Shloka 158

कुम्भकर्णवधः

The Slaying of Kumbhakarna

Devanagari script

स तस्यबाहुर्गिरिशृङ्गकल्पःसमुद्गरोराघवबाणकृत्तः ।पपाततस्मिन् हरिराजसैन्येजघानतांवानरवाहिनीं ।।6.17.158।।

Transliteration

sa tasya bāhur giriśṛṅgakalpaḥ sa-mudgaro rāghavabāṇakṛttaḥ | papāta tasmin harirājasainye jaghāna tāṃ vānaravāhinīm ||

Translation

แขนนั้น—ใหญ่ดุจยอดเขา ยังยึดกระบองไว้—ถูกศรของราฆวะตัดขาด แล้วตกลงทับกองทัพแห่งราชาวานร กระหน่ำทำลายหมู่วานรให้ล้มตาย

Word by Word

• सः: he/that
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन

• बाहुः: arm
• बाहुः: Karta (कर्ता/subject of पपात)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• गिरिशृङ्गकल्पः: like a mountain-peak
• गिरिशृङ्गकल्पः: Visheshana (विशेषण of बाहुः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गिरि-शृङ्ग + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; समास: गिरिशृङ्गम् इव कल्पः/सदृशः (उपमान-तत्पुरुष)

• समुद्गरः: a mace/club
• समुद्गरः: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्गर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; (बाहोः विशेषणरूपेण)

• राघवबाणकृत्तः: cut off by Raghava’s arrow
• राघवबाणकृत्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण of बाहुः/समुद्गरः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राघव-बाण + कृद्/कृत् (प्रातिपदिक) / कृत्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त from √कृत् ‘to cut’ as कृत्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; समास: राघवस्य बाणेन कृत्तः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• पपात: fell
• पपात: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• तस्मिन्: in/among that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; सप्तमी; एकवचन

• हरिराजसैन्ये: in the monkey-king’s army
• हरिराजसैन्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि-राज + सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन; समास: हरिराजस्य सैन्यम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• जघान: struck/killed
• जघान: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• ताम्: that (her/it)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• वानरवाहिनीम्: the monkey-army
• वानरवाहिनीम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर + वाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; समास: वानराणां वाहिनी (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Context

Kumbhakarna's arm severed by Rama's arrow was like a mountain peak. It fell on Vanara army too and killed the monkey king's army.

Characters & Entities

• Kumbhakarṇa
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Mudgara (club)
• Vānara-senā
• Hari-rāja (monkey-king; contextually Sugrīva as leader)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores the collateral cost of adharma-driven violence: even when a righteous side fights, war brings suffering, urging restraint and responsibility.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa’s severed arm, still holding the mace, crashes into the vānara forces and causes heavy casualties.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The vānara army’s loyalty is implicit: they remain in the fight despite catastrophic losses, reflecting steadfastness to a righteous alliance.