{"kanda":1,"kandaName":"Bāla Kāṇḍa","sarga":11,"title":"Aśvamedha yajña: Release of the horse and preparations","sentence":"Ṛṣyaśṛṅga orders the horse released, Daśaratha commissions the sacrificial ground on the Sarayū’s northern bank and warns that ritual errors endanger the patron","portion":"Aśvamedha yajña","sequence":[[{"steps":["After some time, in spring, Daśaratha bows to Ṛṣyaśṛṅga and asks him to undertake the sacrifice for offspring","Ṛṣyaśṛṅga agrees and orders the supplies assembled and the horse released (11.1–3)"],"from":1,"to":3,"sarga":11},{"steps":["Sumantra summons Vasiṣṭha, Vāmadeva, Suyajña, Jābāli, Kāśyapa, and the other ṛtvijs (officiating priests) (11.4–6)"],"from":4,"to":6,"sarga":11},{"steps":["Daśaratha explains his unhappiness at being childless and his resolve to perform the aśvamedha with Ṛṣyaśṛṅga's help (11.7–9)"],"from":7,"to":9,"sarga":11},{"steps":["the priests approve, repeat the instructions, and promise four sons (11.10–12)"],"from":10,"to":12,"sarga":11},{"steps":["Daśaratha orders capable attendants to oversee the horse and directs that the sacrificial ground be prepared on the Sarayū's northern bank (11.13–15)"],"from":13,"to":15,"sarga":11},{"steps":["he warns that learned brahma-rākṣasas seek ritual faults and that a flawed sacrifice endangers its patron","the ministers agree to arrange everything correctly, and the assembly disperses (11.16–21)."],"from":16,"to":21,"sarga":11}]],"verses":[{"v":1,"ref":"1.011.001","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tataḥ kāle bahutithe kasmiṃś cit sumanohare","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"vasante samanuprāpte rājño yaṣṭuṃ mano 'bhavat","q":null}],"tr":"Then, after a good long while, when a certain lovely spring had come, the king's mind turned to sacrificing.","w":[["tataḥ","then"],["kāle","in time"],["bahutithe","after much (time), a long while","",[["bahu","much, many"],["titha","-th (ordinal suffix)"]]],["kasmiṃś","a certain","kasmin"],["cit","some"],["sumanohare","very lovely, charming","",[["su","very"],["manohara","charming, delightful"]]],["vasante","spring"],["samanuprāpte","having arrived (loc. abs.)"],["rājño","of the king","rājñaḥ"],["yaṣṭuṃ","to sacrifice"],["mano","the mind","manaḥ"],["'bhavat","turned, arose","abhavat"]]},{"v":2,"ref":"1.011.002","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tataḥ prasādya śirasā taṃ vipraṃ devavarṇinam","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"yajñāya varayām āsa saṃtānārthaṃ kulasya ca","q":null}],"tr":"Then, having propitiated with a bow of his head that brahmin of godlike hue, he requested him for the sacrifice, for the continuation of his line.","w":[["tataḥ","then"],["prasādya","having propitiated, conciliated"],["śirasā","with his head"],["taṃ","that"],["vipraṃ","brahmin"],["devavarṇinam","of godlike hue, complexion","",[["deva","god, divine"],["varṇin","having the colour/appearance of"]]],["yajñāya","for the sacrifice"],["varayām āsa","requested, entreated, chose"],["saṃtānārthaṃ","for the sake of continuation","",[["saṃtāna","continuation, progeny"],["artha","sake, purpose"]]],["kulasya","of his line"],["ca","and"]]},{"v":3,"ref":"1.011.003","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tatheti ca sa rājānam uvāca ca susatkṛtaḥ","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"saṃbhārāḥ saṃbhriyantāṃ te turagaś ca vimucyatām","q":null}],"tr":"“So be it,” said he, well honoured, to the king; “let the requisites be gathered for you, and let the horse be released.”","w":[["tatheti","‘so be it’","tathā iti"],["ca","and"],["sa","he"],["rājānam","to the king"],["uvāca","said"],["ca","and"],["susatkṛtaḥ","well honoured","",[["su","well"],["satkṛta","honoured"]]],["saṃbhārāḥ","the requisites, materials"],["saṃbhriyantāṃ","let them be gathered"],["te","for