Shloka 18

Devanagari script

स्वथां पूजां च रक्षोभिर्जनस्थाने प्रणाशिताम्‌

Transliteration

svathāṁ pūjāṁ ca rakṣobhir janasthāne praṇāśitām

Translation

Nārada said: “And there, at Janasthāna, the rites of worship that had been duly arranged were destroyed by the rākṣasas.”

Word by Word

• स्वथाम्: Sītā (Svathā)
• स्वथाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वथा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पूजाम्: worship, honoring
• पूजाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• रक्षोभिः: by the rākṣasas/demons
• रक्षोभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• जनस्थाने: in Janasthāna
• जनस्थाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनस्थान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• प्रणाशिताम्: destroyed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-नश्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• rākṣasas
• Janasthāna
• pūjā (worship/rites)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how adharma can manifest as the deliberate disruption of sacred rites: when violent forces attack worship, they attack not only people but the moral and ritual order that sustains society.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada reports that at the place called Janasthāna, rākṣasas destroyed the worship/ritual arrangements that had been properly set up, indicating an assault on a sacred observance.