Shloka 17

कुम्भकर्णवधश्रवणेन रावणविलापः

Ravana’s Lament on Hearing of Kumbhakarna’s Slaying

Devanagari script

राज्येननास्तिमेकार्यंकिंकरिष्यामिसीतया ।कुम्भकर्णविहीनस्यजीवितेनास्तिमेमतिः ।।।।

Transliteration

rājyena nāsti me kāryaṃ kiṃ kariṣyāmi sītayā |

kumbhakarṇavihīnasya jīvitena nāsti me matiḥ ||

Translation

Le royaume ne m’est plus d’aucune utilité—que ferais-je de Sītā ? Privé de Kumbhakarṇa, même l’élan de vivre m’a quitté.

Word by Word

• राज्येन: by/with kingdom
• राज्येन: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: क्रिया (kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मे: for me / my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन (enclitic)

• कार्यम्: purpose/need
• कार्यम्: प्रधानीय (predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here predicate nominative: (there is) no purpose

• किम्: what?
• किम्: प्रश्न-क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative): what?

• करिष्यामि: shall I do
• करिष्यामि: क्रिया (kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सीतया: with Sita
• सीतया: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• कुम्भकर्णविहीनस्य: of one bereft of Kumbhakarna
• कुम्भकर्णविहीनस्य: सम्बन्ध (ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kumbhakarṇa + vihīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: कुम्भकर्णेन विहीनः (deprived of Kumbhakarna)

• जीवितेन: with life / by living
• जीवितेन: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: क्रिया (kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: सम्बन्ध (ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• मतिः: inclination/mind
• मतिः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

"If I do not kill Raghava who killed my brother in battle it is a waste of my life." Thus, thought Ravana.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Sītā
• Kumbhakarṇa
• Rājya (kingdom)

FAQs

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

It reveals the hollowness of possessiveness: when relationships and power are pursued without Dharma, they collapse into despair rather than lasting fulfillment.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa’s grief turns into nihilism; he declares kingship and even Sītā meaningless after losing Kumbhakarṇa.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

A negative lesson: lack of self-mastery—Rāvaṇa’s attachment and pride leave him psychologically unmoored when fortune turns.