# Bāla Kāṇḍa 23 — Story of Tāṭakā’s forest: Indra’s cleansing and the ruined country

*The Sarayū’s origin and confluence are explained, Indra’s cleansing gives Malada & Karūṣa their names and Tāṭakā’s devastation makes the region impassable*

Portion: Tāṭakā’s forest · Verses: 30 · Ref format: 1.23.<verse>

## Sequence

- After the morning rites, the munis provide a boat and urge them to depart without missing the proper time → Viśvāmitra and the princes begin crossing (23.1–4)
- from midstream, Rāma asks about the tumultuous roar of the water breaking against itself (23.5–6)
- Viśvāmitra explains that Brahmā created Lake Mānasa on Kailāsa through his mind, and that the Sarayū flows from it past Ayodhyā → the roar arises from the churning and agitation of the waters as the Sarayū meets the Gaṅgā → the brothers salute both rivers, land on the southern bank, and continue (23.7–10). Entering a dense, frightening forest full of predators and harsh animal cries, Rāma asks about it (23.11–15)
- Viśvāmitra recounts how Indra incurred the guilt of brāhmaṇa-killing after slaying Vṛtra and was afflicted with impurity and hunger → the Devas and ṛṣis bathed him with pitchers, depositing his bodily impurities, mala and karūṣa, on this land → relieved and grateful, Indra granted the lands a boon: they would become renowned as Malada and Karūṣa for having borne his bodily impurity → the Devas acclaim Indra’s honoring of the land → the regions flourish for many years, prosperous in wealth and grain (23.16–23)
- Tāṭakā, a yakṣiṇī and the shape-changing wife of Sunda and mother of Mārīca, later devastated them → with the strength of a thousand elephants, she now blocks the way ahead (23.24–27)
- Viśvāmitra commands Rāma to kill her and restore safety to land that no one dares enter (23.28–30).

## Verses

**1.23.1**  
tataḥ prabhāte vimale kṛtāhnikam ariṃdamau  
viśvāmitraṃ puraskṛtya nadyās tīram upāgatau  
Then, when the spotless dawn had come, the two tamers of foes, their morning rites performed, placing Viśvāmitra at the fore, came to the bank of the river.

**1.23.2**  
te ca sarve mahātmāno munayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ  
upasthāpya śubhāṃ nāvaṃ viśvāmitram athābruvan  
And all those great-souled sages of firm vows, having brought up an auspicious boat, then said to Viśvāmitra:

**1.23.3**  
ārohatu bhavān nāvaṃ rājaputrapuraskṛtaḥ  
ariṣṭaṃ gaccha panthānaṃ mā bhūt kālasya paryayaḥ  
“Let your honour board the boat, with the princes at the fore; go your way unharmed; let there be no lapse of the (proper) time.”

**1.23.4**  
viśvāmitras tathety uktvā tān ṛṣīn abhipūjya ca  
tatāra sahitas tābhyāṃ saritaṃ sāgaraṃ gamām  
Viśvāmitra, saying “So be it,” and having honoured those seers, crossed, together with the two, the river that flows to the sea.

**1.23.5**  
atha rāmaḥ sarinmadhye papraccha munipuṅgavam  
vāriṇo bhidyamānasya kim ayaṃ tumulo dhvaniḥ  
Then Rāma, in mid-river, asked the bull among sages: “What is this tumultuous sound of the water being cleft?”

**1.23.6**  
rāghavasya vacaḥ śrutvā kautūhala samanvitam  
kathayām āsa dharmātmā tasya śabdasya niścayam  
Hearing Rāghava's speech, filled with curiosity, the righteous one explained the cause of that sound.

**1.23.7**  
kailāsaparvate rāma manasā nirmitaṃ saraḥ  
brahmaṇā naraśārdūla tenedaṃ mānasaṃ saraḥ  
“On Mount Kailāsa, O Rāma, a lake was fashioned by the mind of Brahmā, O tiger among men; hence this is (called) the Mānasa lake.

**1.23.8**  
tasmāt susrāva sarasaḥ sāyodhyām upagūhate  
saraḥpravṛttā sarayūḥ puṇyā brahmasaraścyutā  
From that lake it flowed forth, and it embraces Ayodhyā — the holy Sarayū, issuing from the lake, fallen from Brahmā's lake.

**1.23.9**  
tasyāyam atulaḥ śabdo jāhnavīm abhivartate  
vārisaṃkṣobhajo rāma praṇāmaṃ niyataḥ kuru  
This incomparable sound of it, born of the churning of the waters, advances toward the Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā); make your reverent salutation, O Rāma, with self-control.

**1.23.10**  
tābhyāṃ tu tāv ubhau kṛtvā praṇāmam atidhārmikau  
tīraṃ dakṣiṇam āsādya jagmatur laghuvikramau  
And the two, both exceedingly righteous, having made salutation to the two (rivers), reached the southern bank and went on with nimble stride.

