Shloka 117

Devanagari script

सौवर्णी पृथिवीं कृत्वा दशव्यामां द्विरायताम्‌ । दक्षिणामददद्‌ राजा वाजिमेधे महाक्रतौ,“राजा गयने महायज्ञ अश्वमेधमें दस व्याम (पचास हाथ) चौड़ी और इससे दूनी लंबी सोनेकी पृथ्वी बनवाकर दक्षिणारूपसे दान की थी

Transliteration

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

Translation

सौवर्णीं पृथिवीं कृत्वा दशव्यामां द्विरायताम्। दक्षिणामददद् राजा वाजिमेधे महाक्रतौ॥

Word by Word

सौवर्णीम्golden (made of gold)

पृथिवीम्earth; ground (a piece of land)

कृत्वाhaving made

दशव्यामाम्ten-vyāma in extent (ten spans/arm-lengths)

द्विरायताम्twice as long (double in length)

दक्षिणाम्sacrificial fee; gift (dakṣiṇā)

अददत्gave

राजाthe king

वाजिमेधेin the Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)

महाक्रतौin the great rite/sacrifice

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva (speaker)

rājā (the king)

Aśvamedha (vājimedha)

dakṣiṇā (sacrificial fee)

sauvarṇī pṛthivī (golden earth/ground representation)

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 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.