Valmiki Ramayana 6.64.11 — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 11

महोदर-वाक्यं कुम्भकर्ण-प्रतिषेधः

Mahodara’s Counsel and the Critique of Kumbhakarna’s Solo Assault

Devanagari script

एकस्यैवाभियानेतुहेतुर्यःकथितस्त्वया ।तत्राप्यनुपपन्नंतेवक्ष्यामियदसाधु च ।।।।

Transliteration

ekasyaivābhiyāne tu hetur yaḥ kathitas tvayā |

tatrāpy anupapannaṃ te vakṣyāmi yad asādhu ca ||

Translation

Was aber deinen Alleingang betrifft: Der Grund, den du dafür genannt hast, ist selbst dort unhaltbar und unziemlich. Ich werde dir sagen, warum.

Word by Word

• ekasya: of one/for one
• ekasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; used adjectivally

• eva: alone
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• abhiyāne: in the expedition/setting out
• abhiyāne: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhiyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• tu: however
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• hetuḥ: reason
• hetuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• yaḥ: which
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; relative pronoun

• kathitaḥ: stated
• kathitaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (धातु)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; passive sense ‘stated’

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuzmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• tatra: there/in that
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अपि)

• anupapannam: inconsistent/ill-founded
• anupapannam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anupapanna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; predicate adjective

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuzmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; enclitic

• vakṣyāmi: I will tell
• vakṣyāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular; Parasmaipada

• yat: that which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; relative pronoun referring to the content

• asādhu: improper
• asādhu: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asādhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adjective qualifying yat

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

Context

"You have set out alone (for war) and the reason adduced by you is ill conceived and improper. I shall tell you."

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma here is expressed as truthful counsel (satya-vacana) and responsible decision-making: a leader/warrior should not rely on ill-reasoned motives, especially when lives and the community’s fate are at stake.

What is the narrative situation?

Mahodara challenges Kumbhakarṇa’s stated rationale for marching out alone, positioning himself as a corrective voice within the Rākṣasa assembly.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Nīti (prudent counsel) and satya (frankness): Mahodara claims the duty to point out what is logically and ethically unsound.