Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 31

अश्वमेधप्रवृत्तिः

Commencement and Performance of Daśaratha’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

कौसल्या तं हयं तत्र परिचर्य समन्तत:।कृपाणैर्विशशासैनं त्रिभि: परमया मुदा ।।।।

Transliteration

kausalyā taṃ hayaṃ tatra paricarya samantataḥ | kṛpāṇair viśaśāsa enaṃ tribhiḥ paramayā mudā ||

Translation

在那里，考萨利娅侍奉并绕行那匹祭马之后，以宝剑三击将其断绝，心怀至极的仪式欢悦。

Word by Word

• कौसल्या: Kausalyā
• कौसल्या: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौसल्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• तम्: that
• तम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• हयम्: horse
• हयम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• परिचर्य: having attended/served (ritually)
• परिचर्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (absolutive; action prior to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि + चर् (धातु) → परिचर्य (कृदन्त; ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-अव्ययभाव)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) — ‘having attended/worshipped’

• समन्ततः: from all sides
• समन्ततः: अधिकरण (परिसर/space adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: परितः-अर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘on all sides’)

• कृपाणैः: with swords/scimitars
• कृपाणैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे साधारणतः); तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• विशशास: she cut/slaughtered
• विशशास: क्रिया (main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शस् (धातु) (Tinganta)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — ‘cut/slaughtered’

• एनम्: this (him)
• एनम्: कर्म (object; apposition to ‘हयम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; एनद्-आदेश)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• त्रिभिः: with three (strokes)
• त्रिभिः: करण/प्रकार (means/manner: ‘in three strokes’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (with implied ‘वारैः/प्रहारैः’)

• परमया: with supreme
• परमया: हेतु/सहभाव (accompaniment of feeling)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘very great’ (qualifying ‘मुदा’)

• मुदा: joy
• मुदा: सहभाव (accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

Context

Kausalya, with immense glee having gone round and worshipped that horse, severed it with three strokes of scimitar.

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• horse (haya)

FAQs

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

Dharma is the performance of one’s appointed role within a sanctioned rite: Kausalyā acts as prescribed in the sacrificial framework, emphasizing duty carried out with sincerity (satya of intention) and ritual correctness.

What is the narrative situation?

At the climactic sacrificial moment, Kausalyā performs the queen’s ritual role in relation to the Aśvamedha horse.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness in duty—fulfilling a difficult, socially and ritually defined responsibility without wavering.