Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 34

अश्वमेधप्रवृत्तिः

Commencement and Performance of Daśaratha’s Aśvamedha

Devanagari script

पतत्रिणस्तस्य वपा मुद्धृत्य नियतेन्द्रिय:।ऋत्विक्परमसम्पन्न: श्रपयामास शास्त्रत:।।।।

Transliteration

patatriṇas tasya vapāṃ uddhṛtya niyatendriyaḥ |

ṛtvik paramasampannaḥ śrapayāmāsa śāstrataḥ ||

Translation

于是，主祭婆罗门克制诸根，精通圣典（śāstra），取出马的 vapā，并依照经典仪轨将其烹煮。

Word by Word

• पतत्रिणः: of the horse
• पतत्रिणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patatrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वपाम्: marrow/omentum
• वपाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vapā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उद्धृत्य: having removed
• उद्धृत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uddhṛtya (कृदन्त; √hṛ (धातु) + उद्- उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund) = 'having taken out/removed'

• नियत-इन्द्रियः: restrained-sensed
• नियत-इन्द्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyata (कृदन्त; √yam (धातु) + नि-) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि = 'one whose senses are restrained'

• ऋत्विक्: the officiating priest
• ऋत्विक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtvik/ṛtvij (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परम-सम्पन्नः: highly accomplished
• परम-सम्पन्नः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + sampanna (कृदन्त; √pad (धातु) + सम्-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय = 'supremely accomplished'

• श्रपयामास: cooked
• श्रपयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śrap (धातु; to cook)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; periphrastic perfect sense 'cooked'

• शास्त्रतः: according to scripture
• शास्त्रतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śāstratas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण

Context

The official priest, highly knowledgeable in scriptures and having restrained senses, removed the marrow from the horse and cooked it according to tradition.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvamedha horse

FAQs

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

Dharma is the union of right knowledge and right conduct: ritual authority is grounded in self-restraint and faithful execution according to śāstra.

What is the narrative situation?

A specific Aśvamedha procedure is described: the priest extracts a designated portion (vapā) and prepares it in the prescribed way.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Niyatendriyatā—mastery over the senses—presented as essential for sacred action.