निकुम्भवधः — The Slaying of Nikumbha
Hanuman’s Duel
व्यपेतेतुजीवेनिकुम्भस्यहृष्टाविनेदुःप्लवङ्गादिशस्सस्वनुश्च ।चचालेवचोर्वीपफालेवचद्यौर्भयंराक्षसानांबलंचाविवेश ।।।।
vyapete tu jīve nikumbhasya hṛṣṭā vineduḥ plavaṅgā diśaḥ sasvanuś ca | cacāleva corvī paphāleva ca dyaur bhayaṃ rākṣasānāṃ balaṃ cāviveśa ||
ครั้นชีวิตของนิกุมภะดับสิ้นแล้ว เหล่าวานรพลวังคะก็ยินดีโห่ร้อง จตุรทิศกึกก้อง; แผ่นดินประหนึ่งสั่นสะเทือน ฟ้าประหนึ่งแยกออก และความหวาดกลัวก็เข้าครอบงำกองทัพรากษส
When Nikumbha's life ceased, monkeys were happy, and their joy resounded in all quarters. Earth was shaken, the Rakshasa army was overtaken by fear and heaven appeared to crumble.।। इत्यार्षेवाल्मीकीयेश्रीमद्रामायणेआदिकाव्येयुद्धकाण्डेसप्तसप्ततितमस्सर्गः ।।This is the end of the seventy seventh sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.
Adharma collapses in morale: when a key aggressor falls, fear overtakes the unjust side, while the righteous side gains courage—showing the social consequences of dharmic victory.
Nikumbha’s death triggers a dramatic battlefield reaction: vānara jubilation, cosmic-style imagery, and rākṣasa panic.
Communal steadfastness—vānara unity and confidence rises when the cause is advanced by heroic effort.