Shloka 16

Kāṣṭhīla-Upākhyāna: Rākṣasī, Spear-Śakti, and Kāśī as Śakti-kṣetra

Devanagari script

त्वदर्थे राक्षसो घोरो मया ब्रह्मन्निषूदितः । मुग्धया तव रूपेण प्रेषितो यमसादनम् ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

tvadarthe rākṣaso ghoro mayā brahmanniṣūditaḥ | mugdhayā tava rūpeṇa preṣito yamasādanam || 16 ||

Translation

โอ พราหมณ์! เพื่อท่าน ข้าพเจ้าได้สังหารยักษ์รากษสอันน่าสะพรึงนั้น และเพราะหลงใหลในรูปของท่าน จึงส่งมันไปยังสำนักของยมะ।

Word by Word

• त्वत्-अर्थे: for your sake
• त्वत्-अर्थे: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/अर्थे)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (त्वदर्थः = तव अर्थः)

• राक्षसः: a demon
• राक्षसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• घोरः: terrible
• घोरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to राक्षसः)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana/Agent-in-passive (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• निषूदितः: killed/slain
• निषूदितः: Kriya-visheshya (क्रियाविशेष्य/कर्मणि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + सूद् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle)

• मुग्धया: by me, the deluded woman
• मुग्धया: Karana/Agent (करण/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुग्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण कर्तृ (speaker)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• रूपेण: by (your) form/appearance
• रूपेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रेषितः: sent
• प्रेषितः: Kriya-visheshya (क्रियाविशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + इष् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle)

• यम-सादनम्: to Yama’s abode
• यम-सादनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + सादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यमस्य सादनम्)

Speaker

A female narrator/character addressing a Brahmin (contextual speaker within the Adhyaya’s tirtha-mahatmya episode)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Rakshasa

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It highlights how actions—even when done “for someone’s sake”—still carry moral and karmic weight, especially when driven by delusion (moha), a recurring Purāṇic warning within tirtha-mahātmya narratives.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Indirectly, it contrasts moha (deluded attachment to form) with the clarity sought in bhakti: devotion aims to purify intention so that protection of dharma is not mixed with भ्रम (delusion) or egoic impulse.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vyākaraṇa-style precision is implicit in terms like niṣūditaḥ (a completed action) and yama-sādanam (a karmic destination), reinforcing how Purāṇic narration uses exact grammatical forms to convey cause–effect (karma-phala).