Sloka & Translation

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[Rama, further enquires Viswamitra narrates the birth of Tataka, her marriage, curse, etc., and convinces Rama to slay her.]

atha tasyāpramēyasya munērvacanamuttamam.

śrutvā puruṣaśārdūla: pratyuvāca śubhāṅ giram৷৷1.25.1৷৷


apramēyasya having super human faculty beyond comprehension, tasya munē: that sage's, uttamam excellent, vacanam words, śrutvā having heard, puruṣaśārdūla: greatest among men, śubhām auspicious, giram speech, pratyuvāca replied.

On hearing the excellent words of Viswamitra, a sage with unimaginable faculty. Rama, the tiger among men (Rama) replied in a, gentle voice:
alpavīryā yadā yakṣā śśrūyantē munipuṅgava.

kathannāgasahasrasya dhārayatyabalā balam৷৷1.25.2৷৷


munipuṅgava O! Best of ascetics, yakṣā: yakshas, alpavīryā: possess little prowess, yadā śrūyantē since it is being heard, abalā a woman, nāgasahasrasya thousand elephants', balam strength, katham how, dhārayati possesses.

"O best of ascetics, I have heard the yakshas possess little prowess. How can a woman who is by gender weak possess the strength of a thousand elephants?
viśvāmitrō.bravīdvākyaṅ śṛṇa yēna balōttarā.

varadānakṛtaṅ vīryaṅ dhārayatyabalā balam৷৷1.25.3৷৷


viśvāmitra: Visvamitra, vākyam words, abravīt spoke, abalā a woman, yēna for which ever reason, balōttarā acquired great strength, śṛṇu you may listen, varadānakṛtam by virtue of a boon, vīryam prowess, balam strength, dhārayati possesses.

Viswamitra said, "Listen, how she acquired the prowess and strength by virtue of a boon she received.
pūrvamāsīnmahāyakṣassukēturnāma vīryavān.

anapatyaśśubhācārassa ca tēpē mahattapa:৷৷1.25.4৷৷


pūrvam in the days past, sukēturnāma named Suketu, vīryavān powerful, mahāyakṣa: great yaksha, āsīt existed, anapatya: he was without children, sa: he, śubhācāra: one with pure practices, mahat great, tapa: penance, tēpē performed.

"In the past there was a powerful and great yaksha by name Suketu. He had no children. So he performed an intense penance following virtuous practices.
pitāmahastu suprītastasya yakṣapatē stadā.

kanyāratnaṅ dadau rāma tāṭakāṅ nāma nāmata:৷৷1.25.5৷৷


rāma O! Rama, tadā then, pitāmaha: Brahma, suprīta: highly gratified, tasya yakṣapatē: towards that king of yakshas, nāmata: by name, nāma well-known as, tāṭakāṅ Tataka, kanyāratnam gem of a daughter, dadau granted.

Rama! the grandsire Brahma was highly gratified and granted to the king of yakshas, the gem of a daughter by name known asTataka.
dadau nāgasahasrasya balaṅ cāsyā: pitāmaha:.

natvēva putraṅ yakṣāya dadau brahmā mahāyaśā:৷৷1.25.6৷৷


pitāmaha: lord Brahma, asyā: for her, nāgasahasrasya thousand elephants, balam strength, dadau granted, mahāyaśā: that illustrious, brahmā lord Brahma, yakṣāya for that yaksha, putraṅ tu son, na dadau did not bestow.

The illustrious grandsire Brahma granted her the strength of a thousand elephants,
but did not bestow a son on the yaksha.
tāṅ tu jātāṅ vivardhantīṅ rūpayauvanaśālinīm.

jharjhaputrāya sundāya dadau bhāryāṅ yaśasvinīm৷৷1.25.7৷৷


jātām born, vivardhantīm as she was growing, rūpayauvanaśālinīm shining with youthful charm and beauty, yaśasvinīm glorious, tām her, jharjhaputrāya son of Jharjha, sundāya for Sunda, bhāryām as wife, dadau gave.

