Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 25, Shloka 16

ताटकावृत्तान्तः

The Account of Tāṭakā and the Royal Duty to Protect

Devanagari script

न हि ते स्त्रीवधकृते घृणा कार्या नरोत्तम।चातुर्वण्यहितार्थाय कर्तव्यं राजसूनुना।।।।

Transliteration

na hi te strī-vadha-kṛte ghṛṇā kāryā narottama | cāturvarṇya-hitārthāya kartavyaṃ rājasūnunā ||

Translation

至善之人啊，不必因怜悯而退缩，只因所杀为女子；王子当为四姓之安宁而行所当行。

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/To you)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्त्रीवधकृते: in the matter of woman-slaying
• स्त्रीवधकृते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री-वध-कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुषः) — स्त्रियाः वधः तस्मिन् कृते (in the act of slaying a woman)

• घृणा: pity/compassion
• घृणा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of kāryā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कार्या: should be done/shown
• कार्या: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (कृ-धातु) + यत् (कृत्य)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृत्य-प्रत्यय (gerundive/obligatory) — ‘to be done/should be shown’

• नरोत्तम: O best of men
• नरोत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः (कर्मधारयः) — उत्तमः नरः (best of men)

• चातुर्वण्यहितार्थाय: for the welfare of the four orders
• चातुर्वण्यहितार्थाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Purpose-beneficiary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्वर्ण्य-हित-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुषः) — चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य हितस्य अर्थाय (for the welfare of the four varṇas)

• कर्तव्यम्: must be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (कृ-धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृत्य-प्रत्यय (gerundive) — ‘must be done’

• राजसूनुना: by a prince
• राजसूनुना: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज-सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुषः) — राज्ञः सूनुना (by the king's son/prince)

Context

O best among men you need not hate killing a woman. You are a prince. You should serve the interest of the four orders of the society.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Rājadharma: a ruler (or prince) must act for the protection and welfare of society, even when the required action is personally painful or socially sensitive.

What is the narrative situation?

Viśvāmitra instructs Rāma to kill Tātakā and counters Rāma’s hesitation about committing violence against a woman.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness in duty (kartavya-niṣṭhā) and prioritizing public welfare over personal reluctance.