The Awakening of Kumbhakarna

Shloka 1 (yuddha.61.1)

ततो रामो महातेजा धनुरादाय वीर्यवान्। किरीटिनं महाकायं कुम्भकर्णं ददर्श ह ॥ 61.1 ॥

tato rāmo mahātejā dhanurādāya vīryavān| kirīṭinaṃ mahākāyaṃ kumbhakarṇaṃ dadarśa ha || 61.1 ||

Then Rama, valorous and of great splendour, taking up his bow, beheld Kumbhakarna, crowned and huge of body.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.61.2)

तं दृष्ट्वा राक्षसश्रेष्ठं पर्वताकारदर्शनम्। क्रममाणमिवाकाशं पुरा नारायणं यथा ॥ 61.2 ॥

taṃ dṛṣṭvā rākṣasaśreṣṭhaṃ parvatākāradarśanam| kramamāṇamivākāśaṃ purā nārāyaṇaṃ yathā || 61.2 ||

Seeing that foremost of rakshasas, mountain-like in form, striding across the sky as though he were Narayana of old --

Shloka 3 (yuddha.61.3)

सतोयाम्बुदसंकाशं काञ्चनाङ्गदभूषणम्। दृष्ट्वा पुनः प्रदुद्राव वानराणां महाचमूः ॥ 61.3 ॥

satoyāmbudasaṃkāśaṃ kāñcanāṅgadabhūṣaṇam| dṛṣṭvā punaḥ pradudrāva vānarāṇāṃ mahācamūḥ || 61.3 ||

-- resembling a rain-laden cloud, adorned with golden armlets, seeing him again the great army of monkeys fled in terror.

Shloka 4 (yuddha.61.4)

विद्रुतां वाहिनीं दृष्ट्वा वर्धमानं च राक्षसम्। सविस्मितमिदं रामो विभीषणमुवाच ह ॥ 61.4 ॥

vidrutāṃ vāhinīṃ dṛṣṭvā vardhamānaṃ ca rākṣasam| savismitamidaṃ rāmo vibhīṣaṇamuvāca ha || 61.4 ||

Seeing the army in flight, and the rakshasa growing ever larger, Rama, astonished, spoke these words to Vibhishana --

Shloka 5 (yuddha.61.5)

कोऽसौ पर्वतसंकाशः किरीटी हरिलोचनः। लङ्कायां दृश्यते वीरः सविद्युदिव तोयदः ॥ 61.5 ॥

ko'sau parvatasaṃkāśaḥ kirīṭī harilocanaḥ| laṅkāyāṃ dṛśyate vīraḥ savidyudiva toyadaḥ || 61.5 ||

-- 'Who is this mountain-like hero, crowned and tawny-eyed, seen here in Lanka like a raincloud lit with lightning?

Shloka 6 (yuddha.61.6)

पृथिव्यां केतुभूतोऽसौ महानेकोऽत्र दृश्यते। यं दृष्ट्वा वानराः सर्वे विद्रवन्ति ततस्ततः ॥ 61.6 ॥

pṛthivyāṃ ketubhūto'sau mahāneko'tra dṛśyate| yaṃ dṛṣṭvā vānarāḥ sarve vidravanti tatastataḥ || 61.6 ||

He alone stands here on earth like a great banner, at whose very sight all the monkeys flee in every direction.

Shloka 7 (yuddha.61.7)

आचक्ष्व सुमहान् कोऽसौ रक्षो वा यदि वासुरः। न मयैवंविधं भूतं दृष्टपूर्वं कदाचन ॥ 61.7 ॥

ācakṣva sumahān ko'sau rakṣo vā yadi vāsuraḥ| na mayaivaṃvidhaṃ bhūtaṃ dṛṣṭapūrvaṃ kadācana || 61.7 ||

Tell me, who is this immense being -- a rakshasa or perhaps an asura? Never before have I seen a creature of this kind.'

Shloka 8 (yuddha.61.8)

सम्पृष्टो राजपुत्रेण रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा। विभीषणो महाप्राज्ञः काकुत्स्थमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ 61.8 ॥

sampṛṣṭo rājaputreṇa rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā| vibhīṣaṇo mahāprājñaḥ kākutsthamidamabravīt || 61.8 ||

Thus questioned by prince Rama, untiring in action, the wise Vibhishana spoke these words to the scion of Kakutstha --

Shloka 9 (yuddha.61.9)

येन वैवस्वतो युद्धे वासवश्च पराजितः। सैष विश्रवसः पुत्रः कुम्भकर्णः प्रतापवान्। अस्य प्रमाणसदृशो राक्षसोऽन्यो न विद्यते ॥ 61.9 ॥

yena vaivasvato yuddhe vāsavaśca parājitaḥ| saiṣa viśravasaḥ putraḥ kumbhakarṇaḥ pratāpavān| asya pramāṇasadṛśo rākṣaso'nyo na vidyate || 61.9 ||

-- 'He who defeated Yama, son of Vivasvat, and Indra in battle -- this is that mighty Kumbhakarna, son of Vishrava. No other rakshasa equals him in size.'