you"],["turagaś","the horse","turagaḥ"],["ca","and"],["vimucyatām","let it be released, set free"]]},{"v":4,"ref":"1.011.004","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tato rājābravīd vākyaṃ sumantraṃ mantrisattamam","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"sumantrāvāhaya kṣipram ṛtvijo brahmavādinaḥ","q":null}],"tr":"Then the king spoke words to Sumantra, best of ministers: “Sumantra, quickly summon the officiating priests, the expounders of the Veda.”","w":[["tato","then","tataḥ"],["rājābravīd","the king said","rājā abravīt"],["vākyaṃ","words"],["sumantraṃ","to Sumantra"],["mantrisattamam","best of ministers","",[["mantri","minister"],["sattama","best of"]]],["sumantrāvāhaya","Sumantra, summon","sumantra āvāhaya"],["kṣipram","quickly"],["ṛtvijo","the officiating priests","ṛtvijaḥ"],["brahmavādinaḥ","the expounders of the Veda","",[["brahma","the Veda, sacred word"],["vādin","speaker, expounder"]]]]},{"v":5,"ref":"1.011.005","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tataḥ sumantras tvaritaṃ gatvā tvaritavikramaḥ","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"samānayat sa tān viprān samastān vedapāragān","q":null}],"tr":"Then Sumantra, of swift stride, going quickly, brought together all those brahmins, masters of the Vedas.","w":[["tataḥ","then"],["sumantras","Sumantra","sumantraḥ"],["tvaritaṃ","quickly"],["gatvā","having gone"],["tvaritavikramaḥ","of swift stride","",[["tvarita","swift, hasty"],["vikrama","stride, gait"]]],["samānayat","brought together"],["sa","he"],["tān","those"],["viprān","brahmins"],["samastān","all"],["vedapāragān","masters of the Vedas","",[["veda","Veda"],["pāraga","one who has gone to the far shore, master"]]]]},{"v":6,"ref":"1.011.006","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"suyajñaṃ vāmadevaṃ ca jābālim atha kāśyapam","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"purohitaṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ ca ye cānye dvijasattamāḥ","q":null}],"tr":"Suyajña and Vāmadeva, and Jābāli, and Kāśyapa, and the family priest Vasiṣṭha, and whatever other best of brahmins there were —","w":[["suyajñaṃ","Suyajña"],["vāmadevaṃ","Vāmadeva"],["ca","and"],["jābālim","Jābāli"],["atha","and, then"],["kāśyapam","Kāśyapa"],["purohitaṃ","the family priest"],["vasiṣṭhaṃ","Vasiṣṭha"],["ca","and"],["ye","who"],["cānye","and other","ca anye"],["dvijasattamāḥ","the best of brahmins","",[["dvija","brahmin"],["sattama","best of"]]]]},{"v":7,"ref":"1.011.007","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tān pūjayitvā dharmātmā rājā daśarathas tadā","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"idaṃ dharmārthasahitaṃ ślakṣṇaṃ vacanam abravīt","q":null}],"tr":"Having honoured them, the righteous king Daśaratha then spoke these smooth words, in keeping with dharma and self-interest:","w":[["tān","them"],["pūjayitvā","having honoured"],["dharmātmā","the righteous one","",[["dharma","dharma"],["ātman","soul"]]],["rājā","king"],["daśarathas","Daśaratha","daśarathaḥ"],["tadā","then"],["idaṃ","this"],["dharmārthasahitaṃ","in keeping with dharma and artha","",[["dharma","dharma, right"],["artha","gain, purpose"],["sahita","joined with"]]],["ślakṣṇaṃ","smooth, gentle"],["vacanam","words"],["abravīt","spoke"]]},{"v":8,"ref":"1.011.008","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"mama lālapyamānasya putrārthaṃ nāsti vai sukham","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"tadarthaṃ hayamedhena yakṣyāmīti matir mama","q":null}],"tr":"“For me, lamenting for the sake of a son, there is truly no happiness; therefore my resolve is: ‘I shall sacrifice with a horse-sacrifice to that end.’","w":[["mama","of me, for me"],["lālapyamānasya","of one lamenting, wailing"],["putrārthaṃ","for the sake of a son","",[["putra","son"],["artha","sake, purpose"]]],["nāsti","there