Shloka 1

मकराक्षस्य निर्गमनम्

The Deployment of Makaraksha and Ravana’s Fury

Devanagari script

निकुम्भंनिहतंश्रुत्वाकुम्भं च विनिपातितम् ।रावणःपरमामर्षीप्रजज्वालानलोयथा ।।।।

Transliteration

nikumbhaṃ nihataṃ śrutvā kumbhaṃ ca vinipātitam | rāvaṇaḥ paramāmarṣī prajajvālānalo yathā ||

Translation

Als Rāvaṇa hörte, dass Nikumbha erschlagen und auch Kumbha zu Fall gebracht worden war, loderte er, von grimmigem Zorn erfasst, auf wie ein Feuer, das zum Brausen entfacht wird.

Word by Word

• nikumbham: Nikumbha
• nikumbham: Karma (कर्म) (object of śrutvā: 'having heard (that)')
• Type: Noun
• Root: nikumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• nihatam: slain
• nihatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-hata (प्रातिपदिक; √han धातु-कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta (क्त) participle; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifies nikumbham

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा); 'having heard'

• kumbham: Kumbha
• kumbham: Karma (कर्म) (second object of śrutvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• vinipātitam: felled/struck down
• vinipātitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-ni-pātita (प्रातिपदिक; √pat धातु-णिच् कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta (क्त) participle of causative; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifies kumbham

• rāvaṇaḥ: Ravana
• rāvaṇaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• paramāmarṣī: exceedingly furious
• paramāmarṣī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama + amarṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; compound meaning 'extremely wrathful'; qualifies rāvaṇaḥ

• prajajvāla: blazed up
• prajajvāla: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√jval (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्) Perfect, Parasmaipada; 3rd person, Singular

• analaḥ: fire
• analaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान) (standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• yathā: as/like
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative indeclinable (उपमा-वाचक अव्यय)

Context

On hearing that Nikumbha and Kumbha had been killed, Ravana was very furious and burning in anger.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Nikumbha
• Kumbha

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how krodha (rage) consumes discernment. In the Ramayana’s ethical frame, rulers should act from dharma and clarity; wrath-driven reaction is portrayed as self-burning, like fire, and a hallmark of adharma-bound leadership.

What is the narrative situation?

News reaches Rāvaṇa that two of his warriors—Nikumbha and Kumbha—have been killed, triggering his intense fury.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast, the implied virtue is self-control (dama). Rāvaṇa’s lack of restraint is foregrounded as a moral weakness.