Shloka 163

कुम्भकर्णवधः

The Slaying of Kumbhakarna

Devanagari script

तंछिन्नबाहुंसमवेक्ष्यरामःसमापतन्तंसहसानदन्तम् ।द्वावर्धचन्द्रौनिशितौप्रगृह्यचिच्छेदपादौयुधिराक्षसस्य ।।।।

Transliteration

taṃ chinnabāhuṃ samavekṣya rāmaḥ samāpatantaṃ sahasā nadantam | dvāv ardhacandrau niśitau pragṛhya ciccheda pādau yudhi rākṣasasya ||

Translation

Als Rāma sah, dass er trotz abgetrennter Arme brüllend stürmte, nahm er zwei scharfe, halbmondförmige Pfeile und schnitt dem Rākṣasa im Kampf die Füße ab.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• छिन्नबाहुम्: with severed arm(s)
• छिन्नबाहुम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न + बाहु (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः ‘chinnaḥ bāhuḥ yasya’ (whose arm is cut) used as epithet

• समवेक्ष्य: having seen
• समवेक्ष्य: Kriya-samānādhikaraṇa (क्रियासम्बन्धः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अव-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्); ‘having observed’

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समापतन्तम्: rushing at (him)
• समापतन्तम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-पत् (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying तम्

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kāla/Prakāra (काल/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (आकस्मिक/शीघ्र-अव्यय)

• नदन्तम्: roaring
• नदन्तम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नद् (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Accusative, Singular; ‘roaring’ qualifying तम्

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual (द्वितीया/2, द्विवचन); numeral qualifying अर्धचन्द्रौ

• अर्धचन्द्रौ: crescent-shaped (arrows)
• अर्धचन्द्रौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual; कर्मधारयः ‘half-moon (crescent-shaped arrows)’

• निशितौ: sharp
• निशितौ: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual; qualifying अर्धचन्द्रौ

• प्रगृह्य: having taken
• प्रगृह्य: Kriya-samānādhikaraṇa (क्रियासम्बन्धः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्); ‘having taken up’

• चिच्छेद: cut off
• चिच्छेद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• पादौ: feet
• पादौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्/युध् (प्रातिपदिक: युद्ध)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular; ‘in battle’

• राक्षसस्य: of the Rakshasa
• राक्षसस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

Context

Perceiving Kumbhakarna with broken arms rushing towards him, Rama at once took a sharp moon shaped arrow and split his feet.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kumbhakarṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma protects the many: when a threat continues despite warnings and wounds, decisive action to stop further slaughter becomes a duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa keeps charging even after losing an arm; Rāma disables him by cutting his feet with crescent-headed arrows.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s protective resolve (rakṣaṇa-dharma): stopping a rampaging aggressor swiftly and effectively.