is not","na asti"],["vai","truly"],["sukham","happiness"],["tadarthaṃ","to that end, for that purpose","",[["tad","that"],["artha","sake, purpose"]]],["hayamedhena","with a horse-sacrifice","",[["haya","horse"],["medha","sacrifice"]]],["yakṣyāmīti","‘I shall sacrifice’","yakṣyāmi iti"],["matir","the resolve, thought","matiḥ"],["mama","my"]]},{"v":9,"ref":"1.011.009","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tad ahaṃ yaṣṭum icchāmi śāstradṛṣṭena karmaṇā","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"ṛṣiputraprabhāvena kāmān prāpsyāmi cāpy aham","q":null}],"tr":"So I wish to sacrifice with a rite as prescribed by the scriptures; and through the power of the seer's son I shall attain my desires.","w":[["tad","so, therefore","tat"],["ahaṃ","I"],["yaṣṭum","to sacrifice"],["icchāmi","I wish"],["śāstradṛṣṭena","as prescribed by scripture","",[["śāstra","scripture, treatise"],["dṛṣṭa","seen, prescribed"]]],["karmaṇā","with a rite, act"],["ṛṣiputraprabhāvena","through the power of the seer's son","",[["ṛṣi","seer"],["putra","son"],["prabhāva","power, might"]]],["kāmān","my desires"],["prāpsyāmi","I shall attain"],["cāpy","and also","ca api"],["aham","I"]]},{"v":10,"ref":"1.011.010","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tataḥ sādhv iti tad vākyaṃ brāhmaṇāḥ pratyapūjayan","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"vasiṣṭhapramukhāḥ sarve pārthivasya mukhāc cyutam","q":null}],"tr":"Then all the brahmins, headed by Vasiṣṭha, applauded with “Excellent!” that speech which had fallen from the king's mouth.","w":[["tataḥ","then"],["sādhv","‘excellent, well done’","sādhu"],["iti","thus"],["tad","that","tat"],["vākyaṃ","speech"],["brāhmaṇāḥ","the brahmins"],["pratyapūjayan","applauded, approved"],["vasiṣṭhapramukhāḥ","headed by Vasiṣṭha","",[["vasiṣṭha","Vasiṣṭha"],["pramukha","chief, headed by"]]],["sarve","all"],["pārthivasya","of the king"],["mukhāc","from the mouth","mukhāt"],["cyutam","fallen, issued"]]},{"v":11,"ref":"1.011.011","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"ṛṣyaśṛṅgapurogāś ca pratyūcur nṛpatiṃ tadā","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"saṃbhārāḥ saṃbhriyantāṃ te turagaś ca vimucyatām","q":null}],"tr":"And with Ṛṣyaśṛṅga at their head they then replied to the king: “Let the requisites be gathered for you, and let the horse be released.”","w":[["ṛṣyaśṛṅgapurogāś","with Ṛṣyaśṛṅga at their head","ṛṣyaśṛṅgapurogāḥ",[["ṛṣyaśṛṅga","Ṛṣyaśṛṅga"],["puroga","going in front, leading"]]],["ca","and"],["pratyūcur","replied","pratyūcuḥ"],["nṛpatiṃ","to the king","",[["nṛ","man"],["pati","lord"]]],["tadā","then"],["saṃbhārāḥ","the requisites"],["saṃbhriyantāṃ","let them be gathered"],["te","for you"],["turagaś","the horse","turagaḥ"],["ca","and"],["vimucyatām","let it be released"]]},{"v":12,"ref":"1.011.012","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"sarvathā prāpyase putrāṃś caturo 'mitavikramān","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"yasya te dhārmikī buddhir iyaṃ putrārtham āgatāḥ","q":null}],"tr":"“By all means you will obtain four sons of measureless valour — you whose righteous resolve is this; sought for the sake of a son, they shall be attained.”","w":[["sarvathā","by all means"],["prāpyase","you will obtain"],["putrāṃś","sons","putrān"],["caturo","four","caturaḥ"],["'mitavikramān","of measureless valour","amitavikramān",[["amita","measureless"],["vikrama","valour, prowess"]]],["yasya","of whom"],["te","your"],["dhārmikī","righteous"],["buddhir","resolve, intent","buddhiḥ"],["iyaṃ","this"],["putrārtham","for the sake of a son","",[["putra","son"],["artha","sake, purpose"]]],["āgatāḥ","come, attained (the sons)"]]},{"v":13,"ref":"1.011.013","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tataḥ prīto 'bhavad rājā śrutvā