Shloka 15

तारोपदेशः — Tara’s Counsel to Lakshmana

Restraint, Time, and Mobilization

Devanagari script

शतकोटिसहस्राणि लङ्कायां किल राक्षसाः।आयुतानि च षट्त्रिंशत्सहस्राणि शतानि च।।।।

Transliteration

śatakoṭisahasrāṇi laṅkāyāṃ kila rākṣasāḥ | āyutāni ca ṣaṭtriṃśat-sahasrāṇi śatāni ca ||

Translation

ലങ്കയിൽ, കേൾവിയനുസരിച്ച്, രാക്ഷസർ ‘ശതകോടി സഹസ്രം’ എണ്ണമുണ്ട്; പിന്നെയും ആയുതങ്ങൾ, മുപ്പത്താറായിരങ്ങൾ, ആയിരങ്ങൾ, നൂറുകൾ—അപരിമിതമായൊരു സൈന്യം.

Word by Word

• śata-koṭi-sahasrāṇi: hundreds of crores of thousands (a vast number)
• śata-koṭi-sahasrāṇi: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक) + koṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); saṅkhyā-vācaka dvigu-samāsa (numeral compound)

• laṅkāyām: in Laṅkā
• laṅkāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• kila: indeed/they say
• kila: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; nipāta/particle (निपात) indicating report/hearsay/emphasis

• rākṣasāḥ: demons
• rākṣasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• āyutāni: ten-thousands (myriads)
• āyutāni: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); saṅkhyā-śabda (numeral)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; samuccaya-avadhāraṇa conjunction (समुच्चय)

• ṣaṭ-triṃśat-sahasrāṇi: thirty-six thousands
• ṣaṭ-triṃśat-sahasrāṇi: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक) + triṃśat (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); dvigu-samāsa (numeral compound)

• śatāni: hundreds
• śatāni: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); saṅkhyā-śabda

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

Context

'The number of demons in Lanka is reported to be a hundred thousand crore, three lakh, ninetynine thousand and six hundred. (Note: Indian tradition has numbers up to eighteen digits. One hundred thousand crores is equal to a 'mahapadma' which has thirteen digits. The number described here is 1000000399600.)

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma includes truthful counsel and responsible strategy: one should not rush into action without understanding the scale of adharma’s power and preparing adequately.

What is the narrative situation?

Tārā explains that Laṅkā’s rākṣasa forces are vast, implying the need for large-scale vanara support before engaging Rāvaṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Prudent judgment—Tārā’s measured, reality-based advice to prevent reckless confrontation.