Shloka 23

ताटकावधः

The Slaying of Tāṭakā

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तस्तु तदा यक्षी अश्मवृष्ट्याभिवर्षतीम्।।1.26.23।।दर्शयन् शब्दवेधित्वं तां रुरोध स सायकै:।

Transliteration

ity uktas tu tadā yakṣī aśmavṛṣṭyābhivarṣatīm | darśayan śabdavedhitvaṃ tāṃ rurodha sa sāyakaiḥ ||

Translation

罗摩听闻此言，便施展听声辨位的绝技，在夜叉女降下石雨之时，用箭矢阻断了她的攻势。

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative particle)

• उक्तः: having been spoken to
• उक्तः: Karta (कर्ता; subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'having been addressed/said to'

• तु: then; but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/particle: 'but/and then')

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्; time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• यक्षी: the yakshi
• यक्षी: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yakṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अश्मवृष्ट्या: with a shower of stones
• अश्मवृष्ट्या: Karana (करणम्; means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśma + vṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: 'अश्मानां वृष्टिः'

• अभिवर्षतीम्: showering (upon)
• अभिवर्षतीम्: Karma (कर्म; object qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhivarṣ (अभि + √वृष्) (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; 'showering upon' (qualifies 'tām')

• दर्शयन्: showing; demonstrating
• दर्शयन्: Karta (कर्ता; agent qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'while showing' (qualifies 'sa')

• शब्दवेधित्वम्: skill of hitting by sound
• शब्दवेधित्वम्: Karma (कर्म; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda + vedhitva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: 'शब्देन वेधित्वम्' (ability to hit by sound)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म; object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रुरोध: restrained; blocked
• रुरोध: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rudh (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• स: he
• स: Karta (कर्ता; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सायकैः: with arrows
• सायकैः: Karana (करणम्; instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Context

Addressed thus (by Viswamitra), Rama attacked her exhibiting his skill in targetting her by the sound and prevented with arrows the yakshini from showering stones.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• yakṣī (Tāṭakā in context)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is protective righteousness: Rāma uses disciplined skill to prevent harm (the stone-shower) rather than acting in uncontrolled anger.

What is the narrative situation?

During the confrontation, the yakṣī attacks by hurling stones; Rāma counters by locating and restraining her through sound-based marksmanship.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Controlled valor and trained competence—martial skill guided by purpose (protection), not mere aggression.