Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 142

कुम्भकर्णवधः

The Slaying of Kumbhakarna

Devanagari script

जिह्वयापरिलिह्यन्तंसृक्किणीशोणितेक्षणम् ।मृद्नन्तंवानरानीकंकालान्तकयमोपमम् ।। ।।

Transliteration

jihvayā parilihyantaṃ sṛkkiṇīśoṇitekṣaṇam |

mṛdnantaṃ vānarānīkaṃ kālāntakayamopamam ||

Translation

With blood-reddened eyes, licking the corners of his mouth with his tongue and crushing the vānaras’ ranks, he resembled Yama, the death-bringer at the end of time.

Word by Word

• जिह्वया: with the tongue
• जिह्वया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• परिलिह्यन्तम्: licking
• परिलिह्यन्तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि+लिह् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सृक्किणी-शोणितेक्षणम्: with blood at the corners (and blood-red gaze)
• सृक्किणी-शोणितेक्षणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृक्किणी+शोणित+ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः सृक्किण्योः शोणितम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + ईक्षण (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणवत्: whose look/eyes are bloodied)

• मृद्नन्तम्: crushing
• मृद्नन्तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृद् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वानरानीकम्: the Vanara army
• वानरानीकम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; what is crushed)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर+अनीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः वानराणाम् अनीकम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• कालान्तकयमोपमम्: like Yama, the end-time destroyer
• कालान्तकयमोपमम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कालान्तक+यम+उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः (कालान्तक-यम) इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व + उपम (उपमान-तत्पुरुष: comparable to)

Context

With blood red eyes, licking the corner of his mouth with his tongue, crushing Vanara army, he looked like God of Death at dissolution.

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Vānara army
• Yama

FAQs

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

It illustrates how cruelty and bloodlust dehumanize: dharma rejects delight in destruction and upholds restraint even in battle.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa is depicted in peak ferocity, trampling the vānaras and spreading fear across the battlefield.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes, by negation, the virtue of compassion and self-restraint—qualities absent in this portrayal of Kumbhakarṇa.