As she grew up, glowing with youth and beauty she was given in marriage to Sunda, son of Jharjha.
kasyacittvatha kālasya yakṣī putramajāyata.

mārīcaṅ nāma durdharṣaṅ yaśśāpādrākṣasō.bhavat৷৷1.25.8৷৷


atha thereafter, kasyacit kālasya after some time, yakṣī the female yakshi,Tataka, mārīcaṅ nāma by name Maricha, durdharṣam unassailable, putram son, ajāyata gave birth, ya: he, śāpāt because of the curse, rākṣasa: abhavat became rakshasa.

After some time that yakshini gave birth to an unassailable son by name Maricha. Because of a curse, he became a rakshasa (though born of yaksha parentage).
sundē tu nihatē rāma sāgastyamṛṣisattamam.

tāṭakā saha putrēṇa pradharṣayitumicchati৷৷1.25.9৷৷


rāma: O! Rama, sundē when Sunda, nihatē was killed, sā tāṭakā that Tataka, putrēṇa saha along with her son, ṛṣisattamam excellent of sages, agastyam Agastya, pradharṣayitum to attack him, icchati desires(ed).

O Rama! when Sunda died Tataka along with her son wanted to attack Agastya, the best of sages.
bhakṣārthaṅ jātasaṅrambhā garjantī sābhyadhāvata.0

āpatantīṅ tu tāṅ dṛṣṭvā agastyō bhagavānṛṣi:৷৷1.25.10৷৷

rākṣasatvaṅ bhajasvēti mārīcaṅ vyājahāra sa:. 1


sā she, garjantī roaring, jātasaṅrambhā with haste and excitement, bhakṣārdham to devour, abhyadhāvata rushed towards him, bhagavān venerable, sa: agastya: ṛṣi: that Agastya rishi, āpatantīm approaching, tām her, dṛṣṭvā having seen, rākṣasatvam demons' nature, bhajasva iti partake, marīcam Maricha, vyājahāra spoke(cursed).

Roaring, she rushed with excitement to devour him. The venerable rishi Agastya saw her approaching him and cursed Maricha to assume form of a demoness.
agastya: paramakruddhastāṭakāmapi śaptavān৷৷1.25.11৷৷

puruṣādī mahāyakṣī virūpā vikṛtānanā.

idaṅ rūpaṅ vihāyātha dāruṇaṅ rūpamastu tē৷৷1.25.12৷৷


paramakruddha: exceedingly wrathful, agastya: Agastya, tāṭakāmapi Tataka also, śaptavān cursed, idaṅ rūpam this form, vihāya abandoning, atha thereafter, virūpā disfigured shape, vikṛtānanā hideous countenance, puruṣādī becoming a cannibal, mahāyakṣī great yakshi, tē to you, dāruṇaṅ rūpam astu let it be a terrible form.

Mighty angry, Agastya cursed Tataka saying, 'Abandon this form of a great yakshini and assume the terrible figure of a rakshasi, a cannibal with distorted appearance and a hideous countenance'.
saiṣā śāpakṛtāmarṣā tāṭakā krōdhamūrchitā.

dēśamutsādayatyēnamagastyacaritaṅ śubham৷৷1.25.13৷৷


śāpakṛtāmarṣā enraged at the curse, sā ēṣā tāṭakā this same Tataka, krōdhamūrchitā has become senseless with anger, agastyacaritam place tread over by Agstya, śubham sacred, ēnaṅ dēśam this land, utsādayati is destroying.

Enraged at the curse, senseless, Tataka with anger, has been ravaging this sacred land when Agastya walked.
ēnāṅ rāghava! durvṛttāṅ yakṣīṅ paramadāruṇām.

gōbrāhmaṇahitārthāya jahi duṣṭaparākramām৷৷1.25.14৷৷


rāghava (rāma) O! Rama, durvṛttām wicked, paramadāruṇām highly cruel, duṣṭaparākramām having vile prowess, ēnāṅ yakṣīm this yakshi, gōbrāhmaṇahitārthāya for the welfare of brahmins and the cows, jahi you may slay her.

