Kumbhakarna's Anger at Ravana's Folly

Shloka 1 (yuddha.12.1)

स तां परिषदं कृत्स्नां समीक्ष्य समितिंजयः । प्रचोदयामास तदा प्रहस्तं वाहिनीपतिम् ॥ १२.१ ॥

sa tāṃ pariṣadaṃ kṛtsnāṃ samīkṣya samitiṃjayaḥ | pracodayāmāsa tadā prahastaṃ vāhinīpatim ||

Ravana, ever victorious in council, having surveyed that whole gathering, then gave his command to Prahasta, the commander of his army.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.12.2)

सेनापते यथा ते स्युः कृतविद्याश्चतुर्विधाः । योधा नगररक्षायां तथा व्यादेष्टुमर्हसि ॥ १२.२ ॥

senāpate yathā te syuḥ kṛtavidyāścaturvidhāḥ | yodhā nagararakṣāyāṃ tathā vyādeṣṭumarhasi ||

"O commander, you are fit to give the order so that our warriors, trained in all four divisions of the army, are duly stationed for the defence of the city."

Shloka 3 (yuddha.12.3)

स प्रहस्तः प्रणीतात्मा चिकीर्षन् राजशासनम् । विनिक्षिपद् बलं सर्वं बहिरन्तश्च मन्दिरे ॥ १२.३ ॥

sa prahastaḥ praṇītātmā cikīrṣan rājaśāsanam | vinikṣipad balaṃ sarvaṃ bahirantaśca mandire ||

Prahasta, his mind steadfast and eager to carry out the king's command, stationed the entire army both outside and within the city.

Shloka 4 (yuddha.12.4)

ततो विनिक्षिप्य बलं सर्वं नगरगुप्तये । प्रहस्तः प्रमुखे राज्ञो निषसाद जगाद च ॥ १२.४ ॥

tato vinikṣipya balaṃ sarvaṃ nagaraguptaye | prahastaḥ pramukhe rājño niṣasāda jagāda ca ||

Having thus deployed the whole army for the city's protection, Prahasta sat down before the king and spoke.

Shloka 5 (yuddha.12.5)

विहितं बहिरन्तश्च बलं बलवतस्तव । कुरुष्वाविमनाः क्षिप्रं यदभिप्रेतमस्ति ते ॥ १२.५ ॥

vihitaṃ bahirantaśca balaṃ balavatastava | kuruṣvāvimanāḥ kṣipraṃ yadabhipretamasti te ||

"O mighty one, your army has been positioned both outside and within the city. Now, with an untroubled mind, quickly do whatever is your wish."

Shloka 6 (yuddha.12.6)

प्रहस्तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राजा राज्यहितैषिणः । सुखेप्सुः सुहृदां मध्ये व्याजहार स रावणः ॥ १२.६ ॥

prahastasya vacaḥ śrutvā rājā rājyahitaiṣiṇaḥ | sukhepsuḥ suhṛdāṃ madhye vyājahāra sa rāvaṇaḥ ||

Hearing the words of Prahasta, who wished well for the kingdom, king Ravana, desiring his own happiness, spoke thus in the midst of his friends.

Shloka 7 (yuddha.12.7)

प्रियाप्रिये सुखे दुःखे लाभालाभे हिताहिते । धर्मकामार्थकृच्छ्रेषु यूयमर्हथ वेदितुम् ॥ १२.७ ॥

priyāpriye sukhe duḥkhe lābhālābhe hitāhite | dharmakāmārthakṛcchreṣu yūyamarhatha veditum ||

"In matters pleasant and unpleasant, in joy and sorrow, in gain and loss, in benefit and harm, and in the difficult straits touching virtue, wealth, and desire—you alone are fit to judge rightly."

Shloka 8 (yuddha.12.8)

सर्वकृत्यानि युष्माभिः समारब्धानि सर्वदा । मन्त्रकर्मनियुक्तानि न जातु विफलानि मे ॥ १२.८ ॥

sarvakṛtyāni yuṣmābhiḥ samārabdhāni sarvadā | mantrakarmaniyuktāni na jātu viphalāni me ||

"Every task of mine that you have undertaken, carried out with careful counsel, has never once failed."

