---
title: "Aranya Kanda, Sarga 28"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/aranya-kanda/sarga-28"
lang: "en"
---

# Aranya Kanda, Sarga 28

> निहतं दूषणं दृष्ट्वा रणे त्रिशिरसा सह।  
> खरस्याप्यभवत् त्रासो दृष्ट्वा रामस्य विक्रमम्॥ १॥

Seeing Dūṣaṇa killed in battle together with Triśirā, fear entered the mind of Khara too when he witnessed the prowess of Śrī Rāma. (1)

> स दृष्ट्वा राक्षसं सैन्यमविषह्यं महाबलम्।  
> हतमेकेन रामेण दूषणस्त्रिशिरा अपि॥ २॥  
> तद्बलं हतभूयिष्ठं विमनाः प्रेक्ष्य राक्षसः।  
> आससाद खरो रामं नमुचिर्वासवं यथा॥ ३॥

Bewildered to see the very mighty and irresistible army of ogres as also Dūṣaṇa and Triśirā killed by Rāma single-handed, and also perceiving most of the troops wiped out, the ogre Khara attacked Śrī Rāma as did the demon Namuci attack Indra. (2-3)

> विकृष्य बलवच्चापं नाराचान् रक्तभोजनान्।  
> खरश्चिक्षेप रामाय क्रुद्धानाशीविषानिव॥ ४॥

Pulling at full length his mighty bow, Khara discharged at Śrī Rāma blood-sucking arrows known by the name of Nārācas and resembling angry serpents. (4)

> ज्यां विधुन्वन् सुबहुशः शिक्षयास्त्राणि दर्शयन्।  
> चचार समरे मार्गान् शरै रथगतः खरः॥ ५॥

Shaking the string of his bow in numerous ways and displaying (the use of) mystic missiles by virtue of his military practice, Khara in his chariot rode on the battlefield employing devices with his arrows. (5)

> स सर्वाश्च दिशो बाणैः प्रदिशश्च महारथः।  
> पूरयामास तं दृष्ट्वा रामोऽपि सुमहद् धनुः॥ ६॥

That great chariot-warrior filled all the quarters as also the intermediate points with arrows. Seeing him, Śrī Rāma also took up his very mighty bow. (6)

> स सायकैर्दुर्विषहैर्विस्फुलिङ्गैरिवाग्निभिः।  
> नभश्चकाराविवरं पर्जन्य इव वृष्टिभिः॥ ७॥

He covered the entire sky with his formidable arrows resembling sparks of fire as does the god of rain with showers. (7)

> तद् बभूव शितैर्बाणैः खररामविसर्जितैः।  
> पर्याकाशमनाकाशं सर्वतः शरसंकुलम्॥ ८॥

Thickly set with arrows on all sides because of the sharp arrows discharged both by Khara and Śrī Rāma, the sky round about them was left without any empty space. (8)

> शरजालावृतः सूर्यो न तदा स्म प्रकाशते।  
> अन्योन्यवधसंरम्भादुभयोः सम्प्रयुध्यतोः॥ ९॥

Screened by the network of arrows discharged by both the warriors, who were fiercely fighting in their zeal to kill each other, the sun was not visible at that time. (9)

> ततो नालीकनाराचैस्तीक्ष्णाग्रैश्च विकर्णिभिः।  
> आजघान रणे रामं तोत्रैरिव महाद्विपम्॥ १०॥

Then, like one striking a lordly elephant with a goad, Khara hit Śrī Rāma with arrows of various kinds such as, Nālīkas, Nārācas and sharp-pointed Vikarṇis on the field of battle. (10)

> तं रथस्थं धनुष्पाणिं राक्षसं पर्यवस्थितम्।  
> ददृशुः सर्वभूतानि पाशहस्तमिवान्तकम्॥ ११॥

All created beings saw that ogre rooted firmly in his chariot, bow in hand, like Death himself with a noose in his hand. (11)

> हन्तारं सर्वसैन्यस्य पौरुषे पर्यवस्थितम्।  
> परिश्रान्तं महासत्त्वं मेने रामं खरस्तदा॥ १२॥

At that time Khara thought Śrī Rāma, the destroyer of his entire army, who was possessed of great might and intent on heroism, to be dead tired. (12)

> तं सिंहमिव विक्रान्तं सिंहविक्रान्तगामिनम्।  
> दृष्ट्वा नोद्विजते रामः सिंहः क्षुद्रमृगं यथा॥ १३॥

