HomeRamayanaBala KandaSarga 14Shloka 20
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Shloka 20

अश्वमेधप्रवृत्तिः

Commencement and Performance of Daśaratha’s Aśvamedha

प्राप्ते यूपोच्छ्रये तस्मिन्षड्बैल्वा: खादिरास्तथा।तावन्तो बिल्वसहिता: पर्णिनश्च तथापरे।।।।श्लेष्मातकमयस्त्वेको देवदारुमयस्तथा।द्वावेव विहितौ तत्र बाहुव्यस्तपरिग्रहौ।।।।

prāpte yūpocchraye tasmin ṣaḍbailvāḥ khādirās tathā |

tāvanto bilvasahitāḥ parṇinaś ca tathāpare ||

śleṣmātakamayas tv eko devadārumayas tathā |

dvāv eva vihitau tatra bāhuvyastaparigrahau ||

Nang dumating ang oras ng pagtindig ng mga yūpa, anim ang itinayo na mula sa bilva at gayundin sa khadira; kasingdami pa ang inilagay na may kasamang bilva, at iba pa na mula sa kahoy na parṇi. Isa ang yari sa śleṣmātaka, at dalawa ang mula sa devadāru; at doon sila inilagay na may pagitan na sukat ng dalawang nakaunat na bisig.

prāptewhen (the occasion) had arrived
prāpte:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpra + āp (धातु)
FormKṛdanta: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (एकवचन), Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka agreement by context; used as locative absolute with yūpocchraye/tasmin: ‘when (it was) reached/when the time came’
yūpa-ucchrayeat the raising/erection of the sacrificial posts
yūpa-ucchraye:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootyūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ucchraya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (एकवचन)
tasminin that (time/occasion)
tasmin:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga/napuṃsaka (contextual), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (एकवचन)
ṣaṭsix
ṣaṭ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNumeral (संख्या), indeclinable-like; qualifying bailvāḥ
bailvāḥbilva-wood (posts)
bailvāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootbailva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); ‘made of bilva-wood’ (qualifying implied yūpāḥ)
khādirāḥkhadira-wood (posts)
khādirāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootkhādira (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; ‘made of khadira’
tathāand/also
tathā:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, conjunction/adverb (समुच्चय/क्रियाविशेषण)
tāvantaḥas many (the same number)
tāvantaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Roottāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; ‘as many (as those)’
bilva-sahitāḥaccompanied with bilva (posts)
bilva-sahitāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootbilva (प्रातिपदिक) + sahita (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; ‘together with bilva (posts)’
parṇinaḥleafy (posts)
parṇinaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootparṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; ‘leafy/with leaves’
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, conjunction (समुच्चय)
tathāalso
tathā:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, conjunction/adverb
apareothers (posts)
apare:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootapara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; ‘others’ (implied yūpāḥ)
śleṣmātaka-mayaḥmade of śleṣmātaka
śleṣmātaka-mayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootśleṣmātaka (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘made of śleṣmātaka wood’
tubut
tu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, adversative particle (निपात)
ekaḥone
ekaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rooteka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; qualifying implied yūpaḥ
devadāru-mayaḥmade of devadāru
devadāru-mayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootdevadāru (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘made of deodar’
tathāalso
tathā:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, ‘also’
dvautwo
dvau:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootdvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana (द्विवचन)
evaindeed/just
eva:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, emphasis particle (निपात)
vihitauwere erected/placed
vihitau:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvi + dhā (धातु)
FormKṛdanta: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana; used predicatively ‘were set/placed’
tatrathere
tatra:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottatra (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, deśavācaka
bāhu-vyasta-parigrahauwith spacing of outstretched arms (apart)
bāhu-vyasta-parigrahau:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootbāhu (प्रातिपदिक) + vyasta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + parigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana; bahuvrīhi describing the two posts: ‘having a span/interval of outstretched arms’

When the time came to erect sacrificial posts, six posts each made of bilva and khadira wood and many made of parni wood along, one of sleshmataka and two of devadaru wood, with a distance of two outstretched hands between them were erected.

Y
Yūpa (sacrificial post)
B
Bilva (wood/tree)

FAQs

Dharma is precision and fidelity in sacred action: even materials and measurements are regulated, showing that righteousness includes careful, truthful adherence to prescribed standards.

The yajña advances to the stage of erecting yūpa posts; the text inventories woods and spacing, highlighting ritual exactness.

Reverence expressed through meticulous order—careful preparation as a form of integrity in worship and public duty.