Shloka 117

Śoka-śamana: Kṛṣṇa’s Consolation and Nārada’s Exempla to Sṛñjaya

Chapter 29

Devanagari script

सौवर्णी पृथिवीं कृत्वा दशव्यामां द्विरायताम्‌ । दक्षिणामददद्‌ राजा वाजिमेधे महाक्रतौ

Transliteration

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

Translation

Wika ni Vāyu: “Ipinagawa ng hari ang isang ‘lupang ginto’—sampung vyāma ang lapad at doble niyon ang haba—at ibinigay niya iyon bilang dakṣiṇā, ang handog na kabayaran sa sakripisyo, sa dakilang ritong Aśvamedha.”

Word by Word

• सौवर्णीम्: golden (made of gold)
• सौवर्णीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौवर्णी (सुवर्ण-सम्बन्धिनी)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पृथिवीम्: earth; ground (a piece of land)
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कृत्वा: having made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (करणे)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active, Non-finite

• दशव्यामाम्: ten-vyāma in extent (ten spans/arm-lengths)
• दशव्यामाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशव्यामा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• द्विरायताम्: twice as long (double in length)
• द्विरायताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विरायता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• दक्षिणाम्: sacrificial fee; gift (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अददत्: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दाने)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वाजिमेधे: in the Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
• वाजिमेधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजिमेध
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महाक्रतौ: in the great rite/sacrifice
• महाक्रतौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाक्रतु
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (speaker)
• rājā (the king)
• Aśvamedha (vājimedha)
• dakṣiṇā (sacrificial fee)
• sauvarṇī pṛthivī (golden earth/ground representation)

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.