Shloka 14

ताटकावृत्तान्तः

The Account of Tāṭakā and the Royal Duty to Protect

Devanagari script

एनां राघव दुर्वृत्तां यक्षीं परमदारुणाम्।गोब्राह्मणहितार्थाय जहि दुष्टपराक्रमाम्।।।।

Transliteration

enāṃ rāghava durvṛttāṃ yakṣīṃ parama-dāruṇām | go-brāhmaṇa-hitārthāya jahi duṣṭa-parākramām || 1.25.14 ||

Translation

हे राघव! इस दुष्टाचारी, अत्यन्त क्रूर यक्षी को—जिसका पराक्रम भी दुष्ट है—गौ और ब्राह्मणों के हित के लिए वध कर दीजिए।

Word by Word

• एनाम्: this (woman)
• एनाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• राघव: O Rāghava (Rāma)
• राघव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; संज्ञा

• दुर्वृत्ताम्: wicked/ill-conducted
• दुर्वृत्ताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies enām/yakṣīm)

• यक्षीम्: yakṣiṇī (female yakṣa)
• यक्षीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्षी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• परमदारुणाम्: most cruel
• परमदारुणाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (कर्मधारयः) — परमं दारुणा (extremely cruel)

• गोब्राह्मणहितार्थाय: for the welfare of cows and brahmins
• गोब्राह्मणहितार्थाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Beneficiary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो-ब्राह्मण-हित-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुषः) — गोब्राह्मणयोः हितस्य अर्थाय (for the sake of the welfare of cows and brahmins)

• जहि: slay
• जहि: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (हन्-धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• दुष्टपराक्रमाम्: of wicked valor
• दुष्टपराक्रमाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट-पराक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुषः) — दुष्टः पराक्रमः यस्याः (having vile prowess)

Context

O Rama for the welfare of cows and brahmins, slay this yakshini who is wicked, extremely cruel and possessing vile prowess.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Tāṭakā
• Cows (go)
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

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

Kṣatriya-dharma: force may be used to protect the innocent and uphold social-sacred welfare (go and brāhmaṇa), when a violent threat endangers the community.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra explicitly commands Rāma to kill Tāṭakā, framing it as a protective act for society and sacred order.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s role as protector (rakṣaka): courage guided by dharma rather than personal anger.