Shloka 56

कुम्भकर्णविबोधनम्

The Awakening of Kumbhakarna

Devanagari script

सनागभोगाचलशृङ्गकल्पौविक्षिप्यबाहूगिरशृङ्गसारौ ।निवृत्यवक्त्रंवडवामुखाभंनिशाचरोऽसौविकृतंजजृम्भे ।।।।

Transliteration

sanāga-bhogācala-śṛṅga-kalpau vikṣipya bāhū giriśṛṅga-sārau | nivṛtya vaktraṃ vaḍavāmukhābhaṃ niśācaro ’sau vikṛtaṃ jajṛmbhe ||

Translation

เขาสะบัดแขนทั้งสอง—ดุจยอดเขาที่พันด้วยขดนาค แข็งดั่งสันศิลา—แล้วราตรีจรผู้นั้นหันหน้า; ปากของเขา ประหนึ่งไฟวฑวามุขาใต้สมุทร อ้ากว้างเป็นการหาวอันน่าสะพรึง

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• nāgabhogācalaśṛṅgakalpau: (his two arms) like mountain-peaks like serpent-coils
• nāgabhogācalaśṛṅgakalpau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāga-bhoga-acala-śṛṅga-kalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana; bahu-tatpuruṣa describing bāhū: 'like mountain-peaks (acala-śṛṅga) that are (like) serpent-coils (nāga-bhoga)'

• vikṣipya: having flung about
• vikṣipya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-kṣip (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त)

• bāhū: (his) two arms
• bāhū: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/accusative), Dvivacana (dual)

• giriśṛṅgasārau: hard as mountain-peaks
• giriśṛṅgasārau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: giri-śṛṅga-sāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Dvivacana; viśeṣaṇa of bāhū: 'hard/solid like mountain-peaks'

• nivṛtya: having turned (back/open)
• nivṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-vṛt (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त)

• vaktram: mouth/face
• vaktram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• vaḍavāmukhābham: resembling the submarine fire
• vaḍavāmukhābham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaḍavā-mukha-ābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of vaktram: 'resembling the mare-faced fire (submarine fire)'

• niśācaraḥ: the night-ranger (rakshasa)
• niśācaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśā-cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'night-roamer'

• asau: that (one)
• asau: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• vikṛtam: strangely / grotesquely
• vikṛtam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vikṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; used adverbially with jajṛmbhe: 'in a distorted way'

• jajṛmbhe: yawned
• jajṛmbhe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jṛmbh (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; ātmanepada

Context

Kumbhakarna, devoid of any beauty threw out his limbs which were like the coils of cobra and as hard as mountain tops, his mouth was unnatural like a submarine fire as he yawned.

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Serpent (nāga)
• Mountains (acala/giri)

FAQs

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

The verse uses terrifying imagery to mark adharma’s outward expression: violence and menace manifest even in ordinary acts. Dharma is associated with restraint and auspiciousness; here the opposite aesthetic signals moral danger.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa physically stirs awake—stretching, turning, and yawning—revealing his colossal, fearsome form.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not a virtue but a trait: overwhelming might (bala) without ethical orientation, foreshadowing destructive action.