Shloka 55

कुम्भकर्णविबोधनम्

The Awakening of Kumbhakarna

Devanagari script

सपात्यमानैर्गिरिशृङ्गवृक्षैरचिन्तयंस्तान्विपुलान् प्रहारान् ।निद्राक्ष्यात् क्षुद्भयपीडितश्चविजृम्भमाणस्सहसोत्पपाप ।।।।

Transliteration

sapātyamānaiḥ giriśṛṅga-vṛkṣair acintayaṃs tān vipulān prahārān | nidrākṣayāt kṣudbhaya-pīḍitaś ca vijṛmbhamāṇaḥ sahasotpapāpa ||

Translation

Getroffen von massiven Schlägen herabfallender Berggipfel und Bäume, beachtete er sie nicht; doch als sein Schlaf nachließ und der Hunger ihn drängte, gähnte er und sprang plötzlich auf.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• pātyamānaiḥ: by (things) being hurled down
• pātyamānaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pat (धातु) causative pāṭay-/pātay- + śānac (शानच्)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच्), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (3rd/instrumental), Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa of giriśṛṅgavṛkṣaiḥ: 'being made to fall/being hurled down'

• giriśṛṅgavṛkṣaiḥ: by mountain-peaks and trees
• giriśṛṅgavṛkṣaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri-śṛṅga-vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd/instrumental), Bahuvacana; dvandva: 'mountain-peaks and trees'

• acintayan: not heeding
• acintayan: Karta (कर्ता; participle qualifying saḥ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-cint (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; 'not considering'

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/accusative), Bahuvacana

• vipulān: huge
• vipulān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vipula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Bahuvacana; viśeṣaṇa of prahārān

• prahārān: blows / strikes
• prahārān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pra-hāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/accusative), Bahuvacana

• nidrākṣayāt: from the cessation of sleep
• nidrākṣayāt: Apādāna (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nidrā-kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī (5th/ablative), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'from the end of sleep'

• kṣudbhayapīḍitaḥ: afflicted by hunger and fear
• kṣudbhayapīḍitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of saḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣudh-bhaya-pīḍita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; kta-derivative 'afflicted'; tatpuruṣa: 'afflicted by hunger and fear'

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

• vijṛmbhamāṇaḥ: yawning
• vijṛmbhamāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-jṛmbh (धातु) + śānac (शानच्)
• Form: Present middle participle (शानच्), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; 'yawning/stretching'

• sahasā: suddenly
• sahasā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasā (अव्यय)
• Form: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa-avyaya (adverb)

• utpapāpa: sprang up
• utpapāpa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-pat (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

Context

Tormented by hunger and hit by mountain peaks and huge trees he sprang up suddenly descended and awakened.

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Mountain peaks (giriśṛṅga)
• Trees (vṛkṣa)

FAQs

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

The episode underscores that unchecked appetite (kṣudhā) can drive action more powerfully than reason. In Ramāyaṇa ethics, mastery over impulses supports dharma; slavery to them tilts toward adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa is awakened through violent external shocks, yet the decisive turning point is internal—sleep fading and hunger intensifying.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Implied virtue is self-control (dama). The verse shows its opposite: a being moved primarily by bodily compulsion rather than moral deliberation.