Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 26, Shloka 22

ताटकावधः

The Slaying of Tāṭakā

Devanagari script

वध्यतां तावदेवैषा पुरा सन्ध्या प्रवर्तते।।1.26.22।।रक्षांसि सन्ध्याकालेषु दुर्धर्षाणि भवन्ति वै।

Transliteration

vadhyatāṃ tāvad evaiṣā purā sandhyā pravartate | rakṣāṃsi sandhyākāleṣu durdharṣāṇi bhavanti vai ||1.26.22||

Translation

Qu'elle soit tuée sur-le-champ, avant que le crépuscule ne tombe, car à la tombée de la nuit, les démons deviennent difficiles à vaincre.

Word by Word

• वध्यताम्: let (her) be killed
• वध्यताम्: Kriya (क्रिया; injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vadh (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपद-रूप (Ātmanepada); विधिलिङ्गार्थः: 'let her be killed'

• तावत्: just so much; before that
• तावत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः; adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक (adverb: 'so long/that much/just then')

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः; emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• एषा: this (she)
• एषा: Karma (कर्म; patient of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुरा: beforehand; earlier
• पुरा: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्; time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण

• सन्ध्या: twilight; dusk
• सन्ध्या: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रवर्तते: sets in; begins; approaches
• प्रवर्तते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pravṛt (प्र + √vṛt) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• रक्षांसि: rakshasas (demons)
• रक्षांसि: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सन्ध्याकालेषु: at twilight times
• सन्ध्याकालेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्; time locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhyā + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'सन्ध्यायाः कालेषु'

• दुर्धर्षाणि: unassailable; hard to overcome
• दुर्धर्षाणि: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durdharṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण to 'रक्षांसि'

• भवन्ति: become
• भवन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः; emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (assertive particle)

Context

Kill her, for dusk is fast approaching. During evening the strength of rakshasas tends to increase and they become unassailable".

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• sandhyā (twilight)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes acting at the proper time (kāla): delaying righteous action can empower wrongdoing and endanger others.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra presses urgency, noting twilight increases the danger posed by rākṣasas, so Tāṭakā must be finished promptly.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudence and decisiveness—wisdom that combines moral duty with awareness of time and circumstance.