Shloka 57

कुम्भकर्णविबोधनम्

The Awakening of Kumbhakarna

Devanagari script

तस्यजाजृम्भमाणस्यवक्त्रंपातालसन्निभम् ।ददृशेमेरुशृङ्गाग्रेदिवाकरइवोदितः ।।।।

Transliteration

tasya jājṛmbhamāṇasya vaktraṃ pātāla-sannibham | dadṛśe meru-śṛṅgāgre divākara ivoditaḥ ||

Translation

Tatkala dia menguap, mulutnya tampak laksana alam Pātāla; seolah-olah Sang Surya terbit di puncak Gunung Meru.

Word by Word

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana

• jājṛmbhamāṇasya: as he was yawning
• jājṛmbhamāṇasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; genitive absolute-like)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jṛmbh (धातु) + śānac (शानच्)
• Form: Intensive/reduplicated present participle sense (frequentative nuance) + śānac; Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; 'of (him) yawning'

• vaktram: the mouth
• vaktram: Karta (कर्ता; of dadṛśe)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• pātālasannibham: like the netherworld
• pātālasannibham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pātāla-sannibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Prathamā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of vaktram: 'resembling the underworld'

• dadṛśe: appeared / was seen
• dadṛśe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (Perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; ātmanepada; intransitive sense 'appeared/was seen'

• meruśṛṅgāgre: on Meru’s peak-top
• meruśṛṅgāgre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meru-śṛṅga-agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Saptamī, Ekavacana; 'on the tip of Meru-peak'

• divākaraḥ: the sun
• divākaraḥ: Upamāna (उपमान/standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divā-kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-avyaya (particle of comparison)

• uditaḥ: risen
• uditaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-i (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta/PPP, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate to divākaraḥ

Context

As he yawned his mouth resembling the underworld, it was like the Sun rose over the top of Mount Meru.

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Pātāla
• Meru
• Sun (Divākara)

FAQs

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

By contrasting cosmic grandeur with an ominous underworld image, the verse suggests how power can be morally ambiguous: greatness without dharma becomes terrifying rather than beneficent.

What is the narrative situation?

The poet describes the sheer scale of Kumbhakarṇa’s yawn with cosmic comparisons.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Implied ideal virtue is dhārmic radiance (tejas guided by righteousness). The imagery evokes tejas, but in a form that alarms rather than protects.