Shloka 168

कुम्भकर्णवधः

The Slaying of Kumbhakarna

Devanagari script

तंवज्रजाम्भूनदचारुपुङ्खंप्रदीप्तसूर्यज्वलनप्रकाशम् ।महेन्द्रवज्राशनितुल्यवेगंरामःप्रचिक्षेपनिशाचराय ।।।।

Transliteration

taṃ vajrajāmbhūnadacārupuṅkhaṃ pradīptasūryajvalanaprakāśam |

mahendravajrāśanitulyavegaṃ rāmaḥ pracikṣepa niśācarāya ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ രാമൻ ആ നിശാചരനിലേക്കു വജ്രസമമായ ഒരു ബാണം എറിഞ്ഞു—ജാംബൂനദസ്വർണ്ണം പൊതിഞ്ഞ മനോഹരമായ പുങ്ഖമുള്ളത്, വജ്രരത്നങ്ങൾ പതിപ്പിച്ചത്, സൂര്യാഗ്നിപ്രഭപോലെ ജ്വലിക്കുന്ന പ്രകാശമുള്ളത്, മഹേന്ദ്രന്റെ വജ്രാശനിപോലെ അതിവേഗമുള്ളത്।

Word by Word

• तम्: that (missile/arrow)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वज्र-जाम्भूनद-चारु-पुङ्खम्: having a beautiful tail-feather (fletching) of diamond and gold
• वज्र-जाम्भूनद-चारु-पुङ्खम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vajra + jāmbhūnada + cāru + puṅkha (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) तम् इति कर्मपदम् विशेषयति; समासः—(1) वज्रजाम्भूनद (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः) + (2) चारुपुङ्ख (कर्मधारय)

• प्रदीप्त-सूर्य-ज्वलन-प्रकाशम्: with radiance like the blazing sun and fire
• प्रदीप्त-सूर्य-ज्वलन-प्रकाशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pradīpta + sūrya + jvalana + prakāśa (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—सूर्यज्वलन (द्वन्द्व/समाहार-प्रायः) इत्यस्य प्रकाशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) तथा प्रदीप्त-प्रकाश (कर्मधारय)

• महेन्द्र-वज्र-अशनि-तुल्य-वेगम्: having speed equal to Indra's thunderbolt
• महेन्द्र-वज्र-अशनि-तुल्य-वेगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahendra + vajra + aśani + tulya + vega (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—महेन्द्रवज्र (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + अशनितुल्य (उपमान-तत्पुरुष) + वेग (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रचिक्षेप: hurled / cast
• प्रचिक्षेप: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + kṣip (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• निशाचराय: to the night-ranger (rakshasa)
• निशाचराय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśācara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

Context

Rama crushed the night ranger to pieces with his arrow encrusted with diamonds and gold, glowing like the Sun 's rays and fire which resembled Indra's thunderbolt, in speed.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Mahendra (Indra)
• niśācara (night-ranger demon)

FAQs

How does this verse relate to Dharma in the Ramayana?

Rāma’s act of hurling the blazing, swift arrow is portrayed as righteous force used to restrain adharma—protecting the world from destructive night-roaming aggressors. The verse emphasizes disciplined power employed for moral order, not personal cruelty.

Where is Satya (truth) reflected in a battle description like this?

Satya is reflected in Rāma’s unwavering fidelity to his role and vow as a protector: he acts consistently with his declared duty to uphold justice. The narration underscores integrity—truthfulness expressed as steadfast alignment between commitment and action.