Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 94
कुम्भकर्णवधः
The Slaying of Kumbhakarna
ततस्सपुर्यास्ससहसामहात्मानिष्क्रम्यतद्वानरसैन्यमुग्रम् ।बभक्षरक्षोयुधिकुम्भकर्णःप्रजायुगान्तानगिरिवप्रवृद्धः ।।।।
tatas sa puryāḥ sahasā mahātmā niṣkramya tad vānarasainyam ugram |
babhakṣa rakṣo yudhi kumbhakarṇaḥ prajā yugāntāgnir iva pravṛddhaḥ ||
Then the great-souled Kumbhakarṇa, rushing out from the city at once, plunged into the fierce Vānara host in battle and devoured them—like the conflagration at the end of an age consuming living beings.
The great Kumbhakarna then departing instantly entered into Vanara army consumed them as fire at dissolution consumed people.
FAQs
The verse warns how adharma, when empowered by brute force and rage, becomes indiscriminate destruction; Dharma requires restraint and protection of life, not predation.
Kumbhakarṇa suddenly emerges from Laṅkā and begins a devastating assault, devouring the Vānara forces on the battlefield.
By contrast (through a negative example), the virtue emphasized is self-control; Kumbhakarṇa’s lack of restraint becomes a lesson in the danger of ungoverned power.