tad dvijabhāṣitam","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"amātyāṃś cābravīd rājā harṣeṇedaṃ śubhākṣaram","q":null}],"tr":"Then the king was pleased on hearing that speech of the brahmins; and out of joy he spoke to his counsellors these auspicious words:","w":[["tataḥ","then"],["prīto","pleased","prītaḥ"],["'bhavad","became","abhavat"],["rājā","the king"],["śrutvā","having heard"],["tad","that","tat"],["dvijabhāṣitam","the speech of the brahmins","",[["dvija","brahmin"],["bhāṣita","speech, saying"]]],["amātyāṃś","the counsellors","amātyān"],["cābravīd","and said","ca abravīt"],["rājā","the king"],["harṣeṇedaṃ","out of joy this","harṣeṇa idaṃ"],["śubhākṣaram","of auspicious words","",[["śubha","auspicious, fair"],["akṣara","syllable, word"]]]]},{"v":14,"ref":"1.011.014","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"gurūṇāṃ vacanāc chīghraṃ saṃbhārāḥ saṃbhriyantu me","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"samarthādhiṣṭhitaś cāśvaḥ sopādhyāyo vimucyatām","q":null}],"tr":"“By the word of my elders let the requisites be quickly gathered for me; and let the horse be released, overseen by capable men and attended by the teachers.","w":[["gurūṇāṃ","of my elders, gurus"],["vacanāc","by the word","vacanāt"],["chīghraṃ","quickly","śīghraṃ"],["saṃbhārāḥ","the requisites"],["saṃbhriyantu","let them be gathered"],["me","for me"],["samarthādhiṣṭhitaś","overseen by capable men","samarthādhiṣṭhitaḥ",[["samartha","capable, competent"],["adhiṣṭhita","superintended, presided over"]]],["cāśvaḥ","and the horse","ca aśvaḥ"],["sopādhyāyo","attended by the teachers","sopādhyāyaḥ",[["sa","with"],["upādhyāya","teacher, preceptor"]]],["vimucyatām","let it be released"]]},{"v":15,"ref":"1.011.015","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"sarayvāś cottare tīre yajñabhūmir vidhīyatām","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"śāntayaś cābhivardhantāṃ yathākalpaṃ yathāvidhi","q":null}],"tr":"And on the northern bank of the Sarayū let the sacrificial ground be laid out; and let the propitiatory rites be augmented according to prescription and rule.","w":[["sarayvāś","of the Sarayū","sarayvāḥ"],["cottare","and on the northern","ca uttare"],["tīre","bank"],["yajñabhūmir","the sacrificial ground","yajñabhūmiḥ",[["yajña","sacrifice"],["bhūmi","ground, site"]]],["vidhīyatām","let it be laid out, arranged"],["śāntayaś","the propitiatory rites","śāntayaḥ"],["cābhivardhantāṃ","and let them be augmented","ca abhivardhantāṃ"],["yathākalpaṃ","according to prescription","",[["yathā","according to"],["kalpa","ritual prescription"]]],["yathāvidhi","according to rule","",[["yathā","according to"],["vidhi","rule, injunction"]]]]},{"v":16,"ref":"1.011.016","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"śakyaḥ kartum ayaṃ yajñaḥ sarveṇāpi mahīkṣitā","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"nāparādho bhavet kaṣṭo yady asmin kratusattame","q":null}],"tr":"This sacrifice can be performed by any king at all, provided no grievous fault occur in this best of sacrifices.","w":[["śakyaḥ","possible, able to be"],["kartum","to be performed"],["ayaṃ","this"],["yajñaḥ","sacrifice"],["sarveṇāpi","by any at all","sarveṇa api"],["mahīkṣitā","by a king","",[["mahī","earth"],["kṣit","ruler, one who dwells/rules"]]],["nāparādho","no fault","na aparādhaḥ"],["bhavet","should occur"],["kaṣṭo","grievous, serious","kaṣṭaḥ"],["yady","if","yadi"],["asmin","in this"],["kratusattame","best of sacrifices","",[["kratu","sacrifice"],["sattama","best of"]]]]},{"v":17,"ref":"1.011.017","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"chidraṃ hi mṛgayante 'tra vidvāṃso brahmarākṣasāḥ","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"vidhihīnasya yajñasya sadyaḥ kartā vinaśyati","q":null}],"tr":"For learned brahma-rākṣasas seek out a