Shloka 16

महोदर-वाक्यं कुम्भकर्ण-प्रतिषेधः

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

Devanagari script

संशयस्थमिदंसर्वंशत्रोःप्रतिसमासने ।एकस्यगमनंतत्र न हिमेरोचतेभृशम् ।।।।

Transliteration

saṃśayastham idaṃ sarvaṃ śatroḥ pratisamāsane |

ekasya gamanaṃ tatra na hi me rocate bhṛśam ||

Translation

Wenn wir dem Feind unmittelbar gegenüberstehen, gerät dieses ganze Heer in gefährliche Ungewissheit; darum gefällt es mir keineswegs, dass du allein dorthin gehst.

Word by Word

• saṅśaya-stham: being in danger/uncertainty
• saṅśaya-stham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṅśaya (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः (saṅśaye stham = 'standing in doubt/danger')

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• sarvam: all/entire
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śatroḥ: of the enemy
• śatroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• prati-samāsane: in a face-to-face encounter
• prati-samāsane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prati (अव्यय) + samāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); अव्ययीभावः (prati + samāsana = 'in face-to-face encounter')

• ekasya: of one (alone)
• ekasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); used with gamanam

• gamanam: going
• gamanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gamana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (स्थानवाचक-अव्यय)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic/causal particle (निपात)

• me: to me
• me: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive/Dative (6th/षष्ठी or 4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); enclitic form; here = dative of experiencer

• rocate: is pleasing/seems desirable
• rocate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ruc (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• bhṛśam: greatly/very much
• bhṛśam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhṛśam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय)

Context

"Face to face with the enemy this total army will be in danger. You're going alone is certainly not desirable."

Characters & Entities

• enemy (Rāma, implied)
• Rākṣasa army (implied as 'this whole force')

FAQs

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

Dharma includes responsibility for the collective (sainika and kingdom). A single person’s impulsive decision can imperil the whole; ethical leadership weighs communal risk.

What is the narrative situation?

Mahodara argues that a direct confrontation with Rāma endangers the entire Rākṣasa side, and thus Kumbhakarṇa should not proceed alone.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Accountability and strategic restraint—placing the army’s welfare above personal display.