Shloka 9 (yuddha.12.9)

ससोमग्रहनक्षत्रैर्मरुद्भिरिव वासवः । भवद्भिरहमत्यर्थं वृतः श्रियमवाप्नुयाम् ॥ १२.९ ॥

sasomagrahanakṣatrairmarudbhiriva vāsavaḥ | bhavadbhirahamatyarthaṃ vṛtaḥ śriyamavāpnuyām ||

"Surrounded by you, I shall attain the highest prosperity, just as Indra, encircled by the moon, the planets, the stars, and the Maruts, attains his glory."

Shloka 10 (yuddha.12.10)

अहं तु खलु सर्वान् वः समर्थयितुमुद्यतः । कुम्भकर्णस्य तु स्वप्नान् नेममर्थमचोदयम् ॥ १२.१० ॥

ahaṃ tu khalu sarvān vaḥ samarthayitumudyataḥ | kumbhakarṇasya tu svapnān nemamarthamacodayam ||

"I am indeed intent on reminding all of you of this matter once more, but because of his slumber I have not yet been able to inform Kumbhakarna of it."

Shloka 11 (yuddha.12.11)

अयं हि सुप्तः षण्मासान् कुम्भकर्णो महाबलः । सर्वशस्त्रभृतां मुख्यः स इदानीं समुत्थितः ॥ १२.११ ॥

ayaṃ hi suptaḥ ṣaṇmāsān kumbhakarṇo mahābalaḥ | sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ mukhyaḥ sa idānīṃ samutthitaḥ ||

"This mighty Kumbhakarna, foremost among all wielders of weapons, has been asleep for the past six months, and he has only now awakened."

Shloka 12 (yuddha.12.12)

इयं च दण्डकारण्याद् रामस्य महिषी प्रिया । रक्षोभिश्चरितोद्देशादानीता जनकात्मजा ॥ १२.१२ ॥

iyaṃ ca daṇḍakāraṇyād rāmasya mahiṣī priyā | rakṣobhiścaritoddeśādānītā janakātmajā ||

"And this Sita, daughter of Janaka and beloved queen of Rama, was brought here from the region of the Dandaka forest frequented by demons."

Shloka 13 (yuddha.12.13)

सा मे न शय्यामारोढुमिच्छत्यलसगामिनी । त्रिषु लोकेषु चान्या मे न सीतासदृशी तथा ॥ १२.१३ ॥

sā me na śayyāmāroḍhumicchatyalasagāminī | triṣu lokeṣu cānyā me na sītāsadṛśī tathā ||

"She, of languid grace, has no wish to mount my bed; and in the three worlds I see no other woman equal to Sita."

Shloka 14 (yuddha.12.14)

तनुमध्या पृथुश्रोणी शरदिन्दुनिभानना । हेमबिम्बनिभा सौम्या मायेव मयनिर्मिता ॥ १२.१४ ॥

tanumadhyā pṛthuśroṇī śaradindunibhānanā | hemabimbanibhā saumyā māyeva mayanirmitā ||

"Slender-waisted, full-hipped, her face like the autumn moon, golden and gentle, she seems an illusion wrought by Maya himself."

Shloka 15 (yuddha.12.15)

सुलोहिततलौ श्लक्ष्णौ चरणौ सुप्रतिष्ठितौ । दृष्ट्वा ताम्रनखौ तस्या दीप्यते मे शरीरजः ॥ १२.१५ ॥

sulohitatalau ślakṣṇau caraṇau supratiṣṭhitau | dṛṣṭvā tāmranakhau tasyā dīpyate me śarīrajaḥ ||

"Seeing her feet—smooth, well-formed, their soles faintly rose-red, their nails a coppery hue—my desire blazes within me."

Shloka 16 (yuddha.12.16)

हुताग्नेरर्चिसंकाशामेनां सौरीमिव प्रभाम् । उन्नसं विमलं वल्गु वदनं चारुलोचनम् ॥ १२.१६ ॥

hutāgnerarciḥsaṃkāśāmenāṃ saurīmiva prabhām | unnasaṃ vimalaṃ valgu vadanaṃ cārulocanam ||

"That countenance of hers, radiant like the flame of the sacrificial fire, like the sun's own splendour, with its finely raised nose, its clear loveliness, and its beautiful eyes—"

Shloka 17 (yuddha.12.17)

पश्यंस्तदवशस्तस्याः कामस्य वशमेयिवान् । क्रोधहर्षसमानेन दुर्वर्णकरणेन च ॥ १२.१७ ॥

paśyaṃstadavaśastasyāḥ kāmasya vaśameyivān | krodhaharṣasamānena durvarṇakaraṇena ca ||

"—beholding it, no longer master of myself, I fell under the sway of desire, a desire that pales me alike whether in anger or in joy."

