Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 5

द्वादशः सर्गः — Aśvamedha-saṅkalpa

Daśaratha resolves on the Horse Sacrifice

Devanagari script

ततो राजाऽब्रवीद्वाक्यं सुमन्त्रं मन्त्रिसत्तमम्।सुमन्त्रावाहय क्षिप्रं ऋत्विजो ब्रह्मवादिन:।।1.12.4।।सुयज्ञं वामदेवं च जाबालिमथ काश्यपम्।पुरोहितं वसिष्ठं च ये चान्ये द्विजसत्तमा:।।1.12.5।।

Transliteration

tato rājā 'bravīd vākyaṃ sumantraṃ mantrisattamam | sumantrāvāhaya kṣipraṃ ṛtvijo brahmavādinaḥ || suyajñaṃ vāmadevaṃ ca jābālim atha kāśyapam | purohitaṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ ca ye cānye dvijasattamāḥ ||

Translation

Bấy giờ nhà vua nói với Sumantra, bậc ưu tú nhất trong hàng đại thần: “Hỡi Sumantra, hãy mau triệu thỉnh các vị tế sư (ṛtvij) chủ trì lễ tế và các bậc Bà-la-môn thông tỏ Veda, những vị giảng nói Phạm đạo—Suyajña, Vāmadeva, Jābāli và Kāśyapa—cùng với Vasiṣṭha, vị quốc sư của hoàng tộc, và các bậc dvija tối thượng khác nữa.”

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• sumantraḥ: Sumantra
• sumantraḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: sumantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular

• tvaritam: quickly
• tvaritam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tvarita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया)

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा)

• tvaritavikramaḥ: swift in movement
• tvaritavikramaḥ: Karta-anuguṇa viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tvarita (प्रातिपदिक) + vikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (tvaritaḥ vikramaḥ yasya), Masculine Nominative Singular; qualifying sumantraḥ

• samānayat: brought
• samānayat: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√nī (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (Imperfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd person Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine Nominative Singular; apposition to sumantraḥ

• tān: those
• tān: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine Accusative Plural

• viprān: brahmins
• viprān: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative Plural

• samastān: all together/all
• samastān: Karma-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine Accusative Plural; qualifying viprān

• vedapāragān: those who have mastered the Vedas
• vedapāragān: Karma-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + pāra-ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (vedasya pāraṃ gataḥ), Masculine Accusative Plural; qualifying viprān

Context

Thereafter the king said to Sumantra, "Summon immediately, Suyajna, Vamadeva, Jabali and Kasyapa, family priest Vasishta and other foremost and learned brahmins who are the official priests wellversed in the Vedas".

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Sumantra
• Suyajña
• Vāmadeva
• Jābāli
• Kāśyapa
• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

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

The verse reiterates that dharmic actions require proper authorities; repetition in transmission underscores the importance traditionally placed on correct ritual stewardship.

What is the narrative situation?

A parallel/duplicated line in this recension again records Daśaratha’s instruction to summon eminent officiants for the sacrifice.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness and procedural rigor—Daśaratha’s insistence on calling the right experts.