Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 68, Shloka 20

कुम्भकर्णवधश्रवणेन रावणविलापः

Ravana’s Lament on Hearing of Kumbhakarna’s Slaying

Devanagari script

देवाहिमांहसिष्यन्तिदृष्टवापूर्वापकारिणम् ।कथमिन्द्रंजयिष्यामिकुम्भकर्ण हतेत्वयि ।।।।

Transliteration

devā hi māṃ hasiṣyanti dṛṣṭvā pūrvāpakāriṇam |

katham indraṃ jayiṣyāmi kumbhakarṇa hate tvayi ||

Translation

The devas—seeing me, their former offender—will surely laugh at me now. How could I ever conquer Indra, when you, Kumbhakarṇa, have been slain?

Word by Word

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (देव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (nominative plural)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• हसिष्यन्ति: will laugh
• हसिष्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: has (हस् धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (future), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having seen)

• पूर्वापकारिणम्: one who earlier did harm (offender)
• पूर्वापकारिणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva+apakārin (पूर्व + अपकारिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पूर्वः अपकारः यस्य/येन कृतः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• इन्द्रम्: Indra
• इन्द्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indra (इन्द्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• जयिष्यामि: shall I conquer
• जयिष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ji (जि धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (future), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• कुम्भकर्ण: O Kumbhakarna
• कुम्भकर्ण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumbhakarṇa (कुम्भकर्ण प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (vocative singular)

• हते: when (he is) slain
• हते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (हन् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘हत’, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• त्वयि: in you/when you
• त्वयि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (युष्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative singular)

Context

"Devatas who were harmed by me earlier will laugh at me now that Kumbhakarna is slain. How will I win Indra?"

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Kumbhakarṇa
• Devas
• Indra

FAQs

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

Past wrongdoing returns as social and moral accountability; Dharma emphasizes that harm done to others shapes one’s future standing and strength.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa anticipates ridicule from the devas and feels strategically diminished without Kumbhakarṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A negative mirror: instead of repentance and Satya, Rāvaṇa focuses on pride, status, and conquest.