Shloka 10 (yuddha.61.10)

एतेन देवा युधि दानवाश्च। यक्षा भुजंगाः पिशिताशनाश्च। गन्धर्वविद्याधरकिंनराश्च। सहस्रशो राघव सम्प्रभग्नाः ॥ 61.10 ॥

etena devā yudhi dānavāśca| yakṣā bhujaṃgāḥ piśitāśanāśca| gandharvavidyādharakiṃnarāśca| sahasraśo rāghava samprabhagnāḥ || 61.10 ||

-- 'By him, O Raghava, devas and danavas, yakshas, serpents and flesh-eating demons, gandharvas, vidyadharas and kinnaras have been broken by the thousand in battle.'

Shloka 11 (yuddha.61.11)

शूलपाणिं विरूपाक्षं कुम्भकर्णं महाबलम्। हन्तुं न शेकुस्त्रिदशाः कालोऽयमिति मोहिताः ॥ 61.11 ॥

śūlapāṇiṃ virūpākṣaṃ kumbhakarṇaṃ mahābalam| hantuṃ na śekustridaśāḥ kālo'yamiti mohitāḥ || 61.11 ||

-- 'Trident in hand, terrible-eyed, mighty Kumbhakarna -- even the thirty gods could not slay him, so bewildered were they into thinking him Death itself.'

Shloka 12 (yuddha.61.12)

प्रकृत्या ह्येष तेजस्वी कुम्भकर्णो महाबलः। अन्येषां राक्षसेन्द्राणां वरदानकृतं बलम् ॥ 61.12 ॥

prakṛtyā hyeṣa tejasvī kumbhakarṇo mahābalaḥ| anyeṣāṃ rākṣasendrāṇāṃ varadānakṛtaṃ balam || 61.12 ||

-- 'This mighty Kumbhakarna is powerful by his very nature; other lords of the rakshasas owe their strength only to boons.'

Shloka 13 (yuddha.61.13)

बालेन जातमात्रेण क्षुधार्तेन महात्मना। भक्षितानि सहस्राणि प्रजानां सुबहून्यपि ॥ 61.13 ॥

bālena jātamātreṇa kṣudhārtena mahātmanā| bhakṣitāni sahasrāṇi prajānāṃ subahūnyapi || 61.13 ||

-- 'As a mere child, just born, tormented by hunger, this great being devoured many thousands of creatures.'

Shloka 14 (yuddha.61.14)

तेषु सम्भक्ष्यमाणेषु प्रजा भयनिपीडिताः। यान्त स्म शरणं शक्रं तमप्यर्थं न्यवेदयन् ॥ 61.14 ॥

teṣu sambhakṣyamāṇeṣu prajā bhayanipīḍitāḥ| yānta sma śaraṇaṃ śakraṃ tamapyarthaṃ nyavedayan || 61.14 ||

-- 'As those creatures were being devoured, the terrified people fled for refuge to Indra and reported the matter to him.'

Shloka 15 (yuddha.61.15)

स कुम्भकर्णं कुपितो महेन्द्रो। जघान वज्रेण शितेन वज्री। स शक्रवज्राभिहतो महात्मा। चचाल कोपाच्च भृशं ननाद ॥ 61.15 ॥

sa kumbhakarṇaṃ kupito mahendro| jaghāna vajreṇa śitena vajrī| sa śakravajrābhihato mahātmā| cacāla kopācca bhṛśaṃ nanāda || 61.15 ||

-- 'Enraged, the wielder of the thunderbolt, great Indra, struck Kumbhakarna with his sharp vajra. Struck by that bolt, the mighty being reeled and roared aloud in fury.'

Shloka 16 (yuddha.61.16)

तस्य नानद्यमानस्य कुम्भकर्णस्य रक्षसः। श्रुत्वा निनादं वित्रस्ताः प्रजा भूयो वितत्रसुः ॥ 61.16 ॥

tasya nānadyamānasya kumbhakarṇasya rakṣasaḥ| śrutvā ninādaṃ vitrastāḥ prajā bhūyo vitatrasuḥ || 61.16 ||

-- 'Hearing the terrible roar of that bellowing rakshasa, the already-frightened people were seized with still greater terror.'

