Shloka 32

कुम्भकर्णप्रस्थानम्

Kumbhakarna’s Departure for Battle

Devanagari script

सर्वाभरणसर्वाङ्गश्शूलपाणिस्सराक्षसः ।त्रिविक्रमकृतोत्साहोनारायणइवाबभौ ।।6.65.31।।भ्रातरंसम्परिष्वज्यकृत्वाचापिप्रदक्षिणम् ।प्रणम्यशिरसातस्मैसम्प्रतस्थेमहाबलः ।।6.65.32।।

Transliteration

bhrātaraṃ sampariṣvajya kṛtvā cāpi pradakṣiṇam |

praṇamya śirasā tasmai sampratasthē mahābalaḥ ||6.65.32||

Translation

Von großer Kraft erfüllt, umarmte er seinen Bruder, umschritt ihn ehrfürchtig, neigte das Haupt vor ihm und brach dann auf.

Word by Word

• भ्रातरम्: (his) brother
• भ्रातरम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सम्परिष्वज्य: having embraced
• सम्परिष्वज्य: पूर्वकाल (Purvakala/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-परि-√स्वज् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having embraced’

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Purvakala/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having done’

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘also/even’

• प्रदक्षिणम्: circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial accusative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative of manner)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: पूर्वकाल (Purvakala/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√नम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having bowed’

• शिरसा: with (his) head
• शिरसा: करण (Karana/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: सम्प्रदान (Sampradana/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सम्प्रतस्थे: set out, sallied forth
• सम्प्रतस्थे: क्रिया (Kriya/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• महाबलः: mighty, of great strength
• महाबलः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् बलं यस्य)

Context

Decked with ornaments on all his limbs, with pike in hand, the Rakshasa was like Narayana ready to take three strides to cover the universe. Endowed with great strength, embraced his brother, went round in reverence bowing down his head and sallied forth.

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Even in a violent context, the verse foregrounds maryādā—ritual respect and acknowledgement of relational duty—shown through embracing, circumambulation, and bowing before departing.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa, having been prepared to fight, takes leave of his brother Rāvaṇa with formal gestures of respect and then departs for the battlefield.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence and loyalty to kin/authority (bhrātṛ-bhakti), expressed through culturally sanctioned gestures (pradakṣiṇā and praṇāma).