Shloka 18

कुम्भकर्णोपदेशः

Kumbhakarna’s Counsel and War-Boast to Ravana

Devanagari script

तान्भर्तामित्रसङ्काशानमित्रान्मन्त्रनिर्णये ।व्यवहारेणजानीयात्सचिवानुपसम्हितान् ।।6.63.18।।

Transliteration

tān bhartā mitrasaṅkāśān amitrān mantranirṇaye | vyavahāreṇa jānīyāt sacivān upasaṃhitān ||6.63.18||

Translation

Un souverain doit discerner, dans la délibération et la décision, les conseillers qui ont l’apparence d’amis mais sont des ennemis—déjà gagnés à l’orbite adverse—en observant leur conduite.

Word by Word

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• bhartā: the ruler
• bhartā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• mitra-saṅkāśān: seeming like friends
• mitra-saṅkāśān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of tān/sacivān)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mitra + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; तत्पुरुष: मित्रवत् सङ्काशाः (appearing like friends)

• amitrān: enemies
• amitrān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-mitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; in apposition to tān

• mantra-nirṇaye: in the decision of counsel
• mantra-nirṇaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra + nirṇaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष: मन्त्रस्य निर्णयः

• vyavahāreṇa: by conduct/behavior
• vyavahāreṇa: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument-means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyavahāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• jānīyāt: should recognize
• jānīyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular; injunctive advice: 'should know'

• sacivān: ministers
• sacivān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saciva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; apposition to tān

• upasaṃhitān: drawn close (to the enemy)
• upasaṃhitān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of sacivān)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-saṃ-√dhā / upasaṃhita (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; 'drawn close/attached'

Context

"Enemies find out the weakness of the king who is unsteady and rush after the actions forcibly without thinking like brahmins just as birds find the holes in Krauncha mountain and elaborate to others."

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

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

Righteous rule demands discernment: a king must detect hypocrisy and disloyalty through observable conduct, not mere appearances.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa outlines principles of governance to Rāvaṇa, warning about ministers who pretend loyalty while serving enemies.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viveka (discriminative wisdom)—judging people by actions in critical deliberations.