Śrī Rāma, however, did not feel perturbed in the least to see him bold as a lion and striding like one, any more than a lion would feel perturbed to see a small deer. (13)

> ततः सूर्यनिकाशेन रथेन महता खरः।  
> आससादाथ तं रामं पतङ्ग इव पावकम्॥ १४॥

Then, in a large chariot blazing as the sun, Khara approached the celebrated Śrī Rāma even, as a moth would approach a fire. (14)

> ततोऽस्य सशरं चापं मुष्टिदेशे महात्मनः।  
> खरश्चिच्छेद रामस्य दर्शयन् हस्तलाघवम्॥ १५॥

Thereupon, displaying his dexterity of hand, Khara split the bow alongwith the arrow near the fist of the high-souled Śrī Rāma. (15)

> स पुनस्त्वपरान् सप्त शरानादाय मर्मणि।  
> निजघान रणे क्रुद्धः शक्राशनिसमप्रभान्॥ १६॥

Again, taking seven more arrows, shining brightly as the thunderbolt of Indra, Khara, for his part, angrily discharged them at the vital parts of Śrī Rāma on the battlefield. (16)

> ततः शरसहस्रेण राममप्रतिमौजसम्।  
> अर्दयित्वा महानादं ननाद समरे खरः॥ १७॥

Then, hurting Śrī Rāma of unparalleled prowess with a thousand arrows, Khara uttered a loud roar on the battlefield. (17)

> ततस्तत्प्रहतं बाणैः खरमुक्तैः सुपर्वभिः।  
> पपात कवचं भूमौ रामस्यादित्यवर्चसम्॥ १८॥

Hit hard by the smooth-knobbed arrows discharged by Khara, the well-known armour of Śrī Rāma, bright like the sun, thereupon fell on the ground. (18)

> स शरैरर्पितः क्रुद्धः सर्वगात्रेषु राघवः।  
> रराज समरे रामो विधूमोऽग्निरिव ज्वलन्॥ १९॥

Getting enraged when pierced with arrows all over his limbs, Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) shone on the battlefield like a smokeless burning fire. (19)

> ततो गम्भीरनिर्ह्रादं रामः शत्रुनिबर्हणः।  
> चकारान्ताय स रिपोः सज्यमन्यन्महद्धनुः॥ २०॥

Then Śrī Rāma, the exterminator of his foes, strung another mighty bow, which made a deep sound, to bring about the end of his enemy. (20)

> सुमहद् वैष्णवं यत् तदतिसृष्टं महर्षिणा।  
> वरं तद् धनुरुद्यम्य खरं समभिधावत॥ २१॥

Raising that excellent and very mighty bow belonging to Lord Viṣṇu, that had been gifted by the eminent sage, Agastya, he darted towards Khara. (21)

> ततः कनकपुङ्खैस्तु शरैः संनतपर्वभिः।  
> चिच्छेद रामः संक्रुद्धः खरस्य समरे ध्वजम्॥ २२॥

Then, highly enraged, Śrī Rāma cut down the ensign of Khara on the battle-field by means of gold-feathered arrows with level nodes. (22)

> स दर्शनीयो बहुधा विच्छिन्नः काञ्चनो ध्वजः।  
> जगाम धरणीं सूर्यो देवतानामिवाज्ञया॥ २३॥

Split into many parts, that attractive gold ensign fell down on the earth like the sun at the command (imprecation) of gods. (23)

> तं चतुर्भिः खरः क्रुद्धो रामं गात्रेषु मार्गणैः।  
> विव्याध हृदि मर्मज्ञो मातङ्गमिव तोमरैः॥ २४॥

With four arrows the angry Khara, who was aware of the vulnerable parts in a body, hit Rāma in his various limbs and particularly in his heart even as one would strike an elephant with javelins. (24)

> स रामो बहुभिर्बाणैः खरकार्मुकनिःसृतैः।  
> विद्धो रुधिरसिक्ताङ्गो बभूव रुषितो भृशम्॥ २५॥

The aforesaid Śrī Rāma felt highly enraged when pierced with many arrows released from the bow of Khara and bathed in blood all over his body. (25)

> स धनुर्धन्विनां श्रेष्ठः संगृह्य परमाहवे।  
> मुमोच परमेष्वासः षट् शरानभिलक्षितान्॥ २६॥

Grasping firmly his bow in that great battle, Śrī Rāma, the foremost of bowmen, who wