Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 61, Shloka 22

शुनःशेफविक्रयः

The Sale of Śunaḥśepa for the Sacrifice

Devanagari script

गवां शतसहस्रेण शुनश्शेफं नरेश्वर:।गृहीत्वा परमप्रीतो जगाम रघुनन्दन ।।।।

Transliteration

gavāṃ śatasahasreṇa śunaśśephaṃ nareśvaraḥ |

gṛhītvā paramaprīto jagāma raghunandana ||

Translation

Hỡi Raghunandana, vị chúa tể loài người ấy, đổi lấy Śunaḥśepa bằng một trăm ngàn con bò, lòng vô cùng hoan hỷ, rồi lên đường.

Word by Word

• pitā: father
• pitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• jyeṣṭham: the eldest (son)
• jyeṣṭham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object (understood: ‘(says) the eldest’)

• avikreyam: not to be sold
• avikreyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vikreya (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √krī धातु)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; kṛtya used predicatively about jyeṣṭham

• mātā: mother
• mātā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (samuccaya)

• āha: said
• āha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (imperfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• kanīyasam: the younger (son)
• kanīyasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanīyas (प्रातिपदिक; comparative)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object (understood: ‘(says) the younger’)

• vikrītam: sold
• vikrītam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√krī + kta (कृदन्त; √krī धातु)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; past passive participle (क्त) qualifying madhyamam

• madhyamam: the middle (son)
• madhyamam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object of manye (as complement)

• manye: I think / I consider
• manye: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, present), Uttama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; ātmanepada

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• putram: son
• putram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; apposition to mām (‘me, the son’)

• nayasva: take / lead
• nayasva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nī (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; object of nayasva

Context

"O High-souled sages, there is lake Pushkara in the vast western region. There in the forest fit for austerities we shall practise penance peacefully".

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Śunaḥśepa
• Ambarīṣa
• cows (gavām)

FAQs

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

The verse invites reflection on dharma and means: royal satisfaction is shown, yet the act involves commodifying a human life—prompting ethical scrutiny central to the Śunaḥśepa narrative.

What is the narrative situation?

Ambarīṣa completes the exchange—paying a vast price in cattle—and leaves with Śunaḥśepa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

From the king’s side, decisiveness; from the narrative’s ethical lens, the tension between ritual goals and humane righteousness is foregrounded.