Shloka 49

कुम्भकर्णप्रस्थानम्

Kumbhakarna’s Departure for Battle

Devanagari script

घोररूपाश्शिवानेदुस्सज्वालकबलैर्मुखैः ।मण्डलान्यपसव्यानिबबन्धुश्चविहङ्गमाः ।।।।

Transliteration

ghorarūpāḥ śivā neduḥ sajvālakabalair mukhaiḥ |

maṇḍalāny apasavyāni babandhuś ca vihaṅgamāḥ ||6.65.49||

Translation

凶相的豺狼嚎叫，口衔燃烧的碎块；群鸟作不祥的左旋盘绕，继而停落。

Word by Word

• घोररूपाः: dreadful-looking
• घोररूपाः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies शिवाः)

• शिवाः: she-jackals
• शिवाः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (here: female jackals)

• नेदुः: howled
• नेदुः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (they howled)

• सज्वालकबलैः: with flaming morsels
• सज्वालकबलैः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्गवत् 'with') + ज्वाल (प्रातिपदिक) + कबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies मुखैः); बहुव्रीहिः (ज्वालकबलयुक्तैः = with flaming morsels)

• मुखैः: with their mouths
• मुखैः: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (instrumental: 'with/from mouths')

• मण्डलानि: circles; rounds
• मण्डलानि: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अपसव्यानि: counterclockwise
• अपसव्यानि: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपसव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies मण्डलानि)

• बबन्धुः: formed
• बबन्धुः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (they formed/made; lit. 'bound')

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• विहङ्गमाः: birds
• विहङ्गमाः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Context

"O Mahodara! Your words of appeal will be accepted as cowardly, devoid of intellect and to those who do not know anything, it looks as if you know."

Characters & Entities

• Jackals (śivāḥ)
• Birds (vihaṅgamāḥ)

FAQs

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

The repeated inauspicious signs reinforce that actions opposed to dharma carry warning markers in epic storytelling. The ethical teaching is vigilance: when one’s path is fueled by rage and harm, the world itself seems to caution against it.

What is the narrative situation?

Further ominous portents—animal cries and abnormal bird-circling—appear around the time of Kumbhakarṇa’s sortie.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment is implied as the needed virtue: the ability to read warnings and reconsider unrighteous intent.