Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 7

महोदर-वाक्यं कुम्भकर्ण-प्रतिषेधः

Mahodara’s Counsel and the Critique of Kumbhakarna’s Solo Assault

Devanagari script

कर्मचैवहिसर्वेषांकारणानांप्रयोजकम् ।श्रेयःपापीयसांचात्रफलंभवतिकर्मणाम् ।।।।

Transliteration

karma caiva hi sarveṣāṃ kāraṇānāṃ prayojakam | śreyaḥ pāpīyasāṃ cātra phalaṃ bhavati karmaṇām ||

Translation

కర్మమే సమస్త కారణాలను ప్రేరేపిస్తుంది; ఇక్కడ కర్మఫలం కర్మానుసారంగా శ్రేయస్సునిచ్చేదిగా గానీ, పాపకరంగా (హానికరంగా) గానీ అవుతుంది।

Word by Word

• karma: action
• karma: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• eva: alone/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण)

• hi: for/indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; used adjectivally

• kāraṇānām: of causes/means
• kāraṇānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• prayojakam: the impelling/activating (factor)
• prayojakam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prayojaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; predicate adjective agreeing with karma

• śreyaḥ: good/benefit
• śreyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• pāpīyasām: of the worse (acts/agents)
• pāpīyasām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpīyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; comparative ‘more sinful/worse’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• atra: here/in this matter
• atra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• phalam: result
• phalam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• bhavati: arises/becomes
• bhavati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; Parasmaipada

• karmaṇām: of actions
• karmaṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

Context

" Actions alone are the means of happiness. Being so how can sinful actions accrue good results?"

Characters & Entities

• karma (action)
• phala (result)

FAQs

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

Dharma is tied to moral causality: actions are decisive, and their results correspond to their ethical quality—good deeds yield welfare, harmful deeds yield suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

Counsel is being offered about decision-making in war and governance, grounding outcomes in karma rather than wishful thinking.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Accountability: recognizing that one’s chosen acts produce appropriate consequences.