Shloka 1

निकुम्भवधः — The Slaying of Nikumbha

Hanuman’s Duel

Devanagari script

निकुम्भोभ्रातरंदृष्टवासुग्रीवेणनिपातितम् ।प्रदहन्निवकोपेनवानरेन्द्रमवैक्षत ।।।।

Transliteration

nikumbho bhrātaraṃ dṛṣṭvā sugrīveṇa nipātitam |

pradahann iva kopena vānarendram avaikṣata ||

Translation

ニクンバは、スグリーヴァによって兄弟が打ち倒されたのを見て、燃え立つ怒りのままにヴァーナラ王を凝視した。まるでその眼差しで焼き尽くさんばかりに。

Word by Word

• nikumbhaḥ: Nikumbha
• nikumbhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nikumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhrātaram: brother
• bhrātaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): having seen

• sugrīveṇa: by Sugriva
• sugrīveṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sugrīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• nipātitam: struck down
• nipātitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni√pat (धातु) + ṇic (णिच्) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: णिजन्त-क्त कृदन्त (causative PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (bhrātaram)

• pradahan: burning
• pradahan: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra√dah (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (nikumbhaḥ)

• iva: as if
• iva: Upamāna-dyotaka (उपमान-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय

• kopena: with anger
• kopena: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kopa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental: with/through anger)

• vānarendram: king of monkeys
• vānarendram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वानराणाम् इन्द्रः)

• avaikṣata: looked at
• avaikṣata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Context

Seeing his brother struck down by Sugriva, Nikumbha gazed at him as if to burn him in wrath.

Characters & Entities

• Nikumbha
• Sugrīva
• Kumbha

FAQs

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

The verse cautions that grief can turn into consuming anger; dharma requires mastery over krodha (wrath), especially in the wake of loss.

What is the narrative situation?

Nikumbha witnesses his brother’s fall and turns with furious intent toward Sugrīva.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast: Sugrīva’s victorious prowess is implied; Nikumbha’s dominant trait here is wrath, a destabilizing impulse.