Shloka 151

कुम्भकर्णवधः

The Slaying of Kumbhakarna

Devanagari script

विकर्णवासइतिमांनावज्ञातुंत्वमर्हसि ।स्वल्पाऽपिहि न मेपीडार्णनासाविनाशनात् ।।।।

Transliteration

vikarṇanāsa iti māṃ nāvajñātuṃ tvam arhasi | svalpā ’pi hi na me pīḍā karṇanāsāvināśanāt ||

Translation

「『耳も鼻もない者』などと我を侮るな。耳と鼻を失っても、我は微塵の痛みすら感じぬ。」

Word by Word

• vikarṇa: earless/mutilated-eared
• vikarṇa: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (one without ears/with mutilated ears)

• vāsaḥ: (called) Vāsa
• vāsaḥ: Pratishedhya-upapadya (प्रतिषेध्य-उपपद्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नाम (as epithet)

• iti: thus/so (called)
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• avajñātum: to despise
• avajñātum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava + √jñā (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), परस्मैपदी; अर्थः 'अवज्ञातुम्' (to despise)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• arhasi: ought (to)
• arhasi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; न + अर्हसि = 'should not'

• svalpā: small
• svalpā: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of pīḍā)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-अव्यय (even/also)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• me: to me / my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (genitive: 'my')

• pīḍā: pain
• pīḍā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pīḍā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• karṇa-nāsā-vināśanāt: from the destruction of (my) ears and nose
• karṇa-nāsā-vināśanāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇa + nāsā + vināśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; समासः (कर्णनासयोः विनाशनम्)

Context

"Do not think I have been deprived of ears and nose and look with contempt. I do not have little pain."

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Rāma

FAQs

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

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.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa taunts Rāma, claiming that even mutilation cannot weaken him, and warns Rāma not to underestimate him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is dignity and steadfastness under injury; however, Kumbhakarṇa uses it as bravado rather than moral restraint.