Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 51

अश्वमेधप्रवृत्तिः

Commencement and Performance of Daśaratha’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

तत: प्रसर्पकैभ्यस्तु हिरण्यं सुसमाहित:।जाम्बूनदं कोटिसंख्यं ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ददौ तदा।।।।

Transliteration

tataḥ prasarpakaibhyas tu hiraṇyaṃ susamāhitaḥ | jāmbūnadaṃ koṭisaṃkhyaṃ brāhmaṇebhyo dadau tadā ||

Translation

Bấy giờ, với tâm chuyên nhất, nhà vua ban cho các Bà-la-môn tụ hội nơi ấy vàng jāmbūnada tinh ròng, số lượng đến một koṭi (một crore).

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘thereafter’

• prasarpakebhyaḥ: to the attendees
• prasarpakebhyaḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasarpaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Plural (बहुवचन) — ‘to the attendees/visitors (those who came/approached)’

• tu: indeed/and
• tu: None (अकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) — contrast/emphasis

• hiraṇyam: gold
• hiraṇyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hiraṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• susamāhitaḥ: with earnest composure
• susamāhitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + samāhita (प्रातिपदिक; PPP)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); क्त (PPP) from √ā-dhā with sam-ā- prefix; ‘well-composed/earnest’ (qualifies implied subject ‘he/king’)

• jāmbūnadam: Jāmbūnada (fine) gold
• jāmbūnadam: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jāmbūnada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); adjective to hiraṇyam: ‘Jāmbūnada (fine) gold’

• koṭisaṃkhyam: amounting to a crore
• koṭisaṃkhyam: Karma (कर्म) (quantifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: koṭi + saṃkhyā (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); ‘having the count of a koṭi (crore)’ (qualifies hiraṇyam)

• brāhmaṇebhyaḥ: to the brahmins
• brāhmaṇebhyaḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Plural (बहुवचन)

• dadau: gave
• dadau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada — ‘he gave’

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘then/at that time’

Context

Thereafter, with earnestness king Dasaratha bestowed a crore of gold coins to brahmins who had come to see the sacrifice.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Brāhmaṇas
• Jāmbūnada (gold)

FAQs

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

Dāna as rājadharma: a king supports the learned and the ritual order through generous, sincere giving, done with steadiness of mind (susamāhita).

What is the narrative situation?

Following the sacrifice proceedings, Daśaratha distributes substantial wealth—fine gold—to attending brāhmaṇas.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Generosity guided by discipline: Daśaratha’s giving is portrayed as deliberate and reverent, not impulsive.