Shloka 160

कुम्भकर्णवधः

The Slaying of Kumbhakarna

Devanagari script

स कुम्भकर्णोऽस्त्रनिकृत्तबाहुर्महासिकृत्ताग्रइवाचलेन्द्रः ।उत्पाटयामासकरेणवृक्षंततोऽभिदुद्रावरणेनरेन्द्रम् ।।।।

Transliteration

sa kumbhakarṇo 'stranikṛttabāhur mahāsikṛttāgra ivācalendraḥ | utpāṭayāmāsa kareṇa vṛkṣaṃ tato 'bhidudrāva raṇe narendram ||

Translation

Kumbhakarṇa, yang lengannya tertebas oleh senjata, tampak seperti gunung besar yang puncaknya dipancung. Lalu dia mencabut sebatang pokok palma dengan tangannya dan menerjang Raja Rāma di tengah medan perang.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• कुम्भकर्णः: Kumbhakarna
• कुम्भकर्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भकर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• अस्त्रनिकृत्तबाहुः: whose arm was cut off by a weapon
• अस्त्रनिकृत्तबाहुः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्त्र + निकृत्त + बाहु (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः ‘astrena nikṛttaḥ bāhuḥ yasya’ (arm cut by a weapon) used as epithet

• महासिकृत्ताग्रः: with the tip cut off by a great sword
• महासिकृत्ताग्रः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महासि + कृत्त + अग्र (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः ‘mahāsinā kṛttam agraṃ yasya’ (whose tip/peak is cut by a great sword)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle of comparison (उपमा-अव्यय)

• अचलेन्द्रः: a great mountain
• अचलेन्द्रः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचल + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः ‘acalanām indraḥ’ = lord of mountains (a great mountain)

• उत्पाटयामास: uprooted / tore out
• उत्पाटयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-पाट् (धातु)
• Form: Periphrastic perfect (लिट्-परस्मैपद/परिप्रयोग), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• करेण: with (his) hand
• करेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• वृक्षम्: tree
• वृक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kāla/Anantarya (काल/अनन्तर्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रम/अनन्तर-अव्यय)

• अभिदुद्राव: rushed towards
• अभिदुद्राव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-द्रु (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• नरेन्द्रम्: the king (Rama)
• नरेन्द्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः ‘nṛṇām indraḥ’ = king (Rama)

Context

One arm cut off, Kumbhakarna deprived of limb looked like a mountain with peak cut off. Thereafter he seized a palmyra tree and went towards Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Rāma (narendra)
• Tāla (palmyra tree)

FAQs

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

Persistence without righteousness becomes destructive; dharma values courage, but only when aligned with just intent.

What is the narrative situation?

Despite losing an arm, Kumbhakarṇa uproots a palmyra tree and charges straight at Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Tenacity and fearlessness (though serving adharma), highlighting how virtues can be ethically redirected by the cause they serve.