Shloka 18 (yuddha.12.18)

शोकसंतापनित्येन कामेन कलुषीकृतः । सा तु संवत्सरं कालं मामयाचत भामिनी ॥ १२.१८ ॥

śokasaṃtāpanityena kāmena kaluṣīkṛtaḥ | sā tu saṃvatsaraṃ kālaṃ māmayācata bhāminī ||

"I have been sullied by this passion, which forever breeds grief and anguish. That lovely woman asked of me a year's time,"

Shloka 19 (yuddha.12.19)

प्रतीक्षमाणा भर्तारं राममायतलोचना । तन्मया चारुनेत्रायाः प्रतिज्ञातं वचः शुभम् ॥ १२.१९ ॥

pratīkṣamāṇā bhartāraṃ rāmamāyatalocanā | tanmayā cārunetrāyāḥ pratijñātaṃ vacaḥ śubham ||

"—she, the wide-eyed one, waiting for her husband Rama; and I gave my promise, accepting those fair words of the lovely-eyed one."

Shloka 20 (yuddha.12.20)

श्रान्तोऽहं सततं कामाद् यातो हय इवाध्वनि । कथं सागरमक्षोभ्यं तरिष्यन्ति वनौकसः ॥ १२.२० ॥

śrānto'haṃ satataṃ kāmād yāto haya ivādhvani | kathaṃ sāgaramakṣobhyaṃ tariṣyanti vanaukasaḥ ||

"I am wearied continually by desire, like a horse driven ever onward along its path. How, then, will the forest-dwelling monkeys cross that unfathomable ocean?"

Shloka 21 (yuddha.12.21)

बहुसत्त्वझषाकीर्णं तौ वा दशरथात्मजौ । अथवा कपिनैकेन कृतं नः कदनं महत् ॥ १२.२१ ॥

bahusattvajhaṣākīrṇaṃ tau vā daśarathātmajau | athavā kapinaikena kṛtaṃ naḥ kadanaṃ mahat ||

"That ocean, teeming with countless creatures and fish—how will even the two sons of Dasharatha cross it? And yet, a single monkey alone once wrought such great havoc upon us."

Shloka 22 (yuddha.12.22)

दुर्ज्ञेयाः कार्यगतयो ब्रूत यस्य यथामति । मानुषान्नो भयं नास्ति तथापि तु विमृश्यताम् ॥ १२.२२ ॥

durjñeyāḥ kāryagatayo brūta yasya yathāmati | mānuṣānno bhayaṃ nāsti tathāpi tu vimṛśyatām ||

"The course of events is hard to foresee; let each of you speak according to his own judgment. I have no fear of mere humans, yet let the matter still be deliberated."

Shloka 23 (yuddha.12.23)

तदा देवासुरे युद्धे युष्माभिः सहितोऽजयम् । ते मे भवन्तश्च तथा सुग्रीवप्रमुखान् हरीन् ॥ १२.२३ ॥

tadā devāsure yuddhe yuṣmābhiḥ sahito'jayam | te me bhavantaśca tathā sugrīvapramukhān harīn ||

"At that time, in the war between the gods and the demons, I was victorious together with you. You are those very same companions—and in the same way those monkeys headed by Sugriva have now..."

Shloka 24 (yuddha.12.24)

परे पारे समुद्रस्य पुरस्कृत्य नृपात्मजौ । सीतायाः पदवीं प्राप्य सम्प्राप्तौ वरुणालयम् ॥ १२.२४ ॥

pare pāre samudrasya puraskṛtya nṛpātmajau | sītāyāḥ padavīṃ prāpya samprāptau varuṇālayam ||

"—placing the two princes at their head, and having tracked Sita's whereabouts, reached this shore and arrived at the abode of Varuna, the ocean."

Shloka 25 (yuddha.12.25)

अदेया च यथा सीता वध्यौ दशरथात्मजौ । भवद्भिर्मन्त्र्यतां मन्त्रः सुनीतं चाभिधीयताम् ॥ १२.२५ ॥

adeyā ca yathā sītā vadhyau daśarathātmajau | bhavadbhirmantryatāṃ mantraḥ sunītaṃ cābhidhīyatām ||

"Let a plan be devised by you, and sound counsel offered, as to how Sita need not be surrendered and how the two sons of Dasharatha may be slain."