flaw at such a rite; and the performer of a sacrifice lacking proper rule perishes at once.","w":[["chidraṃ","a flaw, chink"],["hi","for"],["mṛgayante","they seek out, hunt for"],["'tra","here, at (such a rite)","atra"],["vidvāṃso","learned","vidvāṃsaḥ"],["brahmarākṣasāḥ","brahma-rākṣasas (a class of demon)","",[["brahma","brahmin"],["rākṣasa","demon, ogre"]]],["vidhihīnasya","of one lacking proper rule","",[["vidhi","rule"],["hīna","lacking, devoid of"]]],["yajñasya","of the sacrifice"],["sadyaḥ","at once, immediately"],["kartā","the performer"],["vinaśyati","perishes"]]},{"v":18,"ref":"1.011.018","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tad yathāvidhi pūrvaṃ me kratur eṣa samāpyate","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"tathāvidhānaṃ kriyatāṃ samarthāḥ karaṇeṣv iha","q":null}],"tr":"So let arrangement be made in such a way that this sacrifice of mine is completed according to rule from the outset — you who are capable in these operations here.”","w":[["tad","so, therefore","tat"],["yathāvidhi","according to rule","",[["yathā","according to"],["vidhi","rule"]]],["pūrvaṃ","from the outset, beforehand"],["me","my"],["kratur","sacrifice","kratuḥ"],["eṣa","this"],["samāpyate","is completed"],["tathāvidhānaṃ","arrangement to that effect","",[["tathā","to that effect, thus"],["vidhāna","arrangement, provision"]]],["kriyatāṃ","let it be made"],["samarthāḥ","(you) capable ones"],["karaṇeṣv","in the operations, tasks","karaṇeṣu"],["iha","here"]]},{"v":19,"ref":"1.011.019","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tatheti ca tataḥ sarve mantriṇaḥ pratyapūjayan","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"pārthivendrasya tad vākyaṃ yathājñaptam akurvata","q":null}],"tr":"“So be it,” said all the ministers then, and, approving that speech of the lord of kings, they did as they had been commanded.","w":[["tatheti","‘so be it’","tathā iti"],["ca","and"],["tataḥ","then"],["sarve","all"],["mantriṇaḥ","the ministers"],["pratyapūjayan","applauded, approved"],["pārthivendrasya","of the lord of kings","",[["pārthiva","king"],["indra","lord, chief"]]],["tad","that","tat"],["vākyaṃ","speech"],["yathājñaptam","as commanded","",[["yathā","as"],["ājñapta","commanded"]]],["akurvata","they did"]]},{"v":20,"ref":"1.011.020","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"tato dvijās te dharmajñam astuvan pārthivarṣabham","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"anujñātās tataḥ sarve punar jagmur yathāgatam","q":null}],"tr":"Then those brahmins praised that dharma-knowing bull among kings; and, given leave, they all went back the way they had come.","w":[["tato","then","tataḥ"],["dvijās","the brahmins","dvijāḥ"],["te","those"],["dharmajñam","the knower of dharma","",[["dharma","dharma"],["jña","knowing, knower"]]],["astuvan","praised"],["pārthivarṣabham","the bull among kings","",[["pārthiva","king"],["ṛṣabha","bull, best of"]]],["anujñātās","given leave","anujñātāḥ"],["tataḥ","then"],["sarve","all"],["punar","again, back"],["jagmur","went","jagmuḥ"],["yathāgatam","the way they had come","",[["yathā","as"],["āgata","come"]]]]},{"v":21,"ref":"1.011.021","lines":[{"p":"a","t":"gatānāṃ tu dvijātīnāṃ mantriṇas tān narādhipaḥ","q":null},{"p":"c","t":"visarjayitvā svaṃ veśma praviveśa mahā dyutiḥ","q":null}],"tr":"When the brahmins had gone, the king of great splendour dismissed those ministers and entered his own dwelling.","w":[["gatānāṃ","having gone"],["tu","and"],["dvijātīnāṃ","of the brahmins","",[["dvi","twice"],["jāti","born"]]],["mantriṇas","the ministers","mantriṇaḥ"],["tān","those"],["narādhipaḥ","the king","",[["nara","man"],["adhipa","lord, ruler"]]],["visarjayitvā","having dismissed"],["svaṃ","his own"],["veśma","dwelling, house"],["praviveśa","entered"],["mahā","great"],["dyutiḥ","of splendour"]]}]}