Shloka 10

कुम्भकर्णोपदेशः

Kumbhakarna’s Counsel and War-Boast to Ravana

Devanagari script

त्रिषुचैतेषुयच्छ्रेष्ठंश्रुत्वातन्नावबुध्यते ।राजावाराजमात्रोवाव्यर्थंतस्यबहुश्रुतम् ।।6.63.10।।

Transliteration

triṣu caiteṣu yac chreṣṭhaṁ śrutvā tan nāvabudhyate |

rājā vā rājamātro vā vyarthaṁ tasya bahuśrutam || 6.63.10 ||

Translation

Unter diesen dreien: Wenn ein König—oder auch einer, der König zu heißen verdient—das Beste hört und es doch nicht begreift, dann ist all sein vieles Wissen vergeblich.

Word by Word

• त्रिषु: among the three
• त्रिषु: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; 'among the three'

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (समुच्चयः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एतेषु: among these
• एतेषु: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन

• यत्: that which
• यत्: कर्म (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to 'best'

• श्रेष्ठम्: best
• श्रेष्ठम्: विशेषण (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; superlative adjective

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (क्त्वा-प्रयोगः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) = 'having heard'

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निपात (निपातः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अवबुध्यते: understands / recognizes
• अवबुध्यते: क्रिया (क्रियापद)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• राजा: a king
• राजा: कर्ता (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: निपात (निपातः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• राजमात्रः: a king in name only
• राजमात्रः: कर्ता (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; 'mere king' (king only in name)

• वा: or
• वा: निपात (निपातः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• व्यर्थम्: in vain
• व्यर्थम्: क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: व्यर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/predicative) = 'in vain'

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• बहुश्रुतम्: much learning (erudition)
• बहुश्रुतम्: कर्ता/विधेय (विधेयम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु + श्रुत (श्रु धातु; क्त कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; bahuvrīhi used substantively = 'much-learning'

Context

" A sovereign king or a king hearing these three does not recognize the best of the three is in vain even though he heard many."

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• rājā (king)

FAQs

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

True dharma in leadership requires discernment (viveka): knowledge is validated by right understanding and right choice, not by mere accumulation of learning.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa begins a pointed critique of ineffective kingship—hearing counsel but failing to identify and adopt what is best.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical wisdom: the capacity to select the best course from competing options.