Shloka 24

निकुम्भवधः — The Slaying of Nikumbha

Hanuman’s Duel

Devanagari script

व्यपेतेतुजीवेनिकुम्भस्यहृष्टाविनेदुःप्लवङ्गादिशस्सस्वनुश्च ।चचालेवचोर्वीपफालेवचद्यौर्भयंराक्षसानांबलंचाविवेश ।।।।

Transliteration

vyapete tu jīve nikumbhasya hṛṣṭā vineduḥ plavaṅgā diśaḥ sasvanuś ca | cacāleva corvī paphāleva ca dyaur bhayaṃ rākṣasānāṃ balaṃ cāviveśa ||

Translation

ニクンバの命が尽きると、猿軍は歓喜して鬨の声を上げ、四方は轟き渡った。大地は揺れ、天は裂けるかのようで、羅刹の軍勢には恐怖が入り込んだ。

Word by Word

• vyapete: (when) departed/ceased
• vyapete: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) / Locative absolute condition
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-apa-√i (धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past passive participle used locative absolute; Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; Neuter agreeing with jīve; sense: 'when ... had departed'

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), adversative/emphatic

• jīve: life
• jīve: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) / Locative absolute
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• nikumbhasya: of Nikumbha
• nikumbhasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / possessor
• Type: Noun
• Root: nikumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• hṛṣṭāḥ: delighted
• hṛṣṭāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; √hṛṣ धातु-कृदन्त)
• Form: Kta (क्त) participle used adjectivally; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; qualifies plavaṅgāḥ

• vineduḥ: shouted/roared
• vineduḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√nad (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्) Aorist, Parasmaipada; 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural

• plavaṅgāḥ: monkeys (Vānara warriors)
• plavaṅgāḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: plavaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• diśaḥ: the quarters/directions
• diśaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• sasvanuḥ: resounded
• sasvanuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sa-√svan (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्) Aorist, Parasmaipada; 3rd person, Plural

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / coordinator
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• cacāla: shook/trembled
• cacāla: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cal (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्) Perfect, Parasmaipada; 3rd person, Singular

• iva: as if/like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle of comparison (उपमा-वाचक अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• urvī: the earth
• urvī: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: urvī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• papāta: fell
• papāta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्) Perfect, Parasmaipada; 3rd person, Singular

• iva: as if/like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle of comparison (उपमा-वाचक अव्यय)

• sā: that (she)
• sā: Kartā (कर्ता) / pronominal subject marker
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; refers to dyauḥ

• dyauḥ: the sky/heaven
• dyauḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• balaṃ: strength/army
• balaṃ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• rākṣasānām: of the Rakshasas
• rākṣasānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध) / possessor
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• bhayaṃ: fear
• bhayaṃ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• āviveśa: entered/overcame
• āviveśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√viś (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्) Perfect, Parasmaipada; 3rd person, Singular

Context

When Nikumbha's life ceased, monkeys were happy, and their joy resounded in all quarters. Earth was shaken, the Rakshasa army was overtaken by fear and heaven appeared to crumble.।। इत्यार्षेवाल्मीकीयेश्रीमद्रामायणेआदिकाव्येयुद्धकाण्डेसप्तसप्ततितमस्सर्गः ।।This is the end of the seventy seventh sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Nikumbha
• Rākṣasas (Laṅkā’s army)
• Earth (Urvī)
• Directions/quarters (Diśaḥ)

FAQs

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

Adharma collapses in morale: when a key aggressor falls, fear overtakes the unjust side, while the righteous side gains courage—showing the social consequences of dharmic victory.

What is the narrative situation?

Nikumbha’s death triggers a dramatic battlefield reaction: vānara jubilation, cosmic-style imagery, and rākṣasa panic.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Communal steadfastness—vānara unity and confidence rises when the cause is advanced by heroic effort.