Shloka 21

द्वादशः सर्गः — Aśvamedha-saṅkalpa

Daśaratha resolves on the Horse Sacrifice

Devanagari script

गतेष्वथ द्विजाग्य्रेषु मन्त्रिणस्तान्नराधिप:।विसर्जयित्वा स्वं वेश्म प्रविवेश महाद्युति:।।।।

Transliteration

gateṣv atha dvijāgry eṣu mantriṇas tān narādhipaḥ | visarjayitvā svaṃ veśma praviveśa mahādyutiḥ ||

Translation

待诸位最尊贵的婆罗门离去后，那光辉灿然的国王也遣散群臣，步入自己的宫殿。

Word by Word

• gateṣu: when (they) had gone
• gateṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (saptamī absolute: 'when ... had gone')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gam (गम्) (धातु) → gata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Locative absolute base: PPP (क्त) 'gata'; Neuter Locative (सप्तमी) Plural (बहुवचन) used in सप्तमी-absolute construction

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) (connective)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, discourse particle/conjunction (निपात): 'then/thereupon'

• dvijāgryeṣu: among the foremost brahmins
• dvijāgryeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) (saptamī absolute locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija + agrya (द्विज + अग्र्य) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ('foremost among brahmins'); Masculine Locative Plural; part of locative absolute with gateṣu

• mantriṇaḥ: ministers
• mantriṇaḥ: Karma (कर्म) (object of visarjayitvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantrin (मन्त्रिन्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया) Plural (तान् understood as object-group; here 'mantriṇaḥ' appears as object in some recensions; syntactically object of visarjayitvā)

• tān: them
• tān: Karma (कर्म) (object of visarjayitvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine Accusative Plural; refers to 'mantriṇaḥ'

• narādhipaḥ: the king
• narādhipaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of praviveśa; also of visarjayitvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara + adhipa (नर + अधिप) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa ('lord of men'); Masculine Nominative Singular

• visarjayitvā: having dismissed
• visarjayitvā: Kriyā (क्रिया) (prior action to praviveśa)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-sṛj (वि + सृज्) (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा, ल्यबन्त): 'having dismissed/sent away'

• svam: his own
• svam: Karma (कर्म) (qualifier of veśma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (स्व) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter Accusative Singular; agrees with veśma (neuter): Neuter Accusative Singular

• veśma: palace/house
• veśma: Karma (कर्म) (goal/object with motion verb praviveśa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veśman (वेश्मन्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative Singular

• praviveśa: entered
• praviveśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (प्र + विश्) (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person Singular, Parasmaipada

• mahādyutiḥ: of great splendor
• mahādyutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (appositional qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + dyuti (महा + द्युति) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya ('greatly radiant'); Masculine Nominative Singular; epithet of narādhipaḥ

Context

When the great brahmins departed, the glorious king (Dasaratha) sent away his ministers and entered his palace.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē dvādaśassarga:৷৷2Thus ends the twelfth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• ministers (mantriṇaḥ)
• palace (veśma)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes proper completion of proceedings: once sacred guests and duties are concluded, the king follows appropriate protocol and order in the court.

What is the narrative situation?

This is the closing movement of the chapter: the priests leave, the ministers are dismissed, and Daśaratha withdraws to the palace.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Composure and propriety: the king maintains orderly conduct at the end of a formal religious-civic assembly.