Shloka 99

कुम्भकर्णवधः

The Slaying of Kumbhakarna

Devanagari script

शतानिसप्तचाष्टौ च विंशत्रतिंशत्तथैव च ।सम्परिष्वज्यबाहुभ्यांखादवनिपरिधावति ।।।।

Transliteration

śatāni sapta cāṣṭau ca viṁśat triṁśat tathaiva ca |

sampariṣvajya bāhubhyāṁ khādan viparidhāvati ||

Translation

കൈകൾ എല്ലാടവും വീശി അവൻ അവരെ മഹാസംഖ്യയിൽ പിടിച്ചെടുത്തു—നൂറുനൂറായി, ഏഴെട്ടായി, ഇരുപത്തിമുപ്പതായി—ഓടിനടന്ന് ഭക്ഷിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• śatāni: hundreds
• śatāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन (plural)

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या (indeclinable numeral), शतानि इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (qualifier of śatāni)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• aṣṭau: eight
• aṣṭau: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom), द्विवचन (dual); संख्या-विशेषणम् (numeral qualifier)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• viṃśat: twenty
• viṃśat: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṃśati (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या (numeral), प्रायः अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; (qualifying implied count)

• triṃśat: thirty
• triṃśat: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: triṃśat (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या (numeral), प्रायः अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; (qualifying implied count)

• tathā: thus
• tathā: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/in that manner')

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• sampariṣvajya: having embraced/encircled
• sampariṣvajya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sampariṣvaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), 'having embraced/encircled'

• bāhubhyām: with (his) two arms
• bāhubhyām: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), तृतीया (Instr), द्विवचन (dual)

• khādan: devouring
• khādan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khād (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन (sg)

• viparidhāvati: runs about
• viparidhāvati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-pari-dhāv (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (sg)

Context

Stretching his arms on all sides picking hundred, seven hundred, eight hundred and two hundred and three hundred, he ran devouring the vanaras.

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Vānara warriors

FAQs

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

Mass violence driven by appetite is shown as adharma; the epic’s dharmic frame contrasts such excess with righteous, proportionate force used only to restore order.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa is rampaging across the field, grabbing large groups and devouring them while moving rapidly in all directions.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is collective steadfastness: even amid terror and losses, the Vānara host continues the larger dharmic mission under Rāma.