Shloka 5

Aśvamedha-dīkṣā, Vyāsa’s horse-release, and Arjuna’s departure with Gāṇḍīva (आश्वमेधिक-दीक्षा तथा हय-उत्सर्गः)

Devanagari script

अश्वविद्याविदश्वैव सूता विप्राश्न तद्विद: । मेध्यमश्चं परीक्षन्तां तव यज्ञार्थसिद्धये,अश्वविद्याके ज्ञाता सूत और ब्राह्मण यज्ञार्थकी सिद्धिके लिये पवित्र अश्वकी परीक्षा करें

Transliteration

aśvavidyāvidaś caiva sūtā viprāś ca tadvidaḥ | medhyam aśvaṃ parīkṣantāṃ tava yajñārthasiddhaye ||

Translation

毗耶娑说道：“当令精通马学之苏多（御者、车夫）与婆罗门——真正通晓其道者——检验那匹已被祝圣、仪礼上纯净的祭马，使你的祭祀得以圆满成就。”

Word by Word

• अश्वविद्याविदः: knowers of horse-lore
• अश्वविद्याविदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वविद्या-विद् (प्रातिपदिक: अश्वविद्याविद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विदः: knowers, experts
• विदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद् (प्रातिपदिक: विद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सूताः: charioteers (sūtas)
• सूताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विप्राः: brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• तद्विदः: those who know that (i.e., experts in it)
• तद्विदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्-विद् (प्रातिपदिक: तद्विद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मेध्यम्: fit for sacrifice, pure
• मेध्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेध्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अश्वम्: horse
• अश्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परीक्षन्ताम्: let them examine
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-ईक्ष्
• Form: Imperative (Lot), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• तव: of you, your
• तव: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• यज्ञार्थसिद्धये: for the accomplishment of the sacrifice-purpose
• यज्ञार्थसिद्धये: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ-अर्थ-सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक: यज्ञार्थसिद्धि)
• Form: Feminine, Dative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• aśva (sacrificial horse)
• sūtas
• vipras (Brahmins)
• yajña (sacrifice)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ritual success depends on competence and propriety: qualified experts should verify that what is offered is truly fit (medhya) for the rite, aligning action with dharma rather than mere display.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa instructs that specialists—sūtas and Brahmins knowledgeable in horse-lore—should inspect the sacrificial horse so the intended Aśvamedha sacrifice can be completed without flaw.