Shloka 42

कुम्भकर्णोपदेशः

Kumbhakarna’s Counsel and War-Boast to Ravana

Devanagari script

कामंवतिदानीमपिमांव्यादिशत्वंपरन्तप ।न परःप्रेषणीयस्तेयुद्धायातुलविक्रम ।।6.63.42।।

Transliteration

kāmaṃ vat idānīm api māṃ vyādiśa tvaṃ parantapa | na paraḥ preṣaṇīyas te yuddhāyātulavikrama ||6.63.42||

Translation

Wenn du willst, befehle mir selbst jetzt, o Bezwinger der Feinde; für deinen Krieg ist kein anderer zu suchen, o Unvergleichlicher an Tapferkeit.

Word by Word

• kāmam: as you wish
• kāmam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kāmam (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/adverb (निपात) meaning 'as you please/indeed'

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प-निपात)

• idānīm: now
• idānīm: Kāla-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: idānīm (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) 'also/even'

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vyādiśa: command/appoint
• vyādiśa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + ā + diś (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• parantapa: O scorcher of enemies
• parantapa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + tapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: 'scorcher of foes'

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

• paraḥ: another person
• paraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• preṣaṇīyaḥ: to be sent/commissioned
• preṣaṇīyaḥ: Karta-prayojya-predicative (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: preṣaṇīya (प्रातिपदिक; from √iṣ/√preṣ 'to send', gerundive sense)
• Form: Gerundive/obligatory participle (तव्यत्/अनीयर् sense), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate with paraḥ: 'is to be sent/commissioned'

• te: for you/of you
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• yuddhāya: for battle
• yuddhāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• atulavikrama: O of incomparable valor
• atulavikrama: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: atula (प्रातिपदिक) + vikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि: 'one whose prowess is incomparable'

Context

"Command me to wage war at this moment, O Scorcher of enemies. There is no one better than me to be sought for O hero endowed with extraordinary strength."

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

It reflects the dharma of obedience and readiness to serve a king, but the Ramayana also teaches that service must be guided by moral discernment; otherwise, duty becomes complicity.

What is the narrative situation?

The speaker urges Rāvaṇa to deploy him immediately, claiming he is the best instrument for the war.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Readiness for duty (utsāha) and confidence in one’s strength.