Ravana's Lament for Kumbhakarna

Shloka 1 (yuddha.68.1)

कुम्भकर्णं हतं दृष्ट्वा राघवेण महात्मना । राक्षसा राक्षसेन्द्राय रावणाय न्यवेदयन् ॥ 68.1 ॥

kumbhakarṇaṃ hataṃ dṛṣṭvā rāghaveṇa mahātmanā | rākṣasā rākṣasendrāya rāvaṇāya nyavedayan || 68.1 ||

Seeing Kumbhakarna slain by the great-souled Raghava, the demons reported it to Ravana, lord of the demons.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.68.2)

राजन् स कालसंकाशः संयुक्तः कालकर्मणा । विद्राव्य वानरीं सेनां भक्षयित्वा च वानरान् ॥ 68.2 ॥

rājan sa kālasaṃkāśaḥ saṃyuktaḥ kālakarmaṇā | vidrāvya vānarīṃ senāṃ bhakṣayitvā ca vānarān || 68.2 ||

"O King, he who resembled Death itself, having routed the monkey army and devoured many monkeys, was at last overtaken by the working of Time.

Shloka 3 (yuddha.68.3)

प्रतपित्वा मुहूर्तं तु प्रशान्तो रामतेजसा । कायेनार्धप्रविष्टेन समुद्रं भीमदर्शनम् ॥ 68.3 ॥

pratapitvā muhūrtaṃ tu praśānto rāmatejasā | kāyenārdhapraviṣṭena samudraṃ bhīmadarśanam || 68.3 ||

After blazing forth in valor for a moment, he was quenched by the fiery might of Rama, his body half-sunk in the terrible-looking sea,

Shloka 4 (yuddha.68.4)

निकृत्तनासाकर्णेन विक्षरद्रुधिरेण च । रुद्ध्वा द्वारं शरीरेण लङ्कायाः पर्वतोपमः ॥ 68.4 ॥

nikṛttanāsākarṇena vikṣaradrudhireṇa ca | ruddhvā dvāraṃ śarīreṇa laṅkāyāḥ parvatopamaḥ || 68.4 ||

his nose and ears sliced away, his blood streaming forth -- and, mountain-like, his body blocked the very gateway of Lanka.

Shloka 5 (yuddha.68.5)

कुम्भकर्णस्तव भ्राता काकुत्स्थशरपीडितः । लगण्डभूतो विकृतो दावदग्ध इव द्रुमः ॥ 68.5 ॥

kumbhakarṇastava bhrātā kākutsthaśarapīḍitaḥ | lagaṇḍabhūto vikṛto dāvadagdha iva drumaḥ || 68.5 ||

Your brother Kumbhakarna, tormented by the arrows of the scion of Kakutstha, became a mangled, misshapen mass, like a tree consumed by a forest fire."

Shloka 6 (yuddha.68.6)

श्रुत्वा विनिहतं संख्ये कुम्भकर्णं महाबलम् । रावणः शोकसंतप्तो मुमोह च पपात च ॥ 68.6 ॥

śrutvā vinihataṃ saṃkhye kumbhakarṇaṃ mahābalam | rāvaṇaḥ śokasaṃtapto mumoha ca papāta ca || 68.6 ||

Hearing that the mighty Kumbhakarna had been slain in battle, Ravana, consumed by grief, swooned and fell to the ground.

Shloka 7 (yuddha.68.7)

पितृव्यं निहतं श्रुत्वा देवान्तकनरान्तकौ । त्रिशिराश्चातिकायश्च रुरुदुः शोकपीडिताः ॥ 68.7 ॥

pitṛvyaṃ nihataṃ śrutvā devāntakanarāntakau | triśirāścātikāyaśca ruruduḥ śokapīḍitāḥ || 68.7 ||

Hearing that their uncle was slain, Devantaka and Narantaka, Trishira and Atikaya, stricken with grief, wept aloud.

Shloka 8 (yuddha.68.8)

भ्रातरं निहतं श्रुत्वा रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा । महोदरमहापार्श्वौ शोकाक्रान्तौ बभूवतुः ॥ 68.8 ॥

bhrātaraṃ nihataṃ śrutvā rāmeṇākliṣṭakarmaṇā | mahodaramahāpārśvau śokākrāntau babhūvatuḥ || 68.8 ||

Hearing that their brother had been slain by Rama, whose deeds never falter, Mahodara and Mahaparshva were overcome with grief.

