Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 32

अश्वमेधप्रवृत्तिः

Commencement and Performance of Daśaratha’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

पतत्रिणा तदा सार्धं सुस्थितेन च चेतसा।अवसद्रजनीमेकां कौशल्या धर्मकाम्यया।।।।

Transliteration

patatriṇā tadā sārdhaṃ susthitena ca cetasā |

avasad rajanīm ekāṃ kauśalyā dharmakāmyayā ||

Translation

پھر کوسلیا—دل میں ثابت قدم اور دھرم کی کامنا رکھنے والی—قربانی کے گھوڑے کے پاس ایک رات تک جاگتی رہی اور اس کی خدمت میں رہی۔

Word by Word

• पतत्रिणा: with the horse
• पतत्रिणा: Sahakāraka (सह/साकं)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patatrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; 'with the winged one' (here: horse, per context)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahakāraka (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārdham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with/together with)

• सुस्थितेन: with well-settled
• सुस्थितेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-sthita (कृदन्त; √sthā (धातु) + सु-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) = 'well-settled/stable' (qualifies cetasā)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• चेतसा: mind
• चेतसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अवसत्: spent/dwelt
• अवसत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रजनीम्: night
• रजनीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एकाम्: one
• एकाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्या-विशेषण (qualifies rajanīm)

• कौशल्या: Kausalyā
• कौशल्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kauśalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• धर्मकाम्यया: with desire for dharma
• धर्मकाम्यया: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma-kāmyā (प्रातिपदिक: dharma + kāmyā)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य काम्या) = 'desiring dharma'

Context

Kausalya, in her devotion to duty and with a happy state of mind, passed one night near that horse.

Characters & Entities

• Kauśalyā
• Aśvamedha horse (patatri)

FAQs

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

Dharma is shown as disciplined adherence to a vowed religious duty: Kauśalyā performs the prescribed observance with steadiness of mind, treating ritual responsibility as a moral commitment.

What is the narrative situation?

During Daśaratha’s Aśvamedha, Kauśalyā keeps the prescribed night-long attendance near the sacrificial horse as part of the rite.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kauśalyā’s dharma-niṣṭhā (faithful devotion to duty) and mental steadiness (sthira-citta).