← 1.24 Story of Tāṭakā: Birth, marriage and Agastya’s curse · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.26 Divine weapons: Viśvāmitra grants the powers →
Bāla Kāṇḍa, sarga 25: Rāma kills Tāṭakā
Summary. Rāma’s bowstring draws her attack, he kills her with an arrow to the breast and the Devas ask Viśvāmitra to reward him with divine weapons
Sequence
- Rāma joins his palms and agrees to obey Viśvāmitra → he recalls Daśaratha’s instruction, given in Ayodhyā before his elders, and affirms the need to protect the region, cows, and brāhmaṇas (1.25.1–5)
- he grips the middle of his bow firmly in his fist and makes the bowstring twang fiercely, filling every direction with sound → the forest creatures are terrified → bewildered and enraged by the sound, Tāṭakā rushes toward its source (1.25.6–8)
- seeing the rākṣasī’s monstrous body, Rāma tells Lakṣmaṇa that he still intends to disable her rather than kill a woman: he proposes cutting her nose and ears and destroying her power to move and attack (1.25.9–12)
- before he finishes, she charges roaring with her arms raised, springing forward like a thunderbolt → Rāma shoots her in the breast, and she falls dead (1.25.13–14)
- Indra and the Suras praise the deed → they ask Viśvāmitra to give Rāma the divine weapons—Prajāpati Bhṛśāśva’s sons, sustained by the power of austerity—since he is a worthy pupil with a great divine task ahead (1.25.15–19)
- the Suras depart as twilight approaches → Viśvāmitra, delighted by Tāṭakā's death, kisses Rāma on the head and proposes spending the night there before continuing to his hermitage at dawn. (1.25.20–22)
Verses 1.25.1–22
1.25.1
muner vacanam aklībaṃ śrutvā naravarātmajaḥ
rāghavaḥ prāñjalir bhūtvā pratyuvāca dṛḍhavrataḥ
Hearing the manly speech of the sage, the son of the best of men, Rāghava, of firm vows, joined his palms and replied:
Words: muner — of the sage; vacanam — speech; aklībaṃ — manly, not weak; śrutvā — having heard; naravarātmajaḥ — son of the best of men; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; prāñjalir — with palms joined; bhūtvā — having become; pratyuvāca — replied; dṛḍhavrataḥ — of firm vows
1.25.2
pitur vacananirdeśāt pitur vacanagauravāt
vacanaṃ kauśikasyeti kartavyam aviśaṅkayā
“By the injunction of my father's word, and out of reverence for my father's word, the word of the Kauśika (Viśvāmitra) must be carried out without hesitation.
Words: pitur — of the father; vacananirdeśāt — by the injunction of the word; pitur — of the father; vacanagauravāt — out of reverence for the word; vacanaṃ — the word; kauśikasyeti — ‘of the Kauśika,’ thus; kartavyam — to be done; aviśaṅkayā — without hesitation
1.25.3
anuśiṣṭo 'smy ayodhyāyāṃ gurumadhye mahātmanā
pitrā daśarathenāhaṃ nāvajñeyaṃ ca tad vacaḥ
I was instructed in Ayodhyā, in the midst of my elders, by the great-souled one, my father Daśaratha; and that word (of his) is not to be disregarded.
Words: anuśiṣṭo — instructed; 'smy — I am; ayodhyāyāṃ — in Ayodhyā; gurumadhye — in the midst of elders; mahātmanā — by the great-souled one; pitrā — by the father; daśarathenāhaṃ — by Daśaratha, I; nāvajñeyaṃ — not to be disregarded; ca — and; tad — that; vacaḥ — word
1.25.4
so 'haṃ pitur vacaḥ śrutvā śāsanād brahma vādinaḥ
kariṣyāmi na saṃdehas tāṭakāvadham uttamam
So I, having heard my father's word, at the command of the utterer of sacred lore, shall accomplish the excellent slaying of Tāṭakā — of this there is no doubt.
