Shloka 24

कुम्भकर्णोपदेशः

Kumbhakarna’s Counsel and War-Boast to Ravana

Devanagari script

विभ्रमाच्चित्तमोहाद्वाबलवीर्याश्रयेणवा ।नाभिपन्नमिदानींयद्व्यर्थातस्यपुनःकथाः ।।6.63.24।।

Transliteration

vibhramāc cittamohād vā balavīryāśrayeṇa vā | nābhipannam idānīṃ yad vyarthā tasya punaḥ kathāḥ ||6.63.24||

Translation

«Ob aus Verblendung, aus geistiger Verwirrung oder im Vertrauen auf meine Kraft und Tapferkeit: Was nun getan ist, kann nicht rückgängig gemacht werden; davon erneut zu reden ist vergeblich.»

Word by Word

• विभ्रमात्: from delusion
• विभ्रमात्: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभ्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन; Ablative singular (from/because of)

• चित्तमोहात्: from mental confusion
• चित्तमोहात्: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्तमोह (प्रातिपदिक: चित्त + मोह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; Ablative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चित्तस्य मोहः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: or)

• बलवीर्याश्रयेण: by reliance on strength and valor
• बलवीर्याश्रयेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल-वीर्य-आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक: बल + वीर्य + आश्रय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बलवीर्ययोः आश्रयः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अभिपन्नम्: undertaken/attained
• अभिपन्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि√पद् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; PPP of अभिपद्यते = attained/undertaken

• इदानीम्: now
• इदानीम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण: time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: now)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध: relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; relative pronoun

• व्यर्थाः: futile
• व्यर्थाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; agrees with कथाः

• तस्य: of that/for that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; genitive singular

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (again)

• कथाः: talk/stories
• कथाः: Karta (कर्ता: subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

Context

"Due to delusion, or lack of understanding or due to pride of my strength I did something. To talk of it now again is futile."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa (Daśagrīva)
• Kumbhakarṇa

FAQs

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

A dharmic response to wrongdoing is accountability and correction; here, Rāvaṇa admits causes (delusion/pride) yet refuses moral course-correction.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa argues that revisiting past decisions is pointless, implying he will not reconsider the path that led to war.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse negatively foregrounds the lack of prāyaścitta-like reform (willingness to rectify) and the persistence of pride.