Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 66, Shloka 26

कुम्भकर्णप्रस्थानम् तथा अङ्गदप्रेरणा

Kumbhakarna’s sortie and Angada’s rallying of the Vanaras

Devanagari script

सम्प्राप्नुयामःकीर्तिंवानिहत्वाशत्रुमाहवे ।जीवितंवीरलोकस्यमोक्ष्यामोवसुवानराः ।।।।

Transliteration

samprāpnuyāmaḥ kīrtiṁ vā nihatvā śatrum āhave |

jīvitaṁ vīralokasya mokṣyāmo vasu vānarāḥ ||

Translation

If we kill the enemy in battle, we shall win fame; otherwise, laying down our lives, we shall be released to the heroes’ world—O Vānara warriors.

Word by Word

• samprāpnuyāmaḥ: we may fully attain
• samprāpnuyāmaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (आप् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; उपसर्ग ‘सम्+प्र’

• kīrtim: fame
• kīrtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• nihatvā: having killed
• nihatvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (हन् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) with prefix ‘नि’; ‘having slain’

• śatrum: the enemy
• śatrum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• āhave: in battle
• āhave: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• vīralokasya: of the heroes' world
• vīralokasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra-loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: वीराणां लोकः); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• mokṣyāmaḥ: we shall give up (life)
• mokṣyāmaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (मुच् धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; causative sense not intended; ‘we shall release/abandon’

• vasu: indeed/forsooth
• vasu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vasu (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: निपात; here used as expletive/emphasis (textual variant; often ‘vayam’ expected)

• vānarāḥ: O monkeys/vanaras
• vānarāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Context

"By killing the enemy, we will attain fame. Or else we will attain the world of Brahma, liberated."

Characters & Entities

• Aṅgada
• Vānara army
• enemy (Kumbhakarṇa implied)

FAQs

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

Kṣatra-dharma: a warrior’s duty is steadfastness in a righteous war—either victory with honor or death without disgrace.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa’s approach terrifies the Vānara ranks; Aṅgada steels them by framing battle as the only dharmic choice.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Vīrya (valor) joined with niścaya (resolve): choosing honor and duty over fear and self-preservation.