The Slaying of Tataka

Shloka 1 (bala.26.1)

मुनेर्वचनमक्लीबं श्रुत्वा नरवरात्मजः । राघवः प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा प्रत्युवाच दृढव्रतः ॥ २६-१ ॥

munervacanamaklībaṃ śrutvā naravarātmajaḥ | rāghavaḥ prāñjalirbhūtvā pratyuvāca dṛḍhavrataḥ || 26.1 ||

Hearing the sage's resolute words, Raghava — son of the noblest of men, firm in his vows — folded his hands and replied.

Shloka 2 (bala.26.2)

पितुर्वचननिर्देशात् पितुर्वचनगौरवात् । वचनं कौशिकस्येति कर्तव्यमविशङ्कया ॥ २६-२ ॥

piturvacananirdeśāt piturvacanagauravāt | vacanaṃ kauśikasyeti kartavyamaviśaṅkayā || 26.2 ||

By my father's command, out of reverence for my father's word, and because this is the bidding of Kaushika himself, it must be carried out without hesitation.

Shloka 3 (bala.26.3)

अनुशिष्टोऽस्म्ययोध्यायां गुरुमध्ये महात्मना । पित्रा दशरथेनाहं नावज्ञेयं च तद्वचः ॥ २६-३ ॥

anuśiṣṭo'smyayodhyāyāṃ gurumadhye mahātmanā | pitrā daśarathenāhaṃ nāvajñeyaṃ ca tadvacaḥ || 26.3 ||

In Ayodhya, before all the elders, my great-souled father Dasharatha instructed me thus — his word cannot be disregarded.

Shloka 4 (bala.26.4)

सोऽहं पितुर्वचः श्रुत्वा शासनाद्ब्रह्मवादिनः । करिष्यामि न संदेहस्ताटकावधमुत्तमम् ॥ २६-४ ॥

so'haṃ piturvacaḥ śrutvā śāsanādbrahmavādinaḥ | kariṣyāmi na saṃdehastāṭakāvadhamuttamam || 26.4 ||

Therefore, in obedience to my father's word and at the command of this knower of the Veda, I shall carry out the great task of slaying Tataka — of that there is no doubt.

Shloka 5 (bala.26.5)

गोब्राह्मणहितार्थाय देशस्यास्य हिताय च । तव चैवाप्रमेयस्य वचनं कर्तुमुद्यतः ॥ २६-५ ॥

gobrāhmaṇahitārthāya deśasyāsya hitāya ca | tava caivāprameyasya vacanaṃ kartumudyataḥ || 26.5 ||

For the good of cows and brahmins, for the welfare of this land, and to fulfil the word of you who are immeasurable in power, I stand ready.

Shloka 6 (bala.26.6)

एवमुक्त्वा धनुर्मध्ये बध्वा मुष्टिमरिन्दमः । ज्याघोषमकरोत्तीव्रं दिशः शब्देन नादयन् ॥ २६-६ ॥

evamuktvā dhanurmadhye badhvā muṣṭimarindamaḥ | jyāghoṣamakarottīvraṃ diśaḥ śabdena nādayan || 26.6 ||

So saying, Rama, the vanquisher of foes, gripped the bow at its middle and let loose a fierce twang of the bowstring, so that the very quarters of the sky resounded with it.

Shloka 7 (bala.26.7)

तेन शब्देन वित्रस्तास्ताटकावनवासिनः । ताटका च सुसंक्रुद्धा तेन शब्देन मोहिता ॥ २६-७ ॥

tena śabdena vitrastāstāṭakāvanavāsinaḥ | tāṭakā ca susaṃkruddhā tena śabdena mohitā || 26.7 ||

At that sound the creatures dwelling in Tataka's forest were terrified, and Tataka too, greatly enraged, was startled by it.

