Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 20

द्वादशः सर्गः — Aśvamedha-saṅkalpa

Daśaratha resolves on the Horse Sacrifice

Devanagari script

ततो द्विजास्ते धर्मज्ञमस्तुवन्पार्थिवर्षभम्।अनुज्ञातास्ततस्सर्वे पुनर्जग्मुर्यथागतम्।।।।

Transliteration

tato dvijāste dharmajñam astuvan pārthivarṣabham | anujñātās tataḥ sarve punar jagmur yathāgatam ||

Translation

Bấy giờ các vị Bà-la-môn ấy tán dương bậc vương giả như hùng ngưu giữa các vua, người thấu triệt Dharma; được Ngài chuẩn thuận, tất cả đều trở về theo lối cũ.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (temporal setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण): 'thereafter/then'

• dvijāḥ: brahmins (twice-born)
• dvijāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of astuvan/jagmuḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Plural (बहुवचन)

• te: those
• te: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier of dvijāḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun used adjectivally (सर्वनाम-विशेषण), Masculine, Nominative Plural

• dharmajñam: knower of righteousness
• dharmajñam: Karma (कर्म) (object of astuvan)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma-jña (धर्म + ज्ञ) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) (object-determinative: 'knower of dharma'); Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन)

• astuvan: praised
• astuvan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (स्तु) (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• pārthivarṣabham: the best of kings
• pārthivarṣabham: Karma (कर्म) (apposition to dharmajñam; object of astuvan)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva-rṣabha (पार्थिव + ऋषभ) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ('bull among kings' = best king); Masculine, Accusative Singular

• anujñātāḥ: having been permitted
• anujñātāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier of dvijāḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-jñā (अनु + ज्ञा) (धातु) → anujñāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त, PPP), Masculine Nominative Plural; sense: 'having been permitted/allowed'

• tataḥ: from there
• tataḥ: Apādāna (अपादान) (source point, adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb: 'from there/thereafter' (contextual: 'from that place')

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier of dvijāḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Plural

• punar: again/back
• punar: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb: 'again/back'

• jagmuḥ: went/returned
• jagmuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम्) (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person Plural, Parasmaipada

• yathāgatam: as they had come
• yathāgatam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā + ā-gata (यथा + आ + गत) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) used adverbially: 'as (they had) come'; form appears as neuter accusative singular functioning as avyaya

Context

Admiring the great king, the knower of righteousness, the brahmins permitted by him returned to their places as they had some.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• brahmins (dvijāḥ)

FAQs

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

Dharma is mutual respect between ruler and spiritual community: praise and permission-taking reflect orderly, truthful social conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

After the arrangements and decisions, the brahmins commend Daśaratha and depart with his leave.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dharma-jñāna and courtesy: the king is recognized as righteous, and the brahmins follow proper decorum in departing.