцать локтей в длину и ширину. Каждый алтарь был тщательно сложен треугольником, снабжён золотыми крыльями и создан по образу Гаруды.»

Word by Word

चतुःfour (in number)

नित्यश्नःthe perpetual eater (a class/name; here used as a designation)

तस्यof that / his

आसीत्was

अष्टादशeighteen

करात्मकःhaving the measure of cubits (hands)

सःthat / it

रुक्मपक्षःhaving golden wings

निचितःpiled up / constructed

त्रिकोणःtriangular

गरुडाकृतिःhaving the form of Garuḍa

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

yajña-maṇḍapa (sacrificial enclosure)

agni-cayana (fire-altar construction)

vedī (altar)

Garuḍa

rukma (golden wings)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma expressed through meticulous ritual order: sacred acts require precision, restraint, and reverence. The carefully measured, Garuḍa-shaped altar symbolizes disciplined kingship and the elevation of intention through correct performance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes the physical preparation for the sacrifice: four designated sites for constructing the fire-altar are laid out, each eighteen cubits in measure, and the altars are built as triangular, golden-winged structures shaped like Garuḍa.