Aranya Kanda, Chapter 28

Demon Khara's War with Rama

Khara is intimidated on seeing the elimination of Duushana along with Trishira inasmuch as the intrepidity of Rama is concerned.

On seeing the annihilation of the insufferable and mighty force of demons, even that of Duushana and Trishira by lone Rama, and thus to apprehend that the demonic force is wholly destructed, that demon Khara became apprehensive, and then he lunged at Rama, as with demon Namuchi who once lunged at Indra.

Forcefully drawing the bowstring fitted with iron-arrows, which looked like furious serpents of venom ingesting only blood, Khara discharged them on Rama.

Fidgeting with bowstring in many a way, brandishing missiles with many a skill, Khara moved about the battleground in many a manner, seated on chariot and showing his expertise with arrows.

That great chariot-fighter Khara then started to fill all the stretches and inter-stretches with arrows, seeing that even Rama reciprocally started to take aim with his bow Rama, and then filled and made the sky less of leeway with verily unendurable arrows that are like tongues of fire emitting sparks, as with Rain-god chocking the sky with torrents, less of latitude.

No empty space is left out in the space around since it has become riotous with the sharp arrows discharged by Rama and Khara from everywhere.

While both of them are warring with excitement to slay one another, then the sun obscured with the mesh of arrows has not shined.

Then with acutely edged tubular, iron, and crescent-edged arrows Khara swatted Rama in that combat, as a great elephant will be swatted with a goad.

When charioted Khara came to the presence of Rama with bow in hand and ready for a close combat, that demon appeared to all beings as the Terminator handling his noose.

Khara presumed that greatly indefatigable Rama is wholly fatigued by now, though he has shown his mettle of boldness in eliminating all of the demonic forces, all the while.

On seeing Khara who is prancing like a lion with a gait of a lion, Rama is unruffled like a lion that sees a least beast.

In a chariot that equals the sun in its radiance then Khara reached Rama as a moth reaches fire.

Showing sleight of hand Khara then broke the handgrip of the bow of that great-souled Rama along with an arrow fitted on it.

Still infuriated Khara has drawn seven more arrows that equal the radiance of Indra's thunderbolts and hit Rama's armour in that war.

Then, on distressing Rama of unequalled vitality with a thousand arrows in that combat Khara blared a loud blare.

With the arrows released by Khara that have a great egress, then that armour of Rama that has a sun-like resplendence is completely destroyed and fell on the field.

When all his limbs are hit with arrows Rama is enraged and in that war Rama flared up like a fumeless flaring fire.

Then Rama, the blaster of enemies, strung bowstring to another thunderously blasting bow, to end the enemy.

That which is a very admirable bow of Vishnu and that which is awarded by great-sage Agastya, upraising that choicest bow Rama rushed towards Khara.

With arrows that have golden fins and curved barbs that highly infuriated Rama then fragmented Khara's flagstaff with flag in that war.

That eye-pleasing golden flagstaff with flag is severally shattered and fell onto ground as if it is god-damned sun fallen on earth.

By that Khara is enraged, and as one who is aware of striking crucial parts/war tactics assaulted on the chest of Rama with four arrows, and even on other limbs, as one would prod an elephant with lancets.

Impacted with various arrows unloosened from the bow of Khara, limbs of Rama are drenched in blood and he became highly indignant.

On aiming his great bow that ablest one among archers, namely Rama, then in that war released six arrows targeting pointedly.

Rama indeed hit Khara's head with one arrow, with two his hands, and next with three crescent shaped arrows he hit his chest.

Then afterwards that great-resplendent Rama wishing to eliminate the demon, infuriately launched thirteen iron arrows that are sharply whetted and similar to the dazzle of sun.

That mighty Raghava who equals Indra in combats, smiling at the warfare of Khara, smashed the yoke of the chariot with one arrow; with four, four of the dappled horses; with the sixth, the head of the charioteer of Khara; with three, the three-pronged shaft from yoke to the base of chariot; with two the axels, thus that chariot is fragmented. Then, on wrecking Khara's bow on which an arrow is placed with the twelfth, that mighty one Rama impaled Khara with the thirteenth arrow that is similar to a thunderbolt.

With his bow utterly shattered, chariot fragmented, horses killed, and charioteer felled, that Khara then hopped down to ground from the dilapidated chariot wielding a mace, and stood fast.

The gods as well as great-sages have then came together and assembled in heavens, and those assemblies that are aboard their aircrafts are highly gladdened at the exploit of the great chariot-fighter Rama, and they worshipped him with their adjoined palms.