Shloka 16

तारोपदेशः — Tara’s Counsel to Lakshmana

Restraint, Time, and Mobilization

Devanagari script

अहत्वा तांश्च दुर्धर्षान्राक्षसान्कामरूपिणः।न शक्यो रावणो हन्तुं येन सा मैथिली हृता।।।।

Transliteration

ahatvā tāṃś ca durdharṣān rākṣasān kāmarūpiṇaḥ | na śakyo rāvaṇo hantuṃ yena sā maithilī hṛtā ||

Translation

من دون قتل أولئك الرَكشَسَةِ العصاة المنيعِين المتحوّلين في الصور، لا يمكن قتل رافانا—هو نفسه الذي اختطف ميثِلي.

Word by Word

• ahatvā: without killing / not having killed
• ahatvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (हन् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), pūrvakāla-kriyā (prior action), parasmaipada-dhātu; meaning 'having not killed' with implied negation from context

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• durdharṣān: unassailable
• durdharṣān: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durdharṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa of rākṣasān

• rākṣasān: demons
• rākṣasān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Bahuvacana

• kāmarūpiṇaḥ: able to assume forms at will
• kāmarūpiṇaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa (kāmena rūpam yasya/yeṣām) used adjectivally for rākṣasān

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; niṣedha-particle (निषेध)

• śakyaḥ: possible/able
• śakyaḥ: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (प्रधानविशेषण/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya (प्रातिपदिक; from √śak)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; predicate adjective with implied 'asti'

• rāvaṇaḥ: Rāvaṇa
• rāvaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• hantum: to kill
• hantum: Karma (कर्म/Verbal complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (हन् धातु)
• Form: Tumun-infinitive (तुमुन्), purpose/complement to śakyaḥ

• yena: by whom/whereby
• yena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka, Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Ekavacana; instrumental of agency/cause

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• maithilī: Maithilī (Sītā)
• maithilī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithilī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; proper noun (Sītā)

• hṛtā: was abducted/stolen
• hṛtā: Karma (कर्म/Patient; in passive sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (हृ धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate with implied 'asti'

Context

'It is not possible to kill Ravana who has stolen Sita without killing those unassailable demons who can assume any form at their will.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Maithilī (Sītā)
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma-guided action requires removing enabling forces of wrongdoing: defeating the support structure of adharma is necessary before confronting its leader.

What is the narrative situation?

Tārā explains the military reality that Rāvaṇa is protected by formidable rākṣasas; they must be overcome first.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Strategic clarity—seeing the real obstacles rather than acting only from anger.