Shloka 8 (bala.26.8)

तं शब्दमभिनिध्याय राक्षसी क्रोधमूर्च्छिता । श्रुत्वा चाभ्यद्रवत् क्रुद्धा यतः शब्दो विनिस्सृतः ॥ २६-८ ॥

taṃ śabdamabhinidhyāya rākṣasī krodhamūrcchitā | śrutvā cābhyadravat kruddhā yataḥ śabdo vinissṛtaḥ || 26.8 ||

Marking that sound and overcome with fury, the rakshasi, on hearing it, rushed in rage toward the place from which it had come.

Shloka 9 (bala.26.9)

तां दृष्ट्वा राघवः क्रुद्धां विकृतां विकृताननाम् । प्रमाणेनातिवृद्धां च लक्ष्मणं सोऽभ्यभाषत ॥ २६-९ ॥

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā rāghavaḥ kruddhāṃ vikṛtāṃ vikṛtānanām | pramāṇenātivṛddhāṃ ca lakṣmaṇaṃ so'bhyabhāṣata || 26.9 ||

Seeing her — enraged, monstrous, with a hideous face, and vast in size — Raghava spoke to Lakshmana.

Shloka 10 (bala.26.10)

पश्य लक्ष्मण यक्षिण्या भैरवं दारुणं वपुः । भिद्येरन् दर्शनादस्या भीरूणां हृदयानि च ॥ २६-१० ॥

paśya lakṣmaṇa yakṣiṇyā bhairavaṃ dāruṇaṃ vapuḥ | bhidyeran darśanādasyā bhīrūṇāṃ hṛdayāni ca || 26.10 ||

Look, Lakshmana, at this yakshi's dreadful, fearsome form — the very sight of her would shatter the hearts of the timid.

Shloka 11 (bala.26.11)

एतां पश्य दुराधर्षां मायाबलसमन्विताम् । विनिवृत्तां करोम्यद्य हृतकर्णाग्रनासिकाम् ॥ २६-११ ॥

etāṃ paśya durādharṣāṃ māyābalasamanvitām | vinivṛttāṃ karomyadya hṛtakarṇāgranāsikām || 26.11 ||

See how unassailable she is, armed with the power of illusion — yet today I shall put her to flight, her ears and the tip of her nose shorn away.

Shloka 12 (bala.26.12)

न ह्येनामुत्सहे हन्तुं स्त्रीस्वभावेन रक्षिताम् । वीर्यं चास्या गतिं चापि हन्यतामिति मे मतिः ॥ २६-१२ ॥

na hyenāmutsahe hantuṃ strīsvabhāvena rakṣitām | vīryaṃ cāsyā gatiṃ cāpi hanyatāmiti me matiḥ || 26.12 ||

For I have no wish to kill her, shielded as she is by her woman's nature — my thought is only to destroy her strength and her power to move.

Shloka 13 (bala.26.13)

एवं ब्रुवाणे रामे तु ताटका क्रोधमूर्च्छिता । उद्यम्य बाहू गर्जन्ती राममेवाभ्यधावत ॥ २६-१३ ॥

evaṃ bruvāṇe rāme tu tāṭakā krodhamūrcchitā | udyamya bāhū garjantī rāmamevābhyadhāvata || 26.13 ||

Even as Rama was speaking, Tataka, beside herself with fury, raised her arms and, roaring, charged straight at him.

Shloka 14 (bala.26.14)

विश्वामित्रस्तु ब्रह्मर्षिर्हुंकारेणाभिभर्त्स्य ताम् । स्वस्ति राघवयोरस्तु जयं चैवाभ्यभाषत ॥ २६-१४ ॥

viśvāmitrastu brahmarṣirhuṃkāreṇābhibhartsya tām | svasti rāghavayorastu jayaṃ caivābhyabhāṣata || 26.14 ||

But the sage-seer Vishvamitra, checking her with a shout of rebuke, said, 'may safety and victory attend the two sons of Raghu.'

