Shloka 151
कुम्भकर्णवधः
The Slaying of Kumbhakarna
विकर्णवासइतिमांनावज्ञातुंत्वमर्हसि ।स्वल्पाऽपिहि न मेपीडार्णनासाविनाशनात् ।।।।
vikarṇanāsa iti māṃ nāvajñātuṃ tvam arhasi | svalpā ’pi hi na me pīḍā karṇanāsāvināśanāt ||
«Tu ne dois pas me mépriser en m’appelant “sans oreilles ni nez”. De la perte des oreilles et du nez, je ne ressens pas même une légère douleur.»
"Do not think I have been deprived of ears and nose and look with contempt. I do not have little pain."
FAQs
The verse touches the ethics of contempt: judging someone by deformity is morally inferior. Even amid war, the Ramayana repeatedly critiques derision and urges evaluation by conduct (dharma), not appearance.
Kumbhakarṇa taunts Rāma, claiming that even mutilation cannot weaken him, and warns Rāma not to underestimate him.
The implied virtue is dignity and steadfastness under injury; however, Kumbhakarṇa uses it as bravado rather than moral restraint.