Shloka 26 (yuddha.12.26)

नहि शक्तिं प्रपश्यामि जगत्यन्यस्य कस्यचित् । सागरं वानरैस्तीर्त्वा निश्चयेन जयो मम ॥ १२.२६ ॥

nahi śaktiṃ prapaśyāmi jagatyanyasya kasyacit | sāgaraṃ vānaraistīrtvā niścayena jayo mama ||

"I see no power in anyone else in this world sufficient to cross the ocean along with the monkeys; victory, without doubt, is mine."

Shloka 27 (yuddha.12.27)

तस्य कामपरीतस्य निशम्य परिदेवितम् । कुम्भकर्णः प्रचुक्रोध वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥ १२.२७ ॥

tasya kāmaparītasya niśamya paridevitam | kumbhakarṇaḥ pracukrodha vacanaṃ cedamabravīt ||

Hearing this lament of Ravana, overcome as he was by lust, Kumbhakarna grew greatly enraged and spoke these words.

Shloka 28 (yuddha.12.28)

यदा तु रामस्य सलक्ष्मणस्य प्रसह्य सीता खलु सा इहाहृता । सकृत् समीक्ष्यैव सुनिश्चितं तदा भजेत चित्तं यमुनेव यामुनम् ॥ १२.२८ ॥

yadā tu rāmasya salakṣmaṇasya prasahya sītā khalu sā ihāhṛtā | sakṛt samīkṣyaiva suniścitaṃ tadā bhajeta cittaṃ yamuneva yāmunam ||

"When Sita was thus forcibly brought here from the presence of Rama and Lakshmana, that very moment your mind should have settled upon a firm resolve after a single clear reflection—just as the Yamuna river, the instant it descends, fills the hollow at its own source."

Shloka 29 (yuddha.12.29)

सर्वमेतन्महाराज कृतमप्रतिमं तव । विधीयेत सहास्माभिरादावेवास्य कर्मणः ॥ १२.२९ ॥

sarvametanmahārāja kṛtamapratimaṃ tava | vidhīyeta sahāsmābhirādāvevāsya karmaṇaḥ ||

"O great king, all this unequalled deed was done by you; it should rather have been undertaken only after consultation with us, at the very outset of this venture."

Shloka 30 (yuddha.12.30)

न्यायेन राजकार्याणि यः करोति दशानन । न स संतप्यते पश्चान्निश्चितार्थमतिर्नृपः ॥ १२.३० ॥

nyāyena rājakāryāṇi yaḥ karoti daśānana | na sa saṃtapyate paścānniścitārthamatirnṛpaḥ ||

"O ten-headed one, the king who performs his royal duties with due regard for justice, his mind resolved with clear purpose, does not repent afterward."

Shloka 31 (yuddha.12.31)

अनुपायेन कर्माणि विपरीतानि यानि च । क्रियमाणानि दुष्यन्ति हवींष्यप्रयतेष्विव ॥ १२.३१ ॥

anupāyena karmāṇi viparītāni yāni ca | kriyamāṇāni duṣyanti havīṃṣyaprayateṣviva ||

"Actions undertaken without proper means, and in a perverse manner, come to ruin, just as oblations offered by an unpurified priest are spoiled."

Shloka 32 (yuddha.12.32)

यः पश्चात् पूर्वकार्याणि कर्माण्यभिचिकीर्षति । पूर्वं चापरकार्याणि स न वेद नयानयौ ॥ १२.३२ ॥

yaḥ paścāt pūrvakāryāṇi karmāṇyabhicikīrṣati | pūrvaṃ cāparakāryāṇi sa na veda nayānayau ||

"He who wishes to do later what ought to be done first, and first what ought to be done later, understands nothing of what is prudent and what is not."

Shloka 33 (yuddha.12.33)

चपलस्य तु कृत्येषु प्रसमीक्ष्याधिकं बलम् । छिद्रमन्ये प्रपद्यन्ते क्रौञ्चस्य खमिव द्विजाः ॥ १२.३३ ॥

capalasya tu kṛtyeṣu prasamīkṣyādhikaṃ balam | chidramanye prapadyante krauñcasya khamiva dvijāḥ ||

"Seeing superior strength in a rash foe's undertakings, the shrewd nevertheless find his weak point, just as birds find the cleft passage through Mount Krauncha."