O Rama! for the welfare of cows and brahmins, slay this yakshini who is wicked, extremely cruel and possessing vile prowess.
na hyēnāṅ śāpasamspṛṣṭāṅ kaścidutsahatē pumān.

nihantuṅ triṣu lōkēṣu tvāmṛtē raghunandana৷৷1.25.15৷৷


raghunandana O! Rama, śāpasamspṛṣṭām maligned by the curse, ēnām this yakshini, nihantum to slay, tvāṅ ṛtē except you, kaścit pumān a single man, triṣu lōkēṣu in three worlds, na utsahatē hi not inclined.

O son of Raghu's dynasty! she is maligned by the curse, and so not a single man in the three worlds except you, is competent to slay this yakshini.
na hi tē strīvadhakṛtē ghṛṇā kāryā narōttama.

cāturvaṇyahitārthāya kartavyaṅ rājasūnunā৷৷1.25.16৷৷


narōttama O! Best among men, strīvadhakṛtē by the act of slaying a woman, tē to you, ghṛṇā pity na kāryā need not be shown, rājasūnunā by a prince, cāturvarṇyahitārthāya in the interests four orders of the society, kartavyam should be done.

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.
nṛśaṅsamanṛśaṅsaṅ vā prajārakṣaṇakāraṇāt.

pātakaṅ vā sadōṣaṅ vā kartavyaṅ rakṣatā satā৷৷1.25.17৷৷


rakṣatā while protecting, satā by a virtuous man, prajārakṣaṇakāraṇāt for the welfare of the subjects, nṛśaṅsaṅ vā either cruel, anṛśaṅsaṅ vā or not cruel ,pātakaṅ vā or a sin, sadōṣaṅ vā or involving a mistake, kartavyam should be done.

Whether cruel or kind, sinful or wrong whatever contributes to the protection of the subjects, should be done by the righteous (king).
rājyabhāraniyuktānāmēṣa dharmassanātana:.

adharmyāṅ jahi kākutstha! dharmōhyasyā na vidyatē৷৷1.25.18৷৷


rājyabhāraniyuktānām for those who enjoined by the burden of royalty, ēṣa: this one, sanātana: eternal, dharma: law, kākutstha O! Kakusthsa, adharmyām unjust (Tataka ), jahi kill her, asyā: for this Tataka, dharma: righteousness, na vidyatē hi knows not.

This is the eternal law binding those who are appointed to bear the burden of a kingdom. O Kakutstha! kill her. She knows no dharma.
śrūyatē hi purā śakrō virōcanasutāṅ nṛpa!.

pṛthivīṅ hantumicchantīṅ mantharāmabhyasūdayat৷৷1.25.19৷৷


nṛpa O! Prince, purā in the days of the past, pṛthivīm this earth, hantum to destroy, icchantīm intending, virōcanasutām daughter of Virochana, mantharām Manthara, śakra: Indra, abhyasūdayat slew, śrūyatē hi it is heard.

O Prince! It is heard that in the past Indra slew Manthara, Virochana's daughter who intended to destroy the earth.
viṣṇunāpi purā rāma bhṛgupatnī dṛḍhavratā.

anindraṅ lōkamicchantī kāvyamātā niṣūditā৷৷1.25.20৷৷


rāma O! Rama, purā in the olden days, lōkam this world, anindram devoid of Indra, icchantī desirous, dṛḍhavratā determined to vow, kāvyamātā mother of Kavya, bhṛgupatnī api wife of sage Bhrigu, viṣṇunā.pi by Visnu also, niṣūditā destroyed.

O Rama! in olden times, the mother of Kavya and the wife of sage Bhrigu, determined to make this world devoid of Indra was destroyed by Visnu.
ētaiścānyaiśca bahubhī rājaputra! mahātmabhi:.

adharmasahitā nāryō hatā: puruṣasattamai:৷৷1.25.21৷৷


rājaputra O! Prince, mahātmabhi: magnanimous, ētaiśca by them, anyai:ca by others, puruṣasattamai: by the best among men, bahubhiḥ by several, adharmasahitā: unrighteous ones, nārya: women, hatā: were killed.

O Prince! by these magnanimous persons and by great men several unrighteous women were killed for the common good".
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē pañcaviṅśassarga:৷৷
Thus ends the twentyfifth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.