Shloka 12

महोदर-वाक्यं कुम्भकर्ण-प्रतिषेधः

Mahodara’s Counsel and the Critique of Kumbhakarna’s Solo Assault

Devanagari script

येनपूर्वंजनस्थानेबहवोऽतिबलाहताः ।राक्षसाराघवंतंत्वंकथमेकोजयिष्यसि ।।।।

Transliteration

yena pūrvaṃ janasthāne bahavo 'tibalā hatāḥ |

rākṣasā rāghavaṃ taṃ tvaṃ katham eko jayiṣyasi ||

Translation

Người ấy trước kia tại Janasthāna đã giết nhiều Rākṣasa cực kỳ dũng mãnh; vậy ngươi làm sao một mình có thể chiến thắng Rāghava ấy?

Word by Word

• yena: by whom
• yena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; relative pronoun

• pūrvam: formerly
• pūrvam: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया)

• janasthāne: at Janasthāna
• janasthāne: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janasthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; place-name

• bahavaḥ: many
• bahavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; adjective used substantively

• ati-balāḥ: very strong
• ati-balāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/अव्ययीभाव-पूर्वपद: ‘exceedingly strong’

• hatāḥ: were slain
• hatāḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: Past participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Plural; passive sense ‘killed’

• rākṣasāḥ: rākṣasas
• rākṣasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• rāghavam: Rāghava (Rama)
• rāghavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuzmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative, Singular

• katham: how
• katham: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्नाव्यय)

• ekaḥ: alone
• ekaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective qualifying tvam

• jayiṣyasi: will conquer
• jayiṣyasi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ji (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 2nd person, Singular; Parasmaipada

Context

"How is it possible for you single handed to win Raghava of exceeding might, who killed many Rakshasas in the past at Janasthana?"

Characters & Entities

• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Janasthāna
• Rākṣasas

FAQs

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

Dharma in governance and war includes clear-eyed assessment (viveka): ignoring proven capability of an opponent and acting from pride endangers one’s people and violates responsible duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Mahodara reminds Kumbhakarṇa of Rāma’s earlier feat at Janasthāna to argue that single-handed combat is strategically and morally reckless.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Viveka (discernment) and smṛti (learning from precedent): recalling past events to guide present action.