Words: so — he, I; 'haṃ — I; pitur — of the father; vacaḥ — word; śrutvā — having heard; śāsanād — at the command; brahma — of sacred lore, the Veda; vādinaḥ — of the utterer; kariṣyāmi — I shall do, accomplish; na — not, no; saṃdehas — doubt; tāṭakāvadham — the slaying of Tāṭakā; uttamam — excellent, supreme
1.25.5
gobrāhmaṇahitārthāya deśasyāsya sukhāya ca
tava caivāprameyasya vacanaṃ kartum udyataḥ
For the good of cows and brahmins, for the well-being of this region, and in obedience to the word of you, the immeasurable one, I am ready to act.
Words: gobrāhmaṇahitārthāya — for the good of cows and brahmins; deśasyāsya — of this region; sukhāya — for the well-being; ca — and; tava — of you; caivāprameyasya — and of the immeasurable one; vacanaṃ — the word; kartum — to carry out; udyataḥ — ready, prepared
1.25.6
evam uktvā dhanurmadhye baddhvā muṣṭim ariṃdamaḥ
jyāśabdam akarot tīvraṃ diśaḥ śabdena pūrayan
Having spoken thus, the tamer of foes, gripping his fist at the middle of the bow, made a fierce twang of the bowstring, filling the quarters with the sound.
Words: evam — thus; uktvā — having spoken; dhanurmadhye — at the middle of the bow; baddhvā — having fixed, gripped; muṣṭim — the fist, grip; ariṃdamaḥ — the tamer of foes; jyāśabdam — the twang of the bowstring; akarot — made; tīvraṃ — fierce, sharp; diśaḥ — the quarters, directions; śabdena — with the sound; pūrayan — filling
1.25.7
tena śabdena vitrastās tāṭakā vanavāsinaḥ
tāṭakā ca susaṃkruddhā tena śabdena mohitā
By that sound the dwellers of Tāṭakā's forest were terrified; and Tāṭakā herself, greatly enraged, was bewildered by that sound.
Words: tena — by that; śabdena — by the sound; vitrastās — terrified; tāṭakā — of Tāṭakā's (forest); vanavāsinaḥ — the forest-dwellers; tāṭakā — Tāṭakā; ca — and; susaṃkruddhā — greatly enraged; tena — by that; śabdena — by the sound; mohitā — bewildered, confounded
1.25.8
taṃ śabdam abhinidhyāya rākṣasī krodhamūrchitā
śrutvā cābhyadravad vegād yataḥ śabdo viniḥsṛtaḥ
Fixing her attention on that sound, the rākṣasī, senseless with rage, and having heard it, rushed with speed toward where the sound had issued forth.
Words: taṃ — that; śabdam — sound; abhinidhyāya — having marked, fixed attention on; rākṣasī — the rākṣasī; krodhamūrchitā — senseless with rage; śrutvā — having heard; cābhyadravad — and rushed; vegād — with speed; yataḥ — whence; śabdo — the sound; viniḥsṛtaḥ — had issued forth
1.25.9
tāṃ dṛṣṭvā rāghavaḥ kruddhāṃ vikṛtāṃ vikṛtānanām
pramāṇenātivṛddhāṃ ca lakṣmaṇaṃ so 'bhyabhāṣata
Seeing her — enraged, deformed, of distorted face, and of enormous size — Rāghava said to Lakṣmaṇa:
Words: tāṃ — her; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; kruddhāṃ — enraged; vikṛtāṃ — deformed; vikṛtānanām — of distorted face; pramāṇenātivṛddhāṃ — of enormous size; ca — and; lakṣmaṇaṃ — to Lakṣmaṇa; so — he; 'bhyabhāṣata — said, addressed
1.25.10
paśya lakṣmaṇa yakṣiṇyā bhairavaṃ dāruṇaṃ vapuḥ
bhidyeran darśanād asyā bhīrūṇāṃ hṛdayāni ca
“Behold, Lakṣmaṇa, the fearful, dreadful body of the yakṣī; the hearts of the timid would burst at the very sight of her.
