Shloka 8
तापती–संवरणोपाख्यानम्
The Tapatī–Saṃvaraṇa Episode: Meaning of “Tāpatya”
तद्विमोक्षाय ये केचिद् यतन्ति पुरुषा: क्वचित् । सपुत्रदारांस्तान् हत्वा तद् रक्षो भक्षयत्युत,जो कोई पुरुष कभी उससे छूटनेका प्रयत्न करते हैं, वह राक्षस उन्हें पुत्र और सत्रीसहित मारकर खा जाता है
tad-vimokṣāya ye kecid yatanti puruṣāḥ kvacit | sa-putra-dārāṁs tān hatvā tad rakṣo bhakṣayaty uta ||
Some men, at times, attempt to free themselves from that peril. Yet that rākṣasa kills them—together with their sons and wives—and then devours them. The statement underscores the terror of the situation: escape is not merely difficult but invites catastrophic harm to one’s entire household.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how unchecked violence and predation destroy not only individuals but entire households, intensifying the ethical stakes for anyone considering resistance or escape. It frames the situation as one where ordinary self-preservation becomes morally and practically fraught.
A brāhmaṇa describes a rākṣasa who preys upon people. If anyone tries to break free from the imposed danger, the rākṣasa kills them along with their family members and then eats them, showing the near-impossibility of escape and the terror gripping the community.