Shloka 14

यवक्रीत-वधः

The Slaying of Yavakrīta at Raibhya’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

उच्छिष्ट तु यवक्रीतमपकृष्टकमण्डलुम्‌ । तत उद्यतशूल: स राक्षस: समुपाद्रवत्‌,कमण्डलु खो जानेसे यवक्रीतका शरीर उच्छिष्ट (जूठा या अपवित्र) रहने लगा। उस दशामें वह राक्षस हाथमें त्रिशूल उठाये यवक्रीतकी ओर दौड़ा

Transliteration

ucchiṣṭaṃ tu yavakrītam apakṛṣṭa-kamaṇḍalum | tata udyata-śūlaḥ sa rākṣasaḥ samupādravat ||

Translation

Als Yavakrī sein Kamaṇḍalu entrissen wurde, blieb er in einem Zustand ritueller Unreinheit (ucchiṣṭa) zurück. Da er ihn so sah, stürmte der Rākṣasa, den Dreizack erhoben, auf Yavakrī los.

Word by Word

उच्छिष्टम्impure, defiled (as leavings)

तुbut, however

यवक्रीतम्Yavakrīta (proper name)

अपकृष्टकमण्डलुम्the (water-)pot that had been taken away/removed

ततःthen, thereafter

उद्यतशूलःwith weapon (trident/spear) raised

सःhe, that (one)

राक्षसःthe demon (rākṣasa)

समुपाद्रवत्ran up (towards), rushed

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yavakrīta

Rākṣasa

kamaṇḍalu (ascetic’s water-pot)

śūla (trident)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights vulnerability that follows the loss of protective discipline—both ritual and ethical. When one’s safeguards (symbolized by the kamaṇḍalu and the state of purity) are compromised, hostile forces find an opening; steadiness and vigilance are essential in ascetic and moral life.

What is happening in the narrative?

A rākṣasa has taken away Yavakrīta’s kamaṇḍalu, leaving him ‘ucchiṣṭa’ (ritually impure). Seizing the moment, the rākṣasa charges at him with a raised trident, escalating the threat into immediate physical danger.