**1.23.11**  
sa vanaṃ ghorasaṃkāśaṃ dṛṣṭvā nṛpavarātmajaḥ  
aviprahatam aikṣvākaḥ papraccha munipuṃgavam  
That son of the best of kings, the Ikṣvāku prince, seeing a forest of dreadful aspect, untrodden, asked the bull among sages:

**1.23.12**  
aho vanam idaṃ durgaṃ jhillikāgaṇanāditam  
bhairavaiḥ śvāpadaiḥ kīrṇaṃ śakuntair dāruṇāravaiḥ  
“Ah, this forest is impassable, resounding with swarms of crickets, strewn with fearsome beasts of prey and with birds of dreadful cries;

**1.23.13**  
nānāprakāraiḥ śakunair vāśyadbhir bhairavasvanaiḥ  
siṃhavyāghravarāhaiś ca vāraṇaiś cāpi śobhitam  
adorned with birds of various kinds crying in fearful notes, and with lions, tigers, boars, and elephants too;

**1.23.14**  
dhavāśvakarṇakakubhair bilvatindukapāṭalaiḥ  
saṃkīrṇaṃ badarībhiś ca kiṃ nv idaṃ dāruṇaṃ vanam  
thick with dhava, aśvakarṇa, and kakubha trees, with bilva, tinduka, and pāṭala, and with jujubes — what, then, is this dreadful forest?”

**1.23.15**  
tam uvāca mahātejā viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ  
śrūyatāṃ vatsa kākutstha yasyaitad dāruṇaṃ vanam  
The greatly splendoured great sage Viśvāmitra said to him: “Listen, my child Kākutstha, whose this dreadful forest is.

**1.23.16**  
etau janapadau sphītau pūrvam āstāṃ narottama  
maladāś ca karūṣāś ca devanirmāṇa nirmitau  
These two territories were formerly flourishing, O best of men — Malada and Karūṣa — fashioned by the making of the gods.

**1.23.17**  
purā vṛtravadhe rāma malena samabhiplutam  
kṣudhā caiva sahasrākṣaṃ brahmahatyā yadāviśat  
Of old, at the slaying of Vṛtra, O Rāma, when the guilt of brahmin-murder entered the Thousand-eyed one (Indra), he was flooded over with impurity and with hunger.

**1.23.18**  
tam indraṃ snāpayan devā ṛṣayaś ca tapodhanāḥ  
kalaśaiḥ snāpayām āsur malaṃ cāsya pramocayan  
The gods and the seers rich in austerity, bathing that Indra, bathed him with pitchers and released his impurity.

**1.23.19**  
iha bhūmyāṃ malaṃ dattvā dattvā kāruṣam eva ca  
śarīrajaṃ mahendrasya tato harṣaṃ prapedire  
Having deposited here on this land the impurity (mala) and the karūṣa (offal), body-born of great Indra, they then attained joy.

**1.23.20**  
nirmalo niṣkarūṣaś ca śucir indro yadābhavat  
dadau deśasya suprīto varaṃ prabhur anuttamam  
When Indra became free of impurity, free of karūṣa, and pure, the lord, well pleased, granted the region an unsurpassed boon:

**1.23.21**  
imau janapadau sthītau khyātiṃ loke gamiṣyataḥ  
maladāś ca karūṣāś ca mamāṅgamaladhāriṇau  
“These two territories, established, shall attain fame in the world — Malada and Karūṣa — as bearers of the impurity from my body.”

**1.23.22**  
sādhu sādhv iti taṃ devāḥ pākaśāsanam abruvan  
deśasya pūjāṃ tāṃ dṛṣṭvā kṛtāṃ śakreṇa dhīmatā  
“Well done, well done!” said the gods to that chastiser of Pāka (Indra), seeing that honour done to the region by the wise Śakra.

**1.23.23**  
etau janapadau sthītau dīrghakālam ariṃdama  
maladāś ca karūṣāś ca muditau dhanadhānyataḥ  
These two territories flourished for a long time, O tamer of foes — Malada and Karūṣa — prosperous in wealth and grain.

**1.23.24**  
kasya cit tv atha kālasya yakṣī vai kāmarūpiṇī  
balaṃ nāgasahasrasya dhārayantī tadā hy abhūt  
But after some time there arose a yakṣī who could take any form at will, wielding the strength of a thousand elephants.

**1.23.25**  
tāṭakā nāma bhadraṃ te bhāryā sundasya dhīmataḥ  
mārīco rākṣasaḥ putro yasyāḥ śakraparākramaḥ  
Tāṭakā by name — blessings on you — the wife of the wise Sunda, whose son is the rākṣasa Mārīca, of prowess like Śakra's.

**1.23.26**  
imau janapadau nityaṃ vināśayati rāghava  
maladāṃś ca karūṣāṃś ca tāṭakā duṣṭacāriṇī  
Tāṭakā of evil ways constantly lays waste these two territories, O Rāghava — Malada and Karūṣa.

**1.23.27**  
seyaṃ panthānam āvārya vasaty atyardhayojane  
ata eva ca gantavyaṃ tāṭakāyā vanaṃ yataḥ  
She, blocking the path, dwells at a distance of a yojana and a half; and for that very reason we must go on, for the forest of Tāṭakā lies ahead.

**1.23.28**  
svabāhubalam āśritya jahīmāṃ duṣṭacāriṇīm  
manniyogād imaṃ deśaṃ kuru niṣkaṇṭakaṃ punaḥ  
Relying on the strength of your own arms, slay this evil-doer; at my command make this region free of thorns once more.

**1.23.29**  
na hi kaś cid imaṃ deśaṃ śakroty āgantum īdṛśam  
yakṣiṇyā ghorayā rāma utsāditam asahyayā  
For no one is able to come to such a region, laid desolate by the terrible, unbearable yakṣī, O Rāma.

**1.23.30**  
etat te sarvam ākhyātaṃ yathaitad daruṇaṃ vanam  
yakṣyā cotsāditaṃ sarvam adyāpi na nivartate  
All this I have told you — how this forest became dreadful, and how it was wholly laid waste by the yakṣī, and even now does not return to its former state.