Shloka 54

कुम्भकर्णविबोधनम्

The Awakening of Kumbhakarna

Devanagari script

वारणानांसहस्रंचशरीरेऽस्यप्रधावितम् ।।।।कुम्बकर्णस्तदाबुद् ध्वास्पर्शंपरमबुध्यत ।

Transliteration

vāraṇānāṃ sahasraṃ ca śarīre ’sya pradhāvitam | kumbhakarṇas tadā buddhvā sparśaṃ param abudhyata ||

Translation

ช้างนับพันถูกต้อนให้วิ่งเหยียบย่ำไปบนกายของเขา ครั้นนั้นกุมภกรรณรับรู้ถึงการสัมผัสนั้น แต่ยังไม่เข้าใจว่ามันคือสิ่งใด

Word by Word

• vāraṇānām: of elephants
• vāraṇānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/genitive), Bahuvacana (plural)

• sahasram: a thousand
• sahasram: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/accusative), Ekavacana (singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction/particle)

• śarīre: on (his) body
• śarīre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), Saptamī vibhakti (7th/locative), Ekavacana (singular)

• asya: of him / his
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/genitive), Ekavacana (singular)

• pradhāvitam: was run over / rushed upon
• pradhāvitam: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicative action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-dhāv (धातु) + -ta (कृत्)
• Form: Kta-pratyaya past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Napuṃsaka (neuter), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/nominative), Ekavacana; used impersonally: 'was run over'

• kumbhakarṇaḥ: Kumbhakarna
• kumbhakarṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumbha + karṇa (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/nominative), Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa name: 'kumbha-ears'

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Kāla-avyaya (temporal adverb)

• buddhvā: having perceived
• buddhvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: budh (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त), 'having known/realized'

• sparśam: touch
• sparśam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sparśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/accusative), Ekavacana (singular)

• param: great / intense
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/accusative), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of sparśam

• abudhyata: did not understand / did not notice
• abudhyata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: a-budh (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (लङ्/Imperfect past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

Context

A thousand elephants were made to walk over his body. Then Kumbhakarna felt the touch but did not understand.

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Elephants (vāraṇa)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how ignorance (moha/avidyā) can dull discernment: mere sensation is not the same as understanding. In the Ramāyaṇa’s ethical frame, lack of right awareness supports adharma by preventing timely correction.

What is the narrative situation?

The rākṣasa Kumbhakarṇa is being forcibly roused from his deep sleep; even extreme measures—elephants trampling over him—barely register as intelligible awareness.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast rather than direct praise: the need for vigilance and clear discernment (pramāda-rahitatā) is implied, showing how dangerous stupor and confusion can be in moral and martial life.