Valmiki Ramayana 1.8.2: Bala Kanda, Sarga 8, Shloka 2

अष्टमः सर्गः

Daśaratha Resolves on the Aśvamedha (Horse-Sacrifice) for Progeny

Devanagari script

चिन्तयानस्य तस्यैवं बुद्धिरासीन्महात्मन: ।सुतार्थं हयमेधेन किमर्थं न यजाम्यहम्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 1.8.2

Transliteration

cintayānasya tasyaivaṁ buddhir āsīn mahātmanaḥ |

sutārthaṁ hayamedhena kimarthaṁ na yajāmy aham ||

Translation

เมื่อพระราชาผู้มีจิตอันยิ่งใหญ่ทรงใคร่ครวญดังนั้น ก็เกิดปณิธานขึ้นในพระทัยว่า “เพื่อให้ได้โอรส เหตุไฉนเราจึงไม่ประกอบอัศวเมธยัญพิธีเล่า?”

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Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: कर्म (Karma/Object) (of पूजयित्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन

• पूजयित्वा: having honoured
• पूजयित्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (prior action; relates to main verb अब्रवीत्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूजयित्वा (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having honoured'

• धर्मात्मा: the righteous one
• धर्मात्मा: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: धर्मात्मन् = 'righteous-souled'; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• राजा: king
• राजा: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject) (apposition to दशरथः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दशरथः: Daśaratha
• दशरथः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: सम्बन्ध (adverbial time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्म (Karma/Object) (qualifier of vacanam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् to 'वचनम्'

• धर्मार्थसहितम्: endowed with righteousness and purpose
• धर्मार्थसहितम्: कर्म (Karma/Object) (qualifier of vacanam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + अर्थ + सहित (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (coordinative inside, then with 'सहित'): धर्मार्थयोः सहितम् = 'accompanied by dharma and artha'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् to 'वचनम्'

• श्लक्ष्णम्: gentle / gracious
• श्लक्ष्णम्: कर्म (Karma/Object) (qualifier of vacanam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् to 'वचनम्'

• वचनम्: words / speech
• वचनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object) (of अब्रवीत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said / spoke
• अब्रवीत्: क्रिया (main verb) — कर्ता: दशरथः, कर्म: वचनम्
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Context

On hearing the words of the brahmins, the king was pleased and said to his ministers with eyes excited with delight.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Aśvamedha (Hayamedha)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is the king’s responsibility to pursue legitimate aims (such as heirs for dynastic continuity) through sanctioned means—Vedic procedure and disciplined resolve rather than impulse.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha, troubled by the lack of sons, reflects and arrives at the decision to undertake the Aśvamedha to obtain progeny.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and purposeful resolve—he forms a plan aligned with established religious and royal norms.