Shloka 17 (yuddha.61.17)

ततः क्रुद्धो महेन्द्रस्य कुम्भकर्णो महाबलः। निष्कृष्यैरावताद् दन्तं जघानोरसि वासवम् ॥ 61.17 ॥

tataḥ kruddho mahendrasya kumbhakarṇo mahābalaḥ| niṣkṛṣyairāvatād dantaṃ jaghānorasi vāsavam || 61.17 ||

-- 'Then the mighty Kumbhakarna, enraged at Mahendra, tore out a tusk from Airavata and struck Indra with it upon the chest.'

Shloka 18 (yuddha.61.18)

कुम्भकर्णप्रहारार्तो विजज्वाल स वासवः। ततो विषेदुः सहसा देवा ब्रह्मर्षिदानवाः ॥ 61.18 ॥

kumbhakarṇaprahārārto vijajvāla sa vāsavaḥ| tato viṣeduḥ sahasā devā brahmarṣidānavāḥ || 61.18 ||

-- 'Tormented by Kumbhakarna's blow, Indra blazed with fury. Then the gods, the divine sages, and the danavas were all at once struck with dismay.'

Shloka 19 (yuddha.61.19)

प्रजाभिः सह शक्रश्च ययौ स्थानं स्वयंभुवः। कुम्भकर्णस्य दौरात्म्यं शशंसुस्ते प्रजापतेः ॥ 61.19 ॥

prajābhiḥ saha śakraśca yayau sthānaṃ svayaṃbhuvaḥ| kumbhakarṇasya daurātmyaṃ śaśaṃsuste prajāpateḥ || 61.19 ||

-- 'Indra, together with the peoples, went to the abode of the Self-existent Brahma, and they reported to the lord of creatures the wickedness of Kumbhakarna --'

Shloka 20 (yuddha.61.20)

प्रजानां भक्षणं चापि देवानां चापि धर्षणम्। आश्रमध्वंसनं चापि परस्त्रीहरणं भृशम् ॥ 61.20 ॥

prajānāṃ bhakṣaṇaṃ cāpi devānāṃ cāpi dharṣaṇam| āśramadhvaṃsanaṃ cāpi parastrīharaṇaṃ bhṛśam || 61.20 ||

-- 'how he devoured the people, assaulted the gods, destroyed hermitages, and violently carried off the wives of others.'

Shloka 21 (yuddha.61.21)

एवं प्रजा यदि त्वेष भक्षयिष्यति नित्यशः। अचिरेणैव कालेन शून्यो लोको भविष्यति ॥ 61.21 ॥

evaṃ prajā yadi tveṣa bhakṣayiṣyati nityaśaḥ| acireṇaiva kālena śūnyo loko bhaviṣyati || 61.21 ||

-- 'If he goes on devouring creatures like this without end, the whole world will very soon be left empty.'

Shloka 22 (yuddha.61.22)

वासवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सर्वलोकपितामहः। रक्षांस्यावाहयामास कुम्भकर्णं ददर्श ह ॥ 61.22 ॥

vāsavasya vacaḥ śrutvā sarvalokapitāmahaḥ| rakṣāṃsyāvāhayāmāsa kumbhakarṇaṃ dadarśa ha || 61.22 ||

-- 'Hearing Indra's words, the grandsire of all worlds summoned the rakshasas, and beheld Kumbhakarna among them.'

Shloka 23 (yuddha.61.23)

कुम्भकर्णं समीक्ष्यैव वितत्रास प्रजापतिः। कुम्भकर्णमथाश्वास्तः स्वयंभूरिदमब्रवीत् ॥ 61.23 ॥

kumbhakarṇaṃ samīkṣyaiva vitatrāsa prajāpatiḥ| kumbhakarṇamathāśvāstaḥ svayaṃbhūridamabravīt || 61.23 ||

-- 'The very sight of Kumbhakarna terrified Brahma. Then, having recovered his composure, the Self-existent one spoke to Kumbhakarna --'

Shloka 24 (yuddha.61.24)

ध्रुवं लोकविनाशाय पौलस्त्येनासि निर्मितः। तस्मात् त्वमद्यप्रभृति मृतकल्पः शयिष्यसे ॥ 61.24 ॥

dhruvaṃ lokavināśāya paulastyenāsi nirmitaḥ| tasmāt tvamadyaprabhṛti mṛtakalpaḥ śayiṣyase || 61.24 ||

-- 'Surely you were created, in Pulastya's line, for the destruction of the worlds; therefore from this day you shall lie as though dead, in sleep.'

