Shloka 21

Adhyaya 70 — The King Confronts the Rakshasa and Restores the Brahmin’s Wife

Sanskrit

राक्षस उवाच मन्त्रवित् स द्विजश्रेष्ठो यज्ञे यज्ञे गतस्य मे ।

रक्षोघ्नमन्त्रपठनात् करोत्युच्चाटनं नृप ॥

Transliteration

rākṣasa uvāca mantravit sa dvijaśreṣṭho yajñe yajñe gatasya me | rakṣoghnamantrapaṭhanāt karoty uccāṭanaṃ nṛpa ||

Translation

Raksasa itu berkata: “Brahmana yang terbaik itu mengetahui mantra. Setiap kali aku pergi ke upacara korban (yajña), dengan melafazkan mantra pembunuh raksasa dia menghalau aku, wahai raja.”

Speakers

• Rākṣasa to the King

Key Themes

• Vedic ritual protection
• Mantra efficacy
• Conflict between yajña and disruptive beings