Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 61, Shloka 9

शुनःशेफविक्रयः

The Sale of Śunaḥśepa for the Sacrifice

Devanagari script

उपाध्यायवचश्श्रुत्वा स राजा पुरुषर्षभ।अन्वियेष महाबुद्धि: पशुं गोभिस्सहस्रश:।।।।

Transliteration

upādhyāyavacaḥ śrutvā sa rājā puruṣarṣabha | anv iyeṣa mahābuddhiḥ paśuṃ gobhiḥ sahasraśaḥ ||

Translation

اُپادھیائے کے کلام کو سن کر وہ راجا، جو مردِ برگزیدہ تھا اور بڑی دانائی والا، قربانی کے جانور کی تلاش میں نکلا، اور بدلے میں ہزاروں گائیں پیش کرتا گیا۔

Word by Word

• उपाध्यायवचः: the teacher-priest’s words
• उपाध्यायवचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाध्याय + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘उपाध्यायस्य वचः’)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having heard’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), एकवचन; refers to the king

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुरुषर्षभ: O best of men
• पुरुषर्षभ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• अन्वियेष: searched
• अन्वियेष: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + इष्/एष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘searched for’

• महाबुद्धिः: great-minded
• महाबुद्धिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (‘महती बुद्धिः यस्य/महाबुद्धिः’ used adjectivally for the king)

• पशुम्: an animal
• पशुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of anvieṣa

• गोभिः: with cows
• गोभिः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Case 3), बहुवचन; instrumental of accompaniment

• सहस्रशः: in thousands
• सहस्रशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक (distributive: by thousands)

Context

"O Best of men (Rama)! hearing the words of the high priest, the highly intellectual king searched for a human victim in exchange for thousands of cows.

Characters & Entities

• Ambarīṣa
• upādhyāya (priest)
• paśu (sacrificial victim)

FAQs

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

The king treats the completion of a vowed rite as a binding duty, attempting lawful restitution (payment/compensation) to obtain a substitute and preserve ritual integrity.

What is the narrative situation?

Ambarīṣa actively searches for a replacement victim, offering large wealth (thousands of cows) to secure one.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Diligence and resourcefulness in duty (udyama, prajñā): he does not delay but mobilizes wealth to meet the ritual requirement.