Shloka 15 (bala.26.15)

उद्धुन्वाना रजो घोरं ताटका राघवावुभौ । रजो मेघेन महता मुहूर्तं सा व्यमोहयत् ॥ २६-१५ ॥

uddhunvānā rajo ghoraṃ tāṭakā rāghavāvubhau | rajo meghena mahatā muhūrtaṃ sā vyamohayat || 26.15 ||

Raising a dreadful cloud of dust, Tataka confounded both Raghavas for a moment beneath that vast dust-cloud.

Shloka 16 (bala.26.16)

ततो मायां समास्थाय शिलावर्षेण राघवौ । अवाकिरत् सुमहता ततश्चुक्रोध राघवः ॥ २६-१६ ॥

tato māyāṃ samāsthāya śilāvarṣeṇa rāghavau | avākirat sumahatā tataścukrodha rāghavaḥ || 26.16 ||

Then, calling on her magic, she poured down a mighty rain of stones upon the two Raghavas — at which Rama grew angry.

Shloka 17 (bala.26.17)

शिलावर्षं महत्तस्याः शरवर्षेण राघवः । प्रतिवार्योपधावन्त्याः करौ चिच्छेद पत्रिभिः ॥ २६-१७ ॥

śilāvarṣaṃ mahattasyāḥ śaravarṣeṇa rāghavaḥ | prativāryopadhāvantyāḥ karau ciccheda patribhiḥ || 26.17 ||

Warding off her mighty shower of stones with a shower of arrows, Raghava, as she rushed upon him, cut off both her arms with his feathered shafts.

Shloka 18 (bala.26.18)

ततश्च्छिन्नभुजां श्रान्तामभ्याशे परिगर्जतीम् । सौमित्रिरकरोत् क्रोधाद् हृतकर्णाग्रनासिकाम् ॥ २६-१८ ॥

tataścchinnabhujāṃ śrāntāmabhyāśe parigarjatīm | saumitrirakarot krodhād hṛtakarṇāgranāsikām || 26.18 ||

Then, as she stood close by, her arms severed, exhausted yet still roaring, Lakshmana in his fury shore away her ears and the tip of her nose.

Shloka 19 (bala.26.19)

कामरूपधरा सा तु कृत्वा रूपाण्यनेकशः । अन्तर्धानं गता यक्षी मोहयन्ती स्वमायया ॥ २६-१९ ॥

kāmarūpadharā sā tu kṛtvā rūpāṇyanekaśaḥ | antardhānaṃ gatā yakṣī mohayantī svamāyayā || 26.19 ||

But she, a shape-shifter at will, taking on many forms one after another, vanished from sight, that yakshi, confounding them with her sorcery.

Shloka 20 (bala.26.20)

अश्मवर्षं विमुंचन्ती भैरवं विचचार सा । ततस्तावश्मवर्षेण कीर्यमाणौ समन्ततः ॥ २६-२० ॥

aśmavarṣaṃ vimuṃcantī bhairavaṃ vicacāra sā | tatastāvaśmavarṣeṇa kīryamāṇau samantataḥ || 26.20 ||

Hurling down a dreadful shower of stones, she ranged about unseen; and as the two brothers were being pelted with stones from every side —

Shloka 21 (bala.26.21)

दृष्ट्वा गाधिसुतः श्रीमानिदं वचनमब्रवीत् । अलं ते घृणया राम पापैषा दुष्टचारिणी ॥ २६-२१ ॥

dṛṣṭvā gādhisutaḥ śrīmānidaṃ vacanamabravīt | alaṃ te ghṛṇayā rāma pāpaiṣā duṣṭacāriṇī || 26.21 ||

seeing which, the illustrious son of Gadhi spoke these words: 'Enough of this compassion, Rama — she is sinful, evil in her conduct.

Shloka 22 (bala.26.22)

यज्ञविघ्नकरी यक्षी पुरा वर्धेत मायया । वध्यतां तावदेवैषा पुरा संध्या प्रवर्तते ॥ २६-२२ ॥

yajñavighnakarī yakṣī purā vardheta māyayā | vadhyatāṃ tāvadevaiṣā purā saṃdhyā pravartate || 26.22 ||

This yakshi is a hinderer of sacrifices — before she can grow strong again through her sorcery, let her be slain here and now, before twilight falls.

