कुम्भकर्णवधः
The Slaying of Kumbhakarna
दर्शयेक्ष्वाकुशार्दूलवीर्यंगात्रेषुमेलघु ।ततस्त्वांभक्षयिष्यामिदृष्टपौरुषविक्रमम् ।।।।
darśayekṣvākuśārdūla vīryaṃ gātreṣu me laghu | tatas tvāṃ bhakṣayiṣyāmi dṛṣṭapauruṣavikramam ||
“Wahai harimau keturunan Ikṣvāku, perlihatkanlah keberanianmu pada tubuhku. Setelah kulihat keperkasaanmu, akan kutelan engkau.”
"O Tiger of the Ikshvaku clan! Exhibit your manliness, prowess, and valour on me. I will eat you up later."
The verse contrasts dharmic heroism with predatory violence: true kṣātra-dharma is bravery governed by righteousness, while the threat to ‘devour’ signals a transgression into adharma (cruelty and dehumanization).
Kumbhakarṇa provokes Rāma, challenging him to demonstrate valor and threatening to consume him afterward.
Rāma’s lineage-based ideal of righteous kingship is invoked (Ikṣvāku), implying the virtue of principled courage.