Words: paśya — behold; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa; yakṣiṇyā — of the yakṣī; bhairavaṃ — fearful; dāruṇaṃ — dreadful; vapuḥ — body, form; bhidyeran — would burst, split; darśanād — at the sight; asyā — of her; bhīrūṇāṃ — of the timid; hṛdayāni — the hearts; ca — and, even
1.25.11
enāṃ paśya durādharṣāṃ māyā balasamanvitām
vinivṛttāṃ karomy adya hṛtakarṇāgranāsikām
Behold her, hard to assail, endowed with the power of magic; today I shall drive her back, her ear-tips and nose lopped off.
Words: enāṃ — her; paśya — behold; durādharṣāṃ — hard to assail; māyā — magic, illusion; balasamanvitām — endowed with power; vinivṛttāṃ — turned back, driven off; karomy — I make; adya — today; hṛtakarṇāgranāsikām — with ear-tips and nose cut off
1.25.12
na hy enām utsahe hantuṃ strīsvabhāvena rakṣitām
vīryaṃ cāsyā gatiṃ cāpi haniṣyāmīti me matiḥ
For I do not venture to slay her, protected as she is by her woman's nature; but I will destroy her strength and her power of movement — such is my intent.”
Words: na — not; hy — for; enām — her; utsahe — I venture, dare; hantuṃ — to slay; strīsvabhāvena — by her woman's nature; rakṣitām — protected; vīryaṃ — strength, might; cāsyā — and her; gatiṃ — power of movement, gait; cāpi — and also; haniṣyāmīti — ‘I shall destroy,’ thus; me — my; matiḥ — thought, intent
1.25.13
evaṃ bruvāṇe rāme tu tāṭakā krodhamūrchitā
udyamya bāhū garjantī rāmam evābhyadhāvata
But as Rāma was speaking thus, Tāṭakā, senseless with rage, raising her arms and roaring, rushed straight at Rāma.
Words: evaṃ — thus; bruvāṇe — speaking (loc. abs.); rāme — Rāma (loc. abs.); tu — but; tāṭakā — Tāṭakā; krodhamūrchitā — senseless with rage; udyamya — having raised; bāhū — the two arms; garjantī — roaring; rāmam — Rāma; evābhyadhāvata — rushed right at
1.25.14
tām āpatantīṃ vegena vikrāntām aśanīm iva
śareṇorasi vivyādha sā papāta mamāra ca
As she rushed on with speed, springing forth like a thunderbolt, he pierced her in the breast with an arrow; she fell and died.
Words: tām — her; āpatantīṃ — rushing on, attacking; vegena — with speed; vikrāntām — springing, striding; aśanīm — a thunderbolt; iva — like; śareṇorasi — in the breast with an arrow; vivyādha — pierced; sā — she; papāta — fell; mamāra — died; ca — and
1.25.15
tāṃ hatāṃ bhīmasaṃkāśāṃ dṛṣṭvā surapatis tadā
sādhu sādhv iti kākutsthaṃ surāś ca samapūjayan
Seeing her of fearful aspect slain, the lord of the gods then, and the gods, honoured Kākutstha (Rāma), (crying) “Well done, well done!”
Words: tāṃ — her; hatāṃ — slain; bhīmasaṃkāśāṃ — of fearful aspect; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; surapatis — the lord of the gods (Indra); tadā — then; sādhu — well done; sādhv — well done; iti — thus; kākutsthaṃ — Kākutstha (Rāma); surāś — the gods; ca — and; samapūjayan — honoured
1.25.16
uvāca paramaprītaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ puraṃdaraḥ
surāś ca sarve saṃhṛṣṭā viśvāmitram athābruvan
The thousand-eyed Puraṃdara (Indra), greatly delighted, spoke; and all the gods, thrilled, then said to Viśvāmitra:
Words: uvāca — spoke; paramaprītaḥ — greatly delighted; sahasrākṣaḥ — the thousand-eyed (Indra); puraṃdaraḥ — Puraṃdara (the sacker of cities, Indra); surāś — the gods; ca — and; sarve — all; saṃhṛṣṭā — thrilled, delighted; viśvāmitram — to Viśvāmitra; athābruvan — then said
1.25.17
mune kauśike bhadraṃ te sendrāḥ sarve marudgaṇāḥ
toṣitāḥ karmaṇānena snehaṃ darśaya rāghave
“O sage Kauśika, blessings on you! All the hosts of the Maruts, together with Indra, are gratified by this deed; show now your affection to Rāghava.