Shloka 23 (bala.26.23)

रक्षांसि संध्याकाले तु दुर्धर्षाणि भवन्ति हि । इत्युक्तस्स तु तां यक्षीमश्मवृष्ट्याभिवर्षिणीम् ॥ २६-२३ ॥

rakṣāṃsi saṃdhyākāle tu durdharṣāṇi bhavanti hi | ityuktassa tu tāṃ yakṣīmaśmavṛṣṭyābhivarṣiṇīm || 26.23 ||

For at the hour of twilight, rakshasas become truly unassailable.' So urged, Rama, confronting that yakshi as she rained down her shower of stones —

Shloka 24 (bala.26.24)

दर्शयन् शब्दवेधित्वं तां रुरोध स सायकैः । सा रुद्धा बाणजालेन मायाबलसमन्विता ॥ २६-२४ ॥

darśayan śabdavedhitvaṃ tāṃ rurodha sa sāyakaiḥ | sā ruddhā bāṇajālena māyābalasamanvitā || 26.24 ||

displaying his skill at shooting by sound alone, held her in check with his arrows. Checked by that web of shafts, she, still armed with her magic power —

Shloka 25 (bala.26.25)

अभिदुद्राव काकुत्स्थं लक्षमणं च विनेषुदी । तामापतन्तीं वेगेन विक्रान्तामशनीमिव ॥ २६-२५ ॥

abhidudrāva kākutsthaṃ lakṣamaṇaṃ ca vineṣudī | tāmāpatantīṃ vegena vikrāntāmaśanīmiva || 26.25 ||

crying out shrilly, hurled herself at Rama and Lakshmana. As she came swooping down with the speed and force of a thunderbolt —

Shloka 26 (bala.26.26)

शरेणोरसि विव्याध सा पपात ममार च । तां हतां भीमसंकाशां दृष्ट्वा सुरपतिस्तदा ॥ २६-२६ ॥

śareṇorasi vivyādha sā papāta mamāra ca | tāṃ hatāṃ bhīmasaṃkāśāṃ dṛṣṭvā surapatistadā || 26.26 ||

Rama struck her through the breast with an arrow; she fell and died. Seeing that fearsome-looking demoness slain, Indra, the lord of the gods —

Shloka 27 (bala.26.27)

साधु साध्विति काकुत्स्थं सुराश्चाप्यभिपूजयन् । उवाच परमप्रीतः सहस्राक्षः पुरन्दरः ॥ २६-२७ ॥

sādhu sādhviti kākutsthaṃ surāścāpyabhipūjayan | uvāca paramaprītaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ purandaraḥ || 26.27 ||

and the other gods, cried out, 'Well done, well done!' honouring Rama, and the thousand-eyed Purandara, deeply pleased, spoke —

Shloka 28 (bala.26.28)

सुराश्च सर्वे संहृष्टा विश्वामित्रमथाब्रुवन् । मुने कौशिक भद्रं ते सेन्द्राः सर्वे मरुद्गणाः ॥ २६-२८ ॥

surāśca sarve saṃhṛṣṭā viśvāmitramathābruvan | mune kauśika bhadraṃ te sendrāḥ sarve marudgaṇāḥ || 26.28 ||

and all the gods, filled with joy, said to Vishvamitra: 'O sage Kaushika, blessings be upon you! All the Marut hosts, together with Indra —

Shloka 29 (bala.26.29)

तोषिताः कर्मणानेन स्नेहं दर्शय राघवे । प्रजापतेः कृशाश्वस्य पुत्रान्सत्यपराक्रमान् ॥ २६-२९ ॥

toṣitāḥ karmaṇānena snehaṃ darśaya rāghave | prajāpateḥ kṛśāśvasya putrānsatyaparākramān || 26.29 ||

are well pleased by this deed — now show your affection to Raghava. Bestow upon him the sons of Prajapati Krishashva, weapons of true valour —

Shloka 30 (bala.26.30)

