Shloka 26

Devanagari script

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य यक्षी वै कामरूपिणी।बलं नागसहस्रस्य धारयन्ती तदा ह्यभूत्।।1.24.25।। ताटका नाम भद्रं ते भार्या सुन्दस्य धीमत:। 2मारीचो राक्षस: पुत्रो यस्याश्शक्रपराक्रम:।।1.24.26।।

Transliteration

kasyacit tv atha kālasya yakṣī vai kāmarūpiṇī |

balaṃ nāgasahasrasya dhārayantī tadā hy abhūt || 1.24.25 ||

tāṭakā nāma bhadraṃ te bhāryā sundasya dhīmataḥ |

mārīco rākṣasaḥ putro yasyāḥ śakraparākramaḥ || 1.24.26 ||

Translation

ಕಾಲ ಕಳೆದ ಬಳಿಕ ಇಚ್ಛಾರೂಪಿಣಿಯಾದ ಯಕ್ಷೀ ಒಬ್ಬಳು ಉದ್ಭವಿಸಿದಳು; ಆಕೆ ಸಾವಿರ ಆನೆಗಳ ಬಲವನ್ನು ಧರಿಸಿದ್ದಳು. ಆಕೆಯ ಹೆಸರು ತಾಟಕಾ—ಭದ್ರಂ ತೇ—ಧೀಮಂತ ಸುಂದನ ಪತ್ನಿ, ಶಕ್ರಸಮಾನ ಪರಾಕ್ರಮಿಯ ರಾಕ್ಷಸ ಮಾರೀಚನ ತಾಯಿ.

Word by Word

कस्यचित्of some

तुindeed/and

अथthen/thereafter

कालस्यof time

यक्षीa yakṣī (female yakṣa)

वैindeed

कामरूपिणीable to assume forms at will

बलम्strength

नागसहस्रस्यof a thousand elephants

धारयन्तीbearing/possessing

तदाthen

हिindeed/for

अभूत्became/was

Context

Then, after a lapse of several years, O gentle one! a terrible yakshini by name Tataka,wife of intelligent Sunda, capable of assuming different forms at will, possessed of the strength of a thousand elephants and mother of a rakshasa known as Maricha armed with the power of Indra took possession of this place.

Characters & Entities

Tāṭakā

Sunda

Mārīca

Śakra (Indra)

Yakṣī

FAQs

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

Dharma requires recognizing sources of social harm: extraordinary power without righteousness becomes a threat, and naming/identifying the agent of disruption is the first step toward restoring order.

What is the narrative situation?

The text introduces Tāṭakā—her nature, power, family ties (Sunda, Mārīca)—as the looming cause of the region’s later terror and the immediate challenge for Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka) in leadership: understanding who threatens the people and why becomes necessary before decisive, dharmic action can be taken.