Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 14, Shloka 46
अश्वमेधप्रवृत्तिः
Commencement and Performance of Daśaratha’s Aśvamedha
Devanagari script
मणिरत्नं सुवर्णं वा गावो यद्वा समुद्यतम्।तत्प्रयच्छ नरश्रेष्ठ धरण्या न प्रयोजनम्।।।।
Transliteration
maṇiratnaṃ suvarṇaṃ vā gāvo yadvā samudyatam |
tat prayaccha naraśreṣṭha dharaṇyā na prayojanam ||
Translation
“人中至胜者啊，请赐予我们宝珠珍玉，或黄金，或牛群——凡是现成可施者皆可；我们并不需要占有这大地。”
Word by Word
evamthus
evam:
Prakara (प्रकार/Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootevam (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/in this manner)
uktaḥhaving been addressed
uktaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Predicate of narapatiḥ)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (वच् धातु)
Formकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘having been spoken to/addressed’
narapatiḥthe king (lord of men)
narapatiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootnara + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: narāṇāṃ patiḥ
brāhmaṇaiḥby the Brahmins
brāhmaṇaiḥ:
Karana (करण/Agent-instrument: by)
TypeNoun
Rootbrāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)
vedapāragaiḥwell-versed in the Vedas
vedapāragaiḥ:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of brāhmaṇaiḥ)
TypeAdjective
Rootveda + pāra + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: vedasya pāraṃ gataḥ (one who has reached the far shore of the Veda)
gavāmof cows
gavām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive of measure)
TypeNoun
Rootgo (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)
śatasahasrāṇihundred-thousands (i.e., 100,000 units)
śatasahasrāṇi:
Karma (कर्म/Object of dadau)
TypeNoun
Rootśata + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); द्विगु-समास: śata-sahasra (hundred-thousands)
daśaten
daśa:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Quantifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootdaśa (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
Formअव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; अत्र परिमाणवाचक (numeral used indeclinably): ‘ten’
tebhyaḥto them
tebhyaḥ:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (m.), चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम
dadaugave
dadau:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
TypeVerb
Root√dā (दा धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद
nṛpaḥthe king
nṛpaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Apposition to narapatiḥ)
TypeNoun
Rootnṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
śatakoṭīḥhundred crores
śatakoṭīḥ:
Karma (कर्म/Object of dadau; understood continuation)
TypeNoun
Rootśata + koṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); द्विगु-समास: śata-koṭi (hundred crores)
suvarṇasyaof gold
suvarṇasya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootsuvarṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)
rajatasyaof silver
rajatasya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootrajata (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)
caturguṇamfour times (as much)
caturguṇam:
Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of quantity, esp. rajatasya)
TypeAdjective
Rootcatur + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: caturṇāṃ guṇānām (fourfold)
Context
O best of men! give us gems or gold or cows or whichever is readily available. We have no use with this earth".
Characters & Entities
D
DaśarathaṚ
Ṛtvij (priests)G
GemsG
GoldC
CowsFAQs
Dharma of appropriate giving: charity should be practical and suited to the recipient’s life-purpose, not merely grand in symbolism.
The priests specify acceptable substitutes for the land-gift—portable wealth consistent with priestly life.
Prudence and restraint—refusing power and requesting only what supports their dharmic vocation.