तपोबलभृतो ब्रह्मन् राघवाय निवेदय । पात्रभूतश्च ते ब्रह्मंस्तवानुगमने रतः ॥ २६-३० ॥

tapobalabhṛto brahman rāghavāya nivedaya | pātrabhūtaśca te brahmaṃstavānugamane rataḥ || 26.30 ||

bearers of ascetic might, O Brahman — bestow them on Raghava; for he, devoted to obeying you, is indeed worthy to receive them —

Shloka 31 (bala.26.31)

कर्तव्यं सुमहत्कर्म सुराणां राजसूनुना । एवमुक्त्वा सुराः सर्वे जग्मुर्हृष्टा विहायसम् ॥ २६-३१ ॥

kartavyaṃ sumahatkarma surāṇāṃ rājasūnunā | evamuktvā surāḥ sarve jagmurhṛṣṭā vihāyasam || 26.31 ||

for this royal prince is destined to accomplish a very great task for the gods.' So saying, all the gods, rejoicing, departed through the sky —

Shloka 32 (bala.26.32)

विश्वामित्रं पूजयन्तस्ततः संध्या प्रवर्तते । ततो मुनिवरः प्रीतस्ताटकावधतोषितः ॥ २६-३२ ॥

viśvāmitraṃ pūjayantastataḥ saṃdhyā pravartate | tato munivaraḥ prītastāṭakāvadhatoṣitaḥ || 26.32 ||

paying homage to Vishvamitra, and then twilight fell. Then the noble sage, delighted and gratified at Tataka's slaying —

Shloka 33 (bala.26.33)

मूर्ध्नि राममुपाघ्राय इदं वचनमब्रवीत् । इहाद्य रजनीं राम वसेम शुभदर्शन ॥ २६-३३ ॥

mūrdhni rāmamupāghrāya idaṃ vacanamabravīt | ihādya rajanīṃ rāma vasema śubhadarśana || 26.33 ||

kissed Rama upon the forehead and spoke these words: 'Let us pass tonight here, O fair Rama —

Shloka 34 (bala.26.34)

श्वः प्रभाते गमिष्यामस्तदाश्रमपदं मम । विश्वामित्रवचः श्रुत्वा हृष्टो दशरथात्मजः ॥ २६-३४ ॥

śvaḥ prabhāte gamiṣyāmastadāśramapadaṃ mama | viśvāmitravacaḥ śrutvā hṛṣṭo daśarathātmajaḥ || 26.34 ||

and tomorrow, at daybreak, we shall go on to my hermitage.' Hearing Vishvamitra's words, Dasharatha's son, gladdened —

Shloka 35 (bala.26.35)

उवास रजनीं तत्र ताटकाया वने सुखम् । मुक्तशापं वनं तच्च तस्मिन्नेव तदाहनि । रमणीयं विबभ्राज यथा चैत्ररथं वनम् ॥ २६-३५ ॥

uvāsa rajanīṃ tatra tāṭakāyā vane sukham | muktaśāpaṃ vanaṃ tacca tasminneva tadāhani | ramaṇīyaṃ vibabhrāja yathā caitrarathaṃ vanam || 26.35 ||

spent that night there happily in Tataka's forest; and that same forest, released from its curse that very day, shone forth as lovely as the garden of Chaitraratha.

Shloka 36 (bala.26.36)

निहत्य तां यक्षसुतां स रामः प्रशस्यमानः सुरसिद्धसङ्घैः । उवास तस्मिन्मुनिना सहैव प्रभातवेलां प्रतिबोध्यमानः ॥ २६-३६ ॥

nihatya tāṃ yakṣasutāṃ sa rāmaḥ praśasyamānaḥ surasiddhasaṅghaiḥ | uvāsa tasminmuninā sahaiva prabhātavelāṃ pratibodhyamānaḥ || 26.36 ||

Having slain that yaksha's daughter, Rama, praised by the assembled gods and siddhas, remained there with the sage, to be awakened at the break of dawn.