Valmiki Ramayana 6.77.22 — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 77, Shloka 22

निकुम्भवधः — The Slaying of Nikumbha

Hanuman’s Duel

Devanagari script

परिगृह्य च बाहुभ्यांपरिवृत्यशिरोधराम् ।।।।उत्पाटयामानशिरोभैरवंनदतोमहत् ।

Transliteration

parigṛhya ca bāhubhyāṃ parivṛtya śirodharām | utpāṭayāmāna śiro bhairavaṃ nadato mahat ||

Translation

Segurando-o com ambos os braços e torcendo seu pescoço, Hanuman arrancou-lhe a cabeça, enquanto Nikumbha gritava terrível e ruidosamente.

Word by Word

• परिगृह्य: having seized
• परिगृह्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund): "having seized"

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• बाहुभ्याम्: with (his) two arms
• बाहुभ्याम्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), द्विवचन

• परिवृत्य: having twisted
• परिवृत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund): "having twisted/turned around"

• शिरोधराम्: neck (head-holder)
• शिरोधराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् + धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिरसः धरा = ग्रीवा/कण्ठधरा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• उत्पाटयामानः: tearing off
• उत्पाटयामानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√पाट् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि (present active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• भैरवम्: terrible
• भैरवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भैरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (नदतः/निनदस्य)

• नदतः: of (him) roaring
• नदतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नद् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि (present active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (भैरवम्/निनदम्)

Context

Taking hold of the neck with both arms and twisting it round Hanuman broke off the neck of Nikumbha while he was crying terribly.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Nikumbha

FAQs

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

In a righteous war, decisive action ends ongoing harm: the episode portrays the grim necessity of concluding combat when the enemy persists in violence.

What is the narrative situation?

The fight reaches its climax as Hanumān overpowers Nikumbha and kills him by tearing off his head.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fearlessness and effectiveness—Hanumān acts without wavering to neutralize a dangerous foe.