Words: mune — O sage; kauśike — O Kauśika; bhadraṃ — blessings, good; te — to you; sendrāḥ — together with Indra; sarve — all; marudgaṇāḥ — the hosts of the Maruts; toṣitāḥ — gratified, pleased; karmaṇānena — by this deed; snehaṃ — affection; darśaya — show; rāghave — to Rāghava
1.25.18
prajāpater bhṛśāśvasya putrān satyaparākramān
tapobalabhṛtān brahman rāghavāya nivedaya
O brahmin, present to Rāghava the sons of Prajāpati Bhṛśāśva (the divine weapons), of true valour, sustained by the power of austerity.
Words: prajāpater — of Prajāpati; bhṛśāśvasya — of Bhṛśāśva (Kṛśāśva); putrān — the sons; satyaparākramān — of true valour; tapobalabhṛtān — sustained by the power of austerity; brahman — O brahmin; rāghavāya — to Rāghava; nivedaya — present, make known
1.25.19
pātrabhūtaś ca te brahmaṃs tavānugamane dhṛtaḥ
kartavyaṃ ca mahat karma surāṇāṃ rājasūnunā
And he is a worthy recipient for you, O brahmin, and is resolved on following you; and a great work for the gods is to be done by the prince.
Words: pātrabhūtaś — become a worthy recipient; ca — and; te — for you; brahmaṃs — O brahmin; tavānugamane — in following you; dhṛtaḥ — resolved, fixed; kartavyaṃ — to be done; ca — and; mahat — great; karma — deed, work; surāṇāṃ — for the gods; rājasūnunā — by the prince
1.25.20
evam uktvā surāḥ sarve hṛṣṭā jagmur yathāgatam
viśvāmitraṃ pūjayitvā tataḥ saṃdhyā pravartate
Having spoken thus, all the gods, delighted, having honoured Viśvāmitra, departed as they had come; then the twilight came on.
Words: evam — thus; uktvā — having spoken; surāḥ — the gods; sarve — all; hṛṣṭā — delighted; jagmur — went, departed; yathāgatam — as they had come; viśvāmitraṃ — Viśvāmitra; pūjayitvā — having honoured; tataḥ — then; saṃdhyā — the twilight; pravartate — comes on, sets in
1.25.21
tato munivaraḥ prītis tāṭakā vadhatoṣitaḥ
mūrdhni rāmam upāghrāya idaṃ vacanam abravīt
Then the best of sages, pleased, gratified by the slaying of Tāṭakā, kissing Rāma on the head, spoke these words:
Words: tato — then; munivaraḥ — the best of sages; prītis — pleased; tāṭakā — of Tāṭakā; vadhatoṣitaḥ — gratified by the slaying; mūrdhni — on the head; rāmam — Rāma; upāghrāya — having kissed (lit. smelled); idaṃ — this; vacanam — word; abravīt — spoke
1.25.22
ihādya rajanīṃ rāma vasema śubhadarśana
śvaḥ prabhāte gamiṣyāmas tad āśramapadaṃ mama
“Here today let us spend the night, O Rāma of auspicious aspect; tomorrow at dawn we shall go to that hermitage of mine.”
Words: ihādya — here today; rajanīṃ — the night; rāma — O Rāma; vasema — let us dwell; śubhadarśana — O you of auspicious aspect; śvaḥ — tomorrow; prabhāte — at dawn; gamiṣyāmas — we shall go; tad — that; āśramapadaṃ — the hermitage; mama — of mine
← 1.24 Story of Tāṭakā: Birth, marriage and Agastya’s curse · Bāla Kāṇḍa · 1.26 Divine weapons: Viśvāmitra grants the powers →
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.
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