Shloka 27

महोदर-वाक्यं कुम्भकर्ण-प्रतिषेधः

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

Devanagari script

ततोऽवघोषयपुरेगजस्कन्धेनपार्थिव ।हतोरामस्सहभ्रात्राससैन्यइतिसर्वतः ।।।।

Transliteration

tato'vaghoṣaya pure gajaskandhena pārthiva | hato rāmaḥ saha bhrātrā sasainya iti sarvataḥ ||

Translation

O König, lass daraufhin in der ganzen Stadt überall durch Boten auf Elefantenrücken ausrufen, dass Rāma samt seinem Bruder und seinem Heer erschlagen worden sei.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तर-अव्यय (adverb)

• avaghoṣaya: proclaim
• avaghoṣaya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava + ghuṣ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative sense 'make proclaim' is contextual

• pure: in the city
• pure: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• gaja-skandhena: on/with the elephant's back
• gaja-skandhena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja (प्रातिपदिक) + skandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (gajasya skandhaḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• pārthiva: O king
• pārthiva: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• hataḥ: killed
• hataḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: han (धातु) + ta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/ta), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate to rāmaḥ

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahakari (सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (preposition-like), सह-योगे तृतीया अपेक्षा

• bhrātrā: with (his) brother
• bhrātrā: Sahakari (सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• sa-sainyaḥ: along with his army
• sa-sainyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह) + sainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (सैन्यं यस्य सः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; qualifies rāmaḥ

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-सूचक अव्यय

• sarvataḥ: everywhere
• sarvataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb)

Context

"Thereafter mounted on elephant backs all over the city will make a rakshasa pronounce that Rama accompanied by his brother are killed."

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Lakshmana
• Lanka

FAQs

What is the strategic intent behind this verse?

The intent is psychological warfare (Kuta-Yuddha); by spreading false news of Rama's death via royal proclamation, the Rakshasas aimed to boost the morale of Lanka's citizens and demoralize any sympathizers or captives.

Why is the proclamation made from an elephant's back?

In ancient governance, announcements made from 'Gajaskandha' (elephant's back) signified the highest level of official royal decree, ensuring visibility and commanding immediate attention and belief from the public.