Shloka 33

राजपूजाविधानम् / Royal Reception Protocols during Āśvamedha Preparations

Devanagari script

ततो नियुक्ता: पशवो यथाशास्त्रं मनीषिभि: । तं तं देवं समुद्दिश्य पक्षिण: पशवश्च ये

Transliteration

tato niyuktāḥ paśavo yathāśāstraṃ manīṣibhiḥ | taṃ taṃ devaṃ samuddiśya pakṣiṇaḥ paśavaś ca ye

Translation

అనంతరం మునిప్రజ్ఞులు శాస్త్రవిధి ప్రకారం పశువులను నియమించిరి. ఏ ఏ పక్షులు, పశువులు ఉన్నవో, అవి తమ తమ దేవతలను ఉద్దేశించి అర్పింపబడినవి।

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

नियुक्ताःwere appointed/assigned

पशवःanimals (sacrificial beasts)

यथाas, according to

शास्त्रम्scriptural rule, injunction

मनीषिभिःby the sages/wise men

तम्that (him/that one)

तम्that (each respective)

देवम्deity, god

समुद्दिश्यhaving indicated/with reference to, addressing

पक्षिणःbirds

पशवःanimals

चand

येwhich, who (those that)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

devas (various deities, unspecified)

paśavaḥ (animals)

pakṣiṇaḥ (birds)

śāstra (ritual injunctions)

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 emphasizes dharmic procedure: even powerful royal rites must be conducted strictly according to śāstra and under the supervision of the learned, with each act intentionally dedicated to its proper divine purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Aśvamedha proceedings, the officiants arrange and assign the sacrificial animals—birds and beasts—so that each is formally dedicated to a particular deity as prescribed by ritual law.