Shloka 2

कुम्भकर्णवधश्रवणेन रावणविलापः

Ravana’s Lament on Hearing of Kumbhakarna’s Slaying

Devanagari script

राजन् स कालसङ्काशस्संयुक्तःकालकर्मणा ।विद्राव्यवानरींसेनांभक्षयित्वा च वानरान् ।।।।

Transliteration

rājan sa kālasaṅkāśaḥ saṃyuktaḥ kālakarmaṇā |

vidrāvya vānarīṃ senāṃ bhakṣayitvā ca vānarān ||

Translation

Tâu Đại vương, Kumbhakarṇa ấy—đáng sợ như chính Thần Chết—đã đánh tan đạo quân vānara và nuốt chửng nhiều vānara; nay do nghiệp lực của Thời (định mệnh) mà đã đến hồi tận số.

Word by Word

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana

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

• kāla-saṅkāśaḥ: resembling Death (Time)
• kāla-saṅkāśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; Samāsa: kālasya saṅkāśaḥ = 'resembling Death/Time' (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) qualifying saḥ

• saṃyuktaḥ: joined/associated
• saṃyuktaḥ: Kriyā-sahabhāva (क्रिया-सहभाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + yuj (धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past participle; Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• kāla-karmaṇā: by the working of fate/time
• kāla-karmaṇā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; Samāsa: kālasya karma = 'act/effect of fate/time' (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• vidrāvya: having scattered/driven away
• vidrāvya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + drā (धातु)
• Form: Ktva/lyap absolutive (ल्यप्) from causative/denominative sense 'to scatter/drive away'; avyaya

• vānarīm: monkey (belonging to monkeys)
• vānarīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vānarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; qualifying senām

• senām: army
• senām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: senā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• bhakṣayitvā: having devoured
• bhakṣayitvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Ktva absolutive (क्त्वा)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta

• vānarān: monkeys
• vānarān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Bahuvacana

Context

"You, who crushed the pride of Devas and Danavas are equal to time-spirit and death at dissolution and being a hero, how did you die in the hands of Raghava?"

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Kumbhakarṇa
• Vānara-senā (monkey army)
• Kāla (Time/Death)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores human (and heroic) limitation before Kāla: power used for destruction does not exempt one from consequence; Dharma-oriented living recognizes impermanence and accountability.

What is the narrative situation?

News is delivered to Rāvaṇa that Kumbhakarṇa, despite devastating the vānaras, has been slain—shifting the war’s momentum.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not a virtue but a warning-theme is emphasized: even the mightiest are subject to Kāla; reliance on brute force is unstable.