Shloka 43

Sāvitrī’s Report and Nārada’s Prognosis (सावित्र्याख्यान—सत्यवान्-गुणवर्णनं तथा अल्पायुषः पूर्वसूचना)

Devanagari script

रक्षार्थ तापसानां तु राघवो धर्मवत्सल: । चतुर्दश सहस्राणि जघान भुवि रक्षसाम्‌

Transliteration

rakṣārthaṁ tāpasānāṁ tu rāghavo dharmavatsalaḥ | caturdaśa sahasrāṇi jaghāna bhuvi rakṣasām ||

Translation

To protect the ascetics, Rāghava—devoted to dharma—slew on earth fourteen thousand rākṣasas.

Word by Word

• रक्षार्थम्: for the sake of protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा-अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तापसानाम्: of the ascetics
• तापसानाम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापस
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• तु: indeed/but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• राघवः: Rāghava (Rāma)
• राघवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मवत्सलः: devoted to dharma
• धर्मवत्सलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मवत्सल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दश
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• जघान: slew/killed
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular

• भुवि: on the earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• रक्षसाम्: of the rākṣasas/demons
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

(श्रीरम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Śrī Rāma)
• tāpasas (ascetics)
• rākṣasas (demons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma may require decisive force when it is exercised as protection of the vulnerable—here, ascetics devoted to spiritual practice. The ethical emphasis is on motive and duty: violence is framed as a reluctant but necessary act of guardianship, not personal gain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Rāghava (Rāma), described as devoted to dharma, destroys a vast host of rākṣasas on earth in order to safeguard the forest ascetics. The verse summarizes a protective campaign undertaken to restore safety for tapas and sacred life in the wilderness.