Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 24

महोदर-वाक्यं कुम्भकर्ण-प्रतिषेधः

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

Devanagari script

अथजीवतिनश्शत्रुर्वयं च कृतसम्युगाः ।ततस्तदभिपत्स्यामोमनसायत्समीक्षितम् ।।।।

Transliteration

atha jīvati naḥ śatrurvayaṃ ca kṛtasaṃyugāḥ |

tatastadabhipatsyāmo manasā yatsamīkṣitam ||

Translation

If our enemy still survives after we have engaged in battle, then we shall attain that fate which we have already contemplated in our minds.

Word by Word

• atha: then/if
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; discourse particle ('then/if')

• jīvati: lives/survives
• jīvati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jīv (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• naḥ: our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive, Plural; 'our'

• śatruḥ: enemy
• śatruḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative, Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

• kṛta-samyugāḥ: having fought the battle
• kṛta-samyugāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + samyuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; तत्पुरुषः ('having done/fought the battle')

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb

• tat: that (course)
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• abhipatsyāmaḥ: we shall undertake/decide upon
• abhipatsyāmaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-pad (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 1st Person, Plural; Parasmaipada

• manasā: by mind
• manasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• yat: what
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative/Nominative, Singular; relative pronoun referring to samīkṣitam; here = 'what'

• samīkṣitam: considered
• samīkṣitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative/Nominative, Singular; 'considered/examined'

Context

"If our enemy survives in combat, we too will survive and review as we planned and see."

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarna
• Ravana
• Rama

FAQs

Who is speaking this verse and to whom?

Kumbhakarna is speaking this verse to his brother Ravana, assuring him of his commitment to the battle despite his earlier criticism of Ravana's actions.

What is the significance of 'manasā yat samīkṣitam' in the context of Dharma?

It refers to the mental preparedness of a warrior. Kumbhakarna implies that he has already contemplated the ultimate sacrifice; if he fails to kill the enemy, he accepts death (the contemplated fate) as part of his duty (Dharma).