Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 39

युद्धकाण्डे द्वादशः सर्गः — रावणस्य परिषद्-सम्बोधनं कुम्भकर्णस्य नीत्युपदेशश्च

Ravana’s Council Address and Kumbhakarna’s Counsel

Devanagari script

वधेनवैदाशरथेस्सुखावहंजयंतवाहर्तुमहंयतिष्ये ।हत्वाचरामंसहलक्ष्मणेनखादामिसर्वान्हरियूथमुख्यान् ।।6.12.39।।

Transliteration

vadhena vai dāśarathes sukhāvahaṃ jayaṃ tavāhartum ahaṃ yatiṣye | hatvā ca rāmaṃ saha lakṣmaṇena khādāmi sarvān hari-yūtha-mukhyān || 6.12.39 ||

Translation

By killing the son of Daśaratha, I will bring you joy and secure victory for you. And after killing Rama together with Lakshmana, I will devour all the foremost leaders of the monkey-hosts.

Word by Word

• vadhena: by killing
• vadhena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instrumental/3rd), Ekavacana

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (emphatic particle)

• dāśaratheḥ: of Dasaratha's son (Rama)
• dāśaratheḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāśarathi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/6th), Ekavacana

• sukhāvaham: bringing happiness
• sukhāvaham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukha + āvaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: sukham āvahati iti (bringing happiness)

• jayam: victory
• jayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana

• tava: for you / your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/6th), Ekavacana

• āhartum: to bring
• āhartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Tumun-pratyaya (infinitive), avyaya-kṛdanta; ‘to bring’

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā, Ekavacana

• yatiṣye: will strive / endeavor
• yatiṣye: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yat (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Uttama-puruṣa (1st), Ekavacana, Ātmanepada

• hatvā: having killed
• hatvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: Ktvā (absolutive/gerund), avyaya

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative/2nd), Ekavacana

• saha-lakṣmaṇena: together with Lakshmana
• saha-lakṣmaṇena: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय) + lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: saha-avyaya governing Tṛtīyā; lakṣmaṇena: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• khādāmi: I eat / will devour
• khādāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: khād (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Uttama-puruṣa (1st), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa of hariyūthamukhyān

• hariyūthamukhyān: chiefs of the monkey-troops
• hariyūthamukhyān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari + yūtha + mukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana; tatpuruṣa: harīṇāṃ yūthasya mukhyāḥ (leaders of troops of monkeys)

Context

There after Prahastha, having assigned the army for guarding the city, sat down in front of the king, and appealed.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Lakshmana
• Dasaratha
• Vanara leaders (Hari-yūtha-mukhyāḥ)
• Kumbhakarna
• Ravana

FAQs

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

True victory in the Ramayana is dharma-vijaya; seeking triumph through unjust killing and cruelty is portrayed as morally corrupt and ultimately self-defeating.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarna vows to kill Rama and Lakshmana and then destroy the Vanara leadership to ensure Ravana’s victory.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Martial resolve—yet corrupted by cruelty and adharma.