Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 163

कुम्भकर्णवधः

The Slaying of Kumbhakarna

Devanagari script

तंछिन्नबाहुंसमवेक्ष्यरामःसमापतन्तंसहसानदन्तम् ।द्वावर्धचन्द्रौनिशितौप्रगृह्यचिच्छेदपादौयुधिराक्षसस्य ।।।।

Transliteration

taṃ chinnabāhuṃ samavekṣya rāmaḥ samāpatantaṃ sahasā nadantam | dvāv ardhacandrau niśitau pragṛhya ciccheda pādau yudhi rākṣasasya ||

Translation

Nang makita niyang sumusugod pa rin at umuungal ang Raksasa kahit putol na ang mga braso, kumuha si Rama ng dalawang palaso na hugis gasuklay at pinutol ang mga paa nito sa labanan.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• छिन्नबाहुम्: with severed arm(s)
• छिन्नबाहुम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न + बाहु (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः ‘chinnaḥ bāhuḥ yasya’ (whose arm is cut) used as epithet

• समवेक्ष्य: having seen
• समवेक्ष्य: Kriya-samānādhikaraṇa (क्रियासम्बन्धः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अव-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्); ‘having observed’

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समापतन्तम्: rushing at (him)
• समापतन्तम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-पत् (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying तम्

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kāla/Prakāra (काल/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (आकस्मिक/शीघ्र-अव्यय)

• नदन्तम्: roaring
• नदन्तम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नद् (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Accusative, Singular; ‘roaring’ qualifying तम्

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual (द्वितीया/2, द्विवचन); numeral qualifying अर्धचन्द्रौ

• अर्धचन्द्रौ: crescent-shaped (arrows)
• अर्धचन्द्रौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual; कर्मधारयः ‘half-moon (crescent-shaped arrows)’

• निशितौ: sharp
• निशितौ: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual; qualifying अर्धचन्द्रौ

• प्रगृह्य: having taken
• प्रगृह्य: Kriya-samānādhikaraṇa (क्रियासम्बन्धः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्); ‘having taken up’

• चिच्छेद: cut off
• चिच्छेद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• पादौ: feet
• पादौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्/युध् (प्रातिपदिक: युद्ध)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular; ‘in battle’

• राक्षसस्य: of the Rakshasa
• राक्षसस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular

Context

Perceiving Kumbhakarna with broken arms rushing towards him, Rama at once took a sharp moon shaped arrow and split his feet.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kumbhakarṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma protects the many: when a threat continues despite warnings and wounds, decisive action to stop further slaughter becomes a duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Kumbhakarṇa keeps charging even after losing an arm; Rāma disables him by cutting his feet with crescent-headed arrows.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s protective resolve (rakṣaṇa-dharma): stopping a rampaging aggressor swiftly and effectively.