Shloka 40

कुम्भकर्णप्रस्थानम्

Kumbhakarna’s Departure for Battle

Devanagari script

अथान्यद्वपुरादायदारुणंरोमहर्षणम् ।निष्पपातमहातेजाःकुम्भकर्णोमहाबलः ।।।।धनुःशतपरीणाहः स षट्छत्रसमुच्छ्रितः ।रौद्रःशकटचक्राक्षोमहापर्वतसन्निभः ।।।।

Transliteration

athānyad vapur ādāya dāruṇaṃ romaharṣaṇam |

niṣpapāta mahātejāḥ kumbhakarṇo mahābalaḥ ||6.65.40||

dhanuḥśata-parīṇāhaḥ sa ṣaṭchatra-samucchritaḥ |

raudraḥ śakaṭacakrākṣo mahāparvata-sannibhaḥ ||6.65.40||

Translation

അനന്തരം മഹാതേജസ്സും മഹാബലവും ഉള്ള കുംഭകർണ്ണൻ മറ്റൊരു ദാരുണവും രോമാഞ്ചജനകവുമായ രൂപം ധരിച്ചു ചാടിപ്പുറപ്പെട്ടു. അവന്റെ ദേഹം നൂറു ധനുസ്സിന്റെ പരിസരവുമുള്ളത്, ആറുനൂറു ധനുസ്സിന്റെ ഉയരമുള്ളത്; ക്രുദ്ധനായും രഥചക്രസദൃശമായ കണ്ണുകളുള്ളവനായി, മഹാപർവ്വതസമാനനായി തോന്നി.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रमसूचक (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle/conjunction: 'then')

• अन्यत्: another
• अन्यत्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (neuter acc. sg.)

• वपुः: body; form
• वपुः: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (neuter acc. sg.)

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having taken)

• दारुणम्: terrible
• दारुणम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies वपुः)

• रोमहर्षणम्: horripilating
• रोमहर्षणम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोमहर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रोम्णः हर्षणम् = causing hair to bristle)

• निष्पपात: sprang forth
• निष्पपात: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस् + पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/परस्मैपद (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; (he sprang forth/went out)

• महातेजाः: of great splendor
• महातेजाः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् तेजः यस्य)

• कुम्भकर्णः: Kumbhakarna
• कुम्भकर्णः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भकर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (proper noun)

• महाबलः: mighty-strong
• महाबलः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् बलम् यस्य)

Context

Assuming another fearful form, Kumbhakarna who was highly energetic, endowed with mighty strength and frightful in form, which was a hundred bows in breadth and six hundred bows in height, with eyes like wheels of chariot, enraged, seemed like a huge mountain.

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa

FAQs

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

Power and magnitude are morally neutral; the epic’s dharma lens evaluates such extraordinary strength by intention and alignment with righteousness, not by sheer size.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa manifests an even more terrifying, colossal form as he charges out toward battle.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Overwhelming might and ferocity (bala/raudra), serving as a narrative counterweight to dharma-centered heroism.