Shloka 27

कुम्भकर्णोपदेशः

Kumbhakarna’s Counsel and War-Boast to Ravana

Devanagari script

स सुहृद्योविपन्नार्थंदीनमभ्यवपद्यते ।।6.63.27।।स बन्धुर्योऽपनीतेषुसाहाय्यायोपकल्पते ।

Transliteration

sa suhṛd yo vipannārthaṃ dīnam abhyavapadyate || 6.63.27 || sa bandhur yo 'panīteṣu sāhāyyāyopakalpate |

Translation

Ein wahrer Freund ist, wer einem Menschen beisteht, wenn sein Glück zusammenbricht und er in Not gerät; und ein wahrer Verwandter ist, wer zur Hilfe bereit ist, selbst wenn einer vom rechten Wandel abgewichen ist.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; correlative pronoun

• सुहृत्: a true friend
• सुहृत्: Karta (कर्ता: predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; relative pronoun

• विपन्नार्थम्: one whose means are ruined
• विपन्नार्थम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपन्नार्थ (प्रातिपदिक: विपन्न + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies दीनम्; समासः कर्मधारय (विपन्नः अर्थः यस्य/विपन्नः अर्थः)

• दीनम्: the distressed (person)
• दीनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; accusative singular

• अभ्यवपद्यते: comes to help/stands by
• अभ्यवपद्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+अव√पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; approaches/resorts to

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बन्धुः: a kinsman
• बन्धुः: Karta (कर्ता: predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपनीतेषु: in times of deprivation
• अपनीतेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपनीत (प्रातिपदिक; अप√नी क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त) used substantively; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; locative plural: when (things) are taken away/when deprived

• साहाय्याय: for help
• साहाय्याय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहाय्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; dative singular

• उपकल्पते: is available/stands ready
• उपकल्पते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप√कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; is ready/serves

Context

" A friend is one who helps when one's fortune is lost and is desperate. Deviating from morals the one who is prepared to help is a relation."

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma here stresses loyalty expressed through compassionate support: friendship and kinship are proven in adversity and moral failure, not in comfort.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa addresses the distressed Rāvaṇa, framing what genuine support looks like before he proceeds to counsel and act.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness and protective solidarity—standing by another in crisis while still engaging with the question of right conduct.