Shloka 34 (yuddha.12.34)

त्वयेदं महदारब्धं कार्यमप्रतिचिन्तितम् । दिष्ट्या त्वां नावधीद् रामो विषमिश्रमिवामिषम् ॥ १२.३४ ॥

tvayedaṃ mahadārabdhaṃ kāryamapraticintitam | diṣṭyā tvāṃ nāvadhīd rāmo viṣamiśramivāmiṣam ||

"This great deed was undertaken by you without due reflection. By good fortune Rama has not yet slain you—as poisoned meat, by chance, does not always kill the one who eats it."

Shloka 35 (yuddha.12.35)

तस्मात् त्वया समारब्धं कर्म ह्यप्रतिमं परैः । अहं समीकरिष्यामि हत्वा शत्रूंस्तवानघ ॥ १२.३५ ॥

tasmāt tvayā samārabdhaṃ karma hyapratimaṃ paraiḥ | ahaṃ samīkariṣyāmi hatvā śatrūṃstavānagha ||

"Therefore, O blameless one, I shall set right this incomparable deed begun by you, by slaying your enemies."

Shloka 36 (yuddha.12.36)

अहमुत्सादयिष्यामि शत्रूंस्तव निशाचर । यदि शक्रविवस्वन्तौ यदि पावकमारुतौ । तावहं योधयिष्यामि कुबेरवरुणावपि ॥ १२.३६ ॥

ahamutsādayiṣyāmi śatrūṃstava niśācara | yadi śakravivasvantau yadi pāvakamārutau | tāvahaṃ yodhayiṣyāmi kuberavaruṇāvapi ||

"O ranger of the night, I shall utterly destroy your enemies. Even were they Indra and the Sun, or Fire and Wind, or even Kubera and Varuna, I would give battle to them both."

Shloka 37 (yuddha.12.37)

गिरिमात्रशरीरस्य महापरिघयोधिनः । नर्दतस्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रस्य बिभीयाद् वै पुरंदरः ॥ १२.३७ ॥

girimātraśarīrasya mahāparighayodhinaḥ | nardatastīkṣṇadaṃṣṭrasya bibhīyād vai puraṃdaraḥ ||

"Before one whose body is mountainous, who fights with a mighty iron bludgeon, who roars with sharp-pointed fangs—even Indra himself would surely tremble in fear."

Shloka 38 (yuddha.12.38)

पुनर्मां स द्वितीयेन शरेण निहनिष्यति । ततोऽहं तस्य पास्यामि रुधिरं काममाश्वस ॥ १२.३८ ॥

punarmāṃ sa dvitīyena śareṇa nihaniṣyati | tato'haṃ tasya pāsyāmi rudhiraṃ kāmamāśvasa ||

"Before he can strike me again with a second arrow, I shall have already drunk his blood to my heart's content. Be at ease."

Shloka 39 (yuddha.12.39)

वधेन वै दाशरथेः सुखावहं जयं तवाहर्तुमहं यतिष्ये । हत्वा च रामं सह लक्ष्मणेन खादामि सर्वान् हरियूथमुख्यान् ॥ १२.३९ ॥

vadhena vai dāśaratheḥ sukhāvahaṃ jayaṃ tavāhartumahaṃ yatiṣye | hatvā ca rāmaṃ saha lakṣmaṇena khādāmi sarvān hariyūthamukhyān ||

"By the killing of Rama, son of Dasharatha, I shall strive to bring you a victory that brings you joy; and having slain Rama together with Lakshmana, I shall devour all the chief leaders of the monkey host."

Shloka 40 (yuddha.12.40)

रमस्व कामं पिब चाग्र्यवारुणीं कुरुष्व कार्याणि हितानि विज्वरः । मया तु रामे गमिते यमक्षयं चिराय सीता वशगा भविष्यति ॥ १२.४० ॥

ramasva kāmaṃ piba cāgryavāruṇīṃ kuruṣva kāryāṇi hitāni vijvaraḥ | mayā tu rāme gamite yamakṣayaṃ cirāya sītā vaśagā bhaviṣyati ||

"Take your pleasure as you wish, drink the finest wine, and attend, free of anxiety, to all that is good for you. Once I have sent Rama to the abode of Death, Sita shall be yours, submissive, forevermore."