Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 26, Shloka 8

ताटकावधः

The Slaying of Tāṭakā

Devanagari script

तं शब्दमभिनिध्याय राक्षसी क्रोधमूर्छिता।श्रुत्वा चाभ्यद्रवद्वेगाद्यतश्शब्दो विनिस्सृत:।।1.26.8।।

Transliteration

taṃ śabdam abhinidhyāya rākṣasī krodhamūrchitā |

śrutvā cābhyadravad vegād yataḥ śabdo vinissṛtaḥ ||

Translation

その音を思い定めた羅刹女は、怒りに呑まれ、聞くや否や、その音の発した方角へと疾風のごとく駆け寄った。

Word by Word

• तम्: that
• तम्: विशेषण (Determiner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of शब्दम्

• शब्दम्: sound
• शब्दम्: कर्म (Object of अभिनिध्याय/श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभिनिध्याय: having pondered
• अभिनिध्याय: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + नि + ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having reflected/considered’

• राक्षसी: the rākṣasī (demoness)
• राक्षसी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्रोधमूर्छिता: overcome by anger
• क्रोधमूर्छिता: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध + मूर्छित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष: ‘क्रोधेन मूर्छिता’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of राक्षसी

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• अभ्यद्रवत्: rushed towards
• अभ्यद्रवत्: क्रिया (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + द्रु (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वेगात्: swiftly/with speed
• वेगात्: हेतु (Cause/manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; हेतौ (ablative of cause/manner)

• यतः: from where
• यतः: सम्बन्ध (Relative link)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (relative adverb) ‘from where/whence’

• शब्दः: sound
• शब्दः: कर्ता (Subject of विनिस्सृतः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विनिस्सृतः: had come forth
• विनिस्सृतः: क्रिया-विशेष्य (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + नि + सृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘issued forth/originated’

Context

Hearing that sound, the demoness thought for a while and senseless with anger rushed in the direction where the sound had come from.

Characters & Entities

• Tāṭakā (rākṣasī)

FAQs

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

Unchecked anger (krodha) drives adharma into reckless action; the verse shows how moral disorder manifests as impulsive violence.

What is the narrative situation?

Tāṭakā identifies the challenge and charges rapidly toward the source of the bow’s sound.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast, the verse highlights the vice of anger-driven action, setting the stage for dhārmic restraint and decisive protection by Rāma.