Aranya Kanda, Sarga 27

Meaning

Approaching Khara who was marching to meet Śrī Rāma, his other general, the ogre Triśirā, for his part, spoke as follows : (1)

Meaning

“Command me, your valiant general, to take the field and cease you from the daring act. See the mighty-armed Rāma thrown down in an encounter. (2)

Meaning

“I take an unfailing vow before you and swear by my weapon that I shall surely kill Rāma, who deserves death at the hands of all the ogres. (3)

Meaning

“Either I shall prove to be his death on the battlefield or he will be my death in battle. Therefore, curbing your martial ardour stand aloof as a judge awhile. (4)

Meaning

“You will either return to Janasthāna highly delighted in the event of Rāma being killed by me or in the event of my being slain, you will march against Rāma for an engagement with him.” (5)

Meaning

When Khara was won over by the said Triśirā due to his being covetous of death at the hands of Śrī Rāma, and Triśirā was granted leave in the words “Go, fight”, the latter proceeded towards Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu. (6)

Meaning

Triśirā, for his part, who with his three heads looked like a three-peaked mountain, drove in a glittering chariot drawn by horses against Śrī Rāma on the field of battle. (7)

Meaning

Pouring volleys of arrows like a huge cloud, he uttered a roar like the crash of a drum drenched with water. (8)

Meaning

Perceiving the ogre Triśirā coming, Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu), greeted him with his bow discharging sharp arrows. (9)

Meaning

That clash between Śrī Rāma and Triśirā, who were both possessed of great might, raged fiercely at that time like the clash between a lion and an elephant. (10)

Meaning

Feeling provoked and excited when hit by Triśirā with three arrows on the forehead, the indignant Śrī Rāma spoke as follows : (11)

Meaning

“O ! Such is the strength of this ogre, who is brave in launching an offensive, and by whom I have been struck on the forehead with arrows like flowers ! (12)

Meaning

“Now receive the arrows shot from my bow-string too.” Saying so, Śrī Rāma, who was highly excited and enraged discharged fourteen serpent-like arrows on the chest of Triśirā. With four arrows having bent nodes, the glorious Śrī Rāma struck down the four swift-footed horses of his chariot, while with eight more arrows he knocked down the charioteer on his very seat in the chariot. (13—15)

Meaning

Śrī Rāma further broke his tall ensign with an arrow. Then he pierced with arrows the ogre himself in his heart while he was jumping from his shattered chariot, so that he became motionless. Nay, full of indignation, Śrī Rāma (of immeasurable prowess) struck off the three heads of that ogre with three swift arrows. Spurting steaming blood when thus mortally hurt by the shafts of Rāma, that night-stalker fell down where he stood on the field of battle, joining the company of his heads already fallen. Feeling disheartened the surviving ogres, who had taken shelter under the banner of Khara, took to their heels and did not tarry any more than the deer scared away by a tiger. Enraged to see them running away, and rallying them, Khara hurriedly rushed towards Rāma alone as the planet Rāhu assails the moon. (16—20)