Shloka 113

कुम्भकर्णवधः

The Slaying of Kumbhakarna

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तवाक्यंतद्रक्षःप्रोवाचस्तुतिसंहितम् ।मृधेघोरतरंवाक्यंसौमित्रिःप्रहसन्निव ।।।।

Transliteration

ity uktavākyaṃ tad rakṣaḥ provāca stuti-saṃhitam | mṛdhe ghorataraṃ vākyaṃ saumitriḥ prahasann iva ||

Translation

その羅刹が戦場で誇り高く恐るべき言葉を吐き終えると、サウミトリはまるで笑うかのように答えた。

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-sūcaka
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle

• ukta-vākyam: the spoken statement
• ukta-vākyam: Karma (कर्म) of provāca (what he spoke)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ukta (वच् धातु + क्त) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: tatpuruṣa (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव) ‘spoken words’; Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun used adjectivally, Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with ukta-vākyam

• rakṣaḥ: the Rakshasa
• rakṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (collective), Prathamā, Ekavacana

• provāca: spoke/replied
• provāca: Kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-vac (वच्) (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• stuti-saṃhitam: full of praise/boast
• stuti-saṃhitam: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: stuti (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃhita (सम्-धा/हि? here ‘composed/connected’) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: tatpuruṣa ‘connected with praise/boastful’; Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifies ukta-vākyam

• mṛdhe: in battle
• mṛdhe: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Saptamī, Ekavacana

• ghorataraṃ: more dreadful
• ghorataraṃ: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक) + tara (तरप्)
• Form: Comparative (तरप्), Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifies vākyaṃ

• vākyam: words/speech
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म) of provāca (second object/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• saumitriḥ: Saumitri (Lakshmana)
• saumitriḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumitri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• prahasan: laughing
• prahasan: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-has (हस्) (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with saumitriḥ

• iva: as if
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-avyaya (उपमा)

Context

When that Rakshasa made such boastful and dreadful statements in the battlefield, laughing heartily, Saumitri replied as follows.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa (Saumitri)
• Kumbhakarṇa (rākṣasa)

FAQs

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

The epic contrasts boast (stuti-saṃhita) with grounded truth (satya): dharma in speech values measured, truthful response over intimidation and self-glorification.

What is the narrative situation?

After Kumbhakarṇa’s threatening boasts, the narration signals that Lakṣmaṇa is about to respond.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s fearlessness and composure—he is not psychologically shaken by terrorizing words.