Shloka 25 (yuddha.61.25)

ब्रह्मशापाभिभूतोऽथ निपपाताग्रतः प्रभोः। ततः परमसम्भ्रान्तो रावणो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ 61.25 ॥

brahmaśāpābhibhūto'tha nipapātāgrataḥ prabhoḥ| tataḥ paramasambhrānto rāvaṇo vākyamabravīt || 61.25 ||

Overcome by Brahma's curse, Kumbhakarna fell down before the lord. Then Ravana, in utter consternation, spoke these words --

Shloka 26 (yuddha.61.26)

प्रवृद्धः काञ्चनो वृक्षः फलकाले निकृत्यते। न नप्तारं स्वकं न्याय्यं शप्तुमेवं प्रजापते ॥ 61.26 ॥

pravṛddhaḥ kāñcano vṛkṣaḥ phalakāle nikṛtyate| na naptāraṃ svakaṃ nyāyyaṃ śaptumevaṃ prajāpate || 61.26 ||

-- 'O lord of creatures, a golden tree fully grown is felled just as it comes to fruit -- it is not right to curse your own grandson thus.'

Shloka 27 (yuddha.61.27)

न मिथ्यावचनश्च त्वं स्वप्स्यत्येव न संशयः। कालस्तु क्रियतामस्य शयने जागरे तथा ॥ 61.27 ॥

na mithyāvacanaśca tvaṃ svapsyatyeva na saṃśayaḥ| kālastu kriyatāmasya śayane jāgare tathā || 61.27 ||

-- 'Your word can never prove false -- without doubt he must sleep. But let some measure of time be fixed for his sleeping and his waking.'

Shloka 28 (yuddha.61.28)

रावणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा स्वयंभूरिदमब्रवीत्। शयिता ह्येष षण्मासमेकाहं जागरिष्यति ॥ 61.28 ॥

rāvaṇasya vacaḥ śrutvā svayaṃbhūridamabravīt| śayitā hyeṣa ṣaṇmāsamekāhaṃ jāgariṣyati || 61.28 ||

Hearing Ravana's words, the Self-existent one said, 'He shall sleep for six months and wake for a single day.'

Shloka 29 (yuddha.61.29)

एकेनाह्ना त्वसौ वीरश्चरन् भूमिं बुभुक्षितः। व्यात्तास्यो भक्षयेल्लोकान् संवृद्ध इव पावकः ॥ 61.29 ॥

ekenāhnā tvasau vīraścaran bhūmiṃ bubhukṣitaḥ| vyāttāsyo bhakṣayellokān saṃvṛddha iva pāvakaḥ || 61.29 ||

-- 'On that one day, famished, this hero shall roam the earth with jaws agape and devour creatures like a blazing fire grown vast.'

Shloka 30 (yuddha.61.30)

सोऽसौ व्यसनमापन्नः कुम्भकर्णमबोधयत्। त्वत्पराक्रमभीतश्च राजा सम्प्रति रावणः ॥ 61.30 ॥

so'sau vyasanamāpannaḥ kumbhakarṇamabodhayat| tvatparākramabhītaśca rājā samprati rāvaṇaḥ || 61.30 ||

-- 'That very Ravana, O Rama, fallen now into calamity and terrified of your might, has this day roused Kumbhakarna.'

Shloka 31 (yuddha.61.31)

स एष निर्गतो वीरः शिबिराद् भीमविक्रमः। वानरान् भृशसंक्रुद्धो भक्षयन् परिधावति ॥ 61.31 ॥

sa eṣa nirgato vīraḥ śibirād bhīmavikramaḥ| vānarān bhṛśasaṃkruddho bhakṣayan paridhāvati || 61.31 ||

-- 'This hero of terrible prowess has now set out from the camp; wild with fury, he is rampaging about, devouring the monkeys.'

Shloka 32 (yuddha.61.32)

कुम्भकर्णं समीक्ष्यैव हरयोऽद्य प्रदुद्रुवुः। कथमेनं रणे क्रुद्धं वारयिष्यन्ति वानराः ॥ 61.32 ॥

kumbhakarṇaṃ samīkṣyaiva harayo'dya pradudruvuḥ| kathamenaṃ raṇe kruddhaṃ vārayiṣyanti vānarāḥ || 61.32 ||

-- 'At the very sight of Kumbhakarna the monkeys have already fled today. How shall the monkeys ever hold back this enraged one in battle?'

