Shloka 25

राजपूजाविधानम् / Royal Reception Protocols during Āśvamedha Preparations

Devanagari script

संस्तरे कुशलाश्चापि सर्वकार्याणि याजका: । दिवसे दिवसे चक्रुर्यथाशास्त्रानुदर्शनात्‌,यज्ञकी वेदी बनानेमें निपुण याजकगण प्रतिदिन शास्त्रोक्त विधिके अनुसार सब कार्य सम्पन्न किया करते थे

Transliteration

saṃstare kuśalāś cāpi sarvakāryāṇi yājakāḥ | divase divase cakrur yathāśāstrānudarśanāt ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Các tư tế chủ lễ, tinh thông việc sắp đặt đàn tế và mọi dụng cụ, ngày qua ngày đều hoàn tất mọi nghi thức đúng như kinh điển śāstra đã quy định và chỉ dẫn. Câu chuyện nhấn mạnh rằng ngay cả đại lễ vương quyền như Aśvamedha cũng không đứng vững nhờ quyền lực, mà nhờ kỷ luật, sự hành trì hợp pháp và lòng trung thành với thủ tục thiêng.

Word by Word

• संस्तरे: in the (altar-)platform/strewing (place)
• संस्तरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्तर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• कुशलाः: skilled
• कुशलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुशल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• सर्वकार्याणि: all tasks/rites
• सर्वकार्याणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वकार्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• याजकाः: priests
• याजकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: याजक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दिवसे: in the day
• दिवसे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• दिवसे: day by day (lit. in (each) day)
• दिवसे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• चक्रुः: they performed/did
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• यथा: as/according to
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• शास्त्रानुदर्शनात्: from/according to the scriptural prescription (lit. from the scriptural guidance)
• शास्त्रानुदर्शनात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्रानुदर्शन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• yājakāḥ (officiating priests)
• śāstra (scriptural injunctions)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic integrity in ritual life: sacred acts should be performed with competence and, above all, in conformity with śāstric injunctions—regularly, carefully, and without arbitrariness.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Aśvamedha proceedings, the officiating priests are described as expertly arranging the sacrificial setup and completing the prescribed ritual duties each day, following the authoritative guidance of the śāstras.