Shloka 36

महोदर-वाक्यं कुम्भकर्ण-प्रतिषेधः

Mahodara’s Counsel and the Critique of Kumbhakarna’s Solo Assault

Devanagari script

अदृष्टसैन्योह्यनवाप्तसंशयोरिपूनयुद्धेनजयन् जनाधिप ।यशश्चपुण्यं च महन्महीपतेश्रशियं च कीर्तिं च चिरं ।।।।

Transliteration

adṛṣṭasainyo hyanavāptasaṁśayo ripūn ayuddhena jayan janādhipa |

yaśaś ca puṇyaṁ ca mahan mahīpateḥ śriyaṁ ca kīrtiṁ ca ciram ||

Translation

ഹേ ജനാധിപാ! സൈന്യത്തിന് ദോഷമൊന്നും സംഭവിക്കാതെ, സംശയഭീതിയില്ലാതെ, യുദ്ധമില്ലാതെ ശത്രുക്കളെ ജയിക്കുന്ന മഹാഭൂപതിക്ക് മഹത്തായ യശസ്സും പുണ്യവും ലഭിക്കുന്നു; ദീർഘകാലം ശ്രീയും കീർത്തിയും അവനിൽ സ്ഥിരമായി നിലനിൽക്കും.

Word by Word

• adṛṣṭa-sainyaḥ: (one) whose army is unharmed/unseen (i.e., not lost)
• adṛṣṭa-sainyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, √dṛś) + sainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अदृष्टं सैन्यं यस्य) used adjectivally

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/indeed

• anavāpta-saṃśayaḥ: free from doubt/danger
• anavāpta-saṃśayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anavāpta (कृदन्त, √āp) + saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (अनवाप्तः संशयः यस्य/यः) used adjectivally

• ripūn: enemies
• ripūn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ripu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• ayuddhena: without battle; by non-combat
• ayuddhena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/साधन-भाव (instrumental: 'by/without fighting')

• jayan: winning/conquering
• jayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ji (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमा एकवचन पुंलिङ्ग; 'winning' (concomitant action)

• janādhipa: O lord of the people
• janādhipa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janādhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जनानाम् अधिपः)

• yaśaḥ: fame
• yaśaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yaśas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• puṇyam: merit
• puṇyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• mahat: great
• mahat: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies yaśaḥ/puṇyam etc.)

• mahīpate: O king
• mahīpate: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahīpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महीयाः पतिः)

• śriyam: prosperity
• śriyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• kīrtim: renown
• kīrtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• ciram: for a long time/ever
• ciram: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cira (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

Context

"O Lord of the people! If a king conquers his enemy without any loss of army, without facing any dangerand without war, such a mighty ruler of the earth will indeed earn fame and merit and attain prosperity."।।ityārṣēvālmīkīyēśrīmadrāmāyaṇēādikāvyēyuddhakāṇḍēcatuṣṣaṣṭitamassargaḥ।।This is the end of the sixty fourth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāma
• mahīpati
• ripū

FAQs

What dharma teaching does this verse give to a king?

It upholds rāja-dharma: a ruler should seek victory with minimum violence and risk, protecting his people and army; true greatness is measured by restraint and welfare, not by needless bloodshed.

How does this verse relate to satya (truth) in leadership?

By valuing outcomes achieved without deceitful or destructive conflict, it implies that a king’s glory should rest on transparent, responsible action aligned with truth and public good, leading to enduring kīrti (reputation).