Shloka 33 (yuddha.61.33)

उच्यन्तां वानराः सर्वे यन्त्रमेतत् समुच्छ्रितम्। इति विज्ञाय हरयो भविष्यन्तीह निर्भयाः ॥ 61.33 ॥

ucyantāṃ vānarāḥ sarve yantrametat samucchritam| iti vijñāya harayo bhaviṣyantīha nirbhayāḥ || 61.33 ||

-- 'Let all the monkeys be told that this is merely some towering engine advancing -- knowing this, the monkeys will become fearless again.'

Shloka 34 (yuddha.61.34)

विभीषणवचः श्रुत्वा हेतुमत् सुमुखोद्गतम्। उवाच राघवो वाक्यं नीलं सेनापतिं तदा ॥ 61.34 ॥

vibhīṣaṇavacaḥ śrutvā hetumat sumukhoda‍gatam| uvāca rāghavo vākyaṃ nīlaṃ senāpatiṃ tadā || 61.34 ||

Hearing Vibhishana's well-reasoned words, spoken from good counsel, Raghava then spoke to Nila, the commander of the army --

Shloka 35 (yuddha.61.35)

गच्छ सैन्यानि सर्वाणि व्यूह्य तिष्ठस्व पावके। द्वाराण्यादाय लङ्कायाश्चर्याश्चास्याथ संक्रमान् ॥ 61.35 ॥

gaccha sainyāni sarvāṇi vyūhya tiṣṭhasva pāvake| dvārāṇyādāya laṅkāyāścaryāścāsyātha saṃkramān || 61.35 ||

-- 'Go, O son of the Fire-god, marshal all the armies and take your stand. Seize the gateways, the roads, and the bridges of Lanka.'

Shloka 36 (yuddha.61.36)

शैलशृङ्गाणि वृक्षांश्च शिलाश्चाप्युपसंहरन्। भवन्तः सायुधाः सर्वे वानराः शैलपाणयः ॥ 61.36 ॥

śailaśṛṅgāṇi vṛkṣāṃśca śilāścāpyupasaṃharan| bhavantaḥ sāyudhāḥ sarve vānarāḥ śailapāṇayaḥ || 61.36 ||

-- 'Gather up the mountain-peaks, the trees, and the rocks too; let all the monkeys stand ready, armed, boulders in hand.'

Shloka 37 (yuddha.61.37)

राघवेण समादिष्टो नीलो हरिचमूपतिः। शशास वानरानीकं यथावत् कपिकुञ्जरः ॥ 61.37 ॥

rāghaveṇa samādiṣṭo nīlo haricamūpatiḥ| śaśāsa vānarānīkaṃ yathāvat kapikuñjaraḥ || 61.37 ||

Thus commanded by Raghava, Nila, lord of the monkey host and foremost among them, marshalled the army of monkeys in proper order.

Shloka 38 (yuddha.61.38)

ततो गवाक्षः शरभो हनूमानङ्गदस्तथा। शैलशृङ्गाणि शैलाभा गृहीत्वा द्वारमभ्ययुः ॥ 61.38 ॥

tato gavākṣaḥ śarabho hanūmānaṅgadastathā| śailaśṛṅgāṇi śailābhā gṛhītvā dvāramabhyayuḥ || 61.38 ||

Then Gavaksha, Sharabha, Hanuman, and Angada, themselves mountainous, seized mountain-peaks and advanced upon the gate.

Shloka 39 (yuddha.61.39)

रामवाक्यमुपश्रुत्य हरयो जितकाशिनः। पादपैरर्दयन् वीरा वानराः परवाहिनीम् ॥ 61.39 ॥

rāmavākyamupaśrutya harayo jitakāśinaḥ| pādapairardayan vīrā vānarāḥ paravāhinīm || 61.39 ||

Hearing Rama's command, those ever-triumphant heroic monkeys fell upon the enemy host, harrying it with uprooted trees.

Shloka 40 (yuddha.61.40)

ततो हरीणां तदनीकमुग्रं। रराज शैलोद्यतवृक्षहस्तम्। गिरेः समीपानुगतं यथैव। महन्महाम्भोधरजालमुग्रम् ॥ 61.40 ॥

tato harīṇāṃ tadanīkamugraṃ| rarāja śailodyatavṛkṣahastam| gireḥ samīpānugataṃ yathaiva| mahanmahāmbhodharajālamugram || 61.40 ||

Then that fierce army of monkeys, boulders and trees raised in their hands, shone forth like a vast, dreadful mass of storm-clouds massed close about a mountain.