Shloka 9 (yuddha.68.9)

ततः कृच्छ्रात् समासाद्य संज्ञां राक्षसपुङ्गवः । कुम्भकर्णवधाद्दीनो विललापाकुलेन्द्रियः ॥ 68.9 ॥

tataḥ kṛcchrāt samāsādya saṃjñāṃ rākṣasapuṅgavaḥ | kumbhakarṇavadhāddīno vilalāpākulendriyaḥ || 68.9 ||

Then, with great difficulty regaining his senses, that foremost of demons, wretched and his faculties in turmoil at the slaying of Kumbhakarna, gave way to lament:

Shloka 10 (yuddha.68.10)

हा वीर रिपुदर्पघ्न कुम्भकर्ण महाबल । त्वं मां विहाय वै दैवाद्यातोऽसि यमसादनम् ॥ 68.10 ॥

hā vīra ripudarpaghna kumbhakarṇa mahābala | tvaṃ māṃ vihāya vai daivādyāto'si yamasādanam || 68.10 ||

"Alas, O hero, crusher of the pride of foes, O mighty Kumbhakarna! Forsaking me, by the working of fate, you have gone to the abode of Yama.

Shloka 11 (yuddha.68.11)

मम शल्यमनुद्धृत्य बान्धवानां महाबल । शत्रुसैन्यं प्रताप्यैकः क्व मां संत्यज्य गच्छसि ॥ 68.11 ॥

mama śalyamanuddhṛtya bāndhavānāṃ mahābala | śatrusainyaṃ pratāpyaikaḥ kva māṃ saṃtyajya gacchasi || 68.11 ||

O mighty one, without first drawing out the thorn of grief from my heart and from our kinsmen's, having scorched the enemy's army all alone, where do you go, forsaking me?

Shloka 12 (yuddha.68.12)

इदानीं खल्वहं नास्मि यस्य मे पतितो भुजः । दक्षिणोऽयं समाश्रित्य न बिभेमि सुरासुरात् ॥ 68.12 ॥

idānīṃ khalvahaṃ nāsmi yasya me patito bhujaḥ | dakṣiṇo'yaṃ samāśritya na bibhemi surāsurāt || 68.12 ||

Indeed I am no more now, for this my right arm has fallen -- the very arm on whose strength I feared neither gods nor demons.

Shloka 13 (yuddha.68.13)

कथमेवंविधो वीरो देवदानवदर्पहा । कालाग्निप्रतिमो ह्यद्य राघवेण रणे हतः ॥ 68.13 ॥

kathamevaṃvidho vīro devadānavadarpahā | kālāgnipratimo hyadya rāghaveṇa raṇe hataḥ || 68.13 ||

How could such a hero, who crushed the pride of gods and danavas, resembling the fire that ends the world, be slain today in battle by Raghava?

Shloka 14 (yuddha.68.14)

यस्य ते वज्रनिष्पेषो न कुर्याद्व्यसनं सदा । स कथं रामबाणार्तः प्रसुप्तोऽसि महीतले ॥ 68.14 ॥

yasya te vajraniṣpeṣo na kuryādvyasanaṃ sadā | sa kathaṃ rāmabāṇārtaḥ prasupto'si mahītale || 68.14 ||

You, whom even the crashing blow of the thunderbolt could never bring to harm -- how do you lie asleep upon the earth, struck low by Rama's arrows?

Shloka 15 (yuddha.68.15)

एते देवगणाः सार्धमृषिभिर्गगने स्थिताः । निहतं त्वां रणे दृष्ट्वा निनदन्ति प्रहर्षिताः ॥ 68.15 ॥

ete devagaṇāḥ sārdhamṛṣibhirgagane sthitāḥ | nihataṃ tvāṃ raṇe dṛṣṭvā ninadanti praharṣitāḥ || 68.15 ||

See, these hosts of gods, standing in the sky together with the sages, seeing you slain in battle, cry out in delight.

Shloka 16 (yuddha.68.16)

ध्रुवमद्यैव संहृष्टा लब्धलक्षाः प्लवङ्गमाः । आरोक्ष्यन्तीह दुर्गाणि लङ्काद्वाराणि सर्वशः ॥ 68.16 ॥

dhruvamadyaiva saṃhṛṣṭā labdhalakṣāḥ plavaṅgamāḥ | ārokṣyantīha durgāṇi laṅkādvārāṇi sarvaśaḥ || 68.16 ||

Surely this very day, exultant, their goal now within reach, the monkeys will scale these impregnable gates of Lanka on every side.

