ऋश्यशृङ्गं पुरस्कृत्य कर्म चक्रुर्द्विजर्षभा:। अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे राज्ञोऽस्य सुमहात्मन:।।1.14.2।।
Meaning
The finest brahmins, with Rishyasringa at their head, performed the rites of the great horse-sacrifice of that most noble king.
Word-by-word (pada-artha)
| Word | Devanagari | Meaning | Grammatical role |
|---|---|---|---|
| ṛṣyaśṛṅgam puraskṛtya | ऋष्यशृङ्गम् पुरस्कृत्य | placing Rishyashringa foremost | Gerund (having done) |
| karma cakruḥ dvija-ṛṣabhāḥ | कर्म चक्रुः द्विज-ऋषभाः | the bulls among the twice-born performed the rite | Verb (perfect) |
| aśva-medhe mahā-yajñe | अश्व-मेधे महा-यज्ञे | in the great Horse-sacrifice | Locative singular |
| rājñaḥ asya su-mahātmanaḥ | राज्ञः अस्य सु-महात्मनः | of this most great-souled king | Genitive singular |
Scholar commentary
valmikiramayan.net Prose Commentary
Desiraju Hanumanta Rao's prose rendering with embedded explanatory notes
The source explains the mechanics behind the ritual horse's year-long journey mentioned in earlier sargas: in an ashvamedha, a decorated horse bearing an insignia is released to roam freely, challenging any king to capture it and risk war with the releasing king. Since Dasharatha's horse returned uncaptured, this establishes his uncontested supremacy and is the precondition that allows the ritual proper to now commence.
1 of 16 traditions have commentary on this shloka. Traditions without a verse-specific commentary here are omitted rather than filled in.
Reference: 1.14.2 · Bāla Kāṇḍa