Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 43

अश्वमेधप्रवृत्तिः

Commencement and Performance of Daśaratha’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

क्रतुं समाप्य तु तदा न्यायत: पुरुषर्षभ: ।ऋत्विग्भ्यो हि ददौ राजा तां धरां कुलवर्धन:।।।।

Transliteration

kratuṃ samāpya tu tadā nyāyataḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ |

ṛtvigbhyo hi dadau rājā tāṃ dharāṃ kulavardhanaḥ ||

Translation

Bấy giờ, sau khi đúng pháp hoàn tất tế lễ, đức vua—bậc trượng phu tối thượng, người làm hưng thịnh dòng tộc—đã hiến dâng chính cõi đất ấy làm lễ vật cho các vị tế sư.

Word by Word

• ṛtvijaḥ: the priests
• ṛtvijaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtvij (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• tu: however/then
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषणार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• abruvan: said
• abruvan: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (ब्रू धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• sarve: all
• sarve: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of ṛtvijaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• rājānam: to the king
• rājānam: Karma (कर्म/Object of abruvan)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• gata-kalmaṣam: freed from sin
• gata-kalmaṣam: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of rājānam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (√gam, कृदन्त) + kalmaṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहि-भावार्थे षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषवत्: ‘gataṃ kalmaṣaṃ yasya’ (one whose sin has gone)

• bhavān: you
• bhavān: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific pronoun)

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis)

• mahīm: the earth
• mahīm: Karma (कर्म/Object of rakṣitum)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• kṛtsnām: entire
• kṛtsnām: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of mahīm)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ekaḥ: alone
• ekaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of bhavān)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• rakṣitum: to protect
• rakṣitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √rakṣ (रक्ष् धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययभाव: ‘to protect’

• arhati: is worthy/ought
• arhati: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh (अर्ह् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Context

The king best among men and upholder of his dynasty, having concluded the sacrifice according to law, offered this entire earth as gift to priests.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Ṛtvij (priests)

FAQs

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

The verse models the dharma of completion (samāpti) and rightful giving: once a vow-bound rite is finished, the promised dakṣiṇā is delivered without hesitation.

What is the narrative situation?

After the Aśvamedha is completed, Daśaratha formally offers an extraordinary gift—symbolically, the earth itself—to the priests.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Daśaratha’s truthfulness in obligation and magnanimity in giving.