Shloka 17 (yuddha.68.17)

राज्येन नास्ति मे कार्यं किं करिष्यामि सीतया । कुम्भकर्णविहीनस्य जीविते नास्ति मे मतिः ॥ 68.17 ॥

rājyena nāsti me kāryaṃ kiṃ kariṣyāmi sītayā | kumbhakarṇavihīnasya jīvite nāsti me matiḥ || 68.17 ||

I have no more use for my kingdom; what shall I do with Sita? Bereft of Kumbhakarna, I have no wish left to live.

Shloka 18 (yuddha.68.18)

यद्यहं भ्रातृहन्तारं न हन्मि युधि राघवम् । ननु मे मरणं श्रेयो न चेदं व्यर्थजीवितम् ॥ 68.18 ॥

yadyahaṃ bhrātṛhantāraṃ na hanmi yudhi rāghavam | nanu me maraṇaṃ śreyo na cedaṃ vyarthajīvitam || 68.18 ||

If I cannot slay Raghava, the killer of my brother, in battle, then death indeed is better for me than this worthless life.

Shloka 19 (yuddha.68.19)

अद्यैव तं गमिष्यामि देशं यत्रानुजो मम । न हि भ्रातॄन्समुत्सृज्य क्षणं जीवितुमुत्सहे ॥ 68.19 ॥

adyaiva taṃ gamiṣyāmi deśaṃ yatrānujo mama | na hi bhrātṝnsamutsṛjya kṣaṇaṃ jīvitumutsahe || 68.19 ||

This very day I shall go to that realm where my younger brother has gone; for I cannot bear to live even a moment, having abandoned my brothers.

Shloka 20 (yuddha.68.20)

देवा हि मां हसिष्यन्ति दृष्ट्वा पूर्वापकारिणम् । कथमिन्द्रं जयिष्यामि कुम्भकर्णे हते त्वयि ॥ 68.20 ॥

devā hi māṃ hasiṣyanti dṛṣṭvā pūrvāpakāriṇam | kathamindraṃ jayiṣyāmi kumbhakarṇe hate tvayi || 68.20 ||

The gods will laugh at me, seeing me who once wronged them so -- for how, O Kumbhakarna, shall I ever conquer Indra now that you are slain?

Shloka 21 (yuddha.68.21)

तदिदं मामनुप्राप्तं विभीषणवचः शुभम् । यदज्ञानान्मया तस्य न गृहीतं महात्मनः ॥ 68.21 ॥

tadidaṃ māmanuprāptaṃ vibhīṣaṇavacaḥ śubham | yadajñānānmayā tasya na gṛhītaṃ mahātmanaḥ || 68.21 ||

Now indeed has that auspicious counsel of Vibhishana overtaken me -- the counsel of that great soul which, in my folly, I did not heed.

Shloka 22 (yuddha.68.22)

विभीषणवचस्तावत्कुम्भकर्णप्रहस्तयोः । विनाशोऽयं समुत्पन्नो मां व्रीडयति दारुणः ॥ 68.22 ॥

vibhīṣaṇavacastāvatkumbhakarṇaprahastayoḥ | vināśo'yaṃ samutpanno māṃ vrīḍayati dāruṇaḥ || 68.22 ||

This terrible destruction that has befallen Kumbhakarna and Prahasta, exactly as Vibhishana had foretold, now fills me with shame.

Shloka 23 (yuddha.68.23)

तस्यायं कर्मणः प्राप्तो विपाको मम शोकदः । यन्मया धार्मिकः श्रीमान्स निरस्तो विभीषणः ॥ 68.23 ॥

tasyāyaṃ karmaṇaḥ prāpto vipāko mama śokadaḥ | yanmayā dhārmikaḥ śrīmānsa nirasto vibhīṣaṇaḥ || 68.23 ||

This grief that has come upon me is but the fruit of my own deed -- for I cast out that righteous and glorious Vibhishana."

Shloka 24 (yuddha.68.24)

इति बहुविधमाकुलान्तरात्मा कृपणमतीव विलप्य कुम्भकर्णम् । न्यपतदपि दशाननो भृशार्तः तमनुजमिन्द्ररिपुं हतं विदित्वा ॥ 68.24 ॥

iti bahuvidhamākulāntarātmā kṛpaṇamatīva vilapya kumbhakarṇam | nyapatadapi daśānano bhṛśārtaḥ tamanujamindraripuṃ hataṃ viditvā || 68.24 ||

Thus, his inmost spirit thrown into utter turmoil, having lamented most piteously for Kumbhakarna in many ways, ten-headed Ravana, overwhelmed with anguish, sank down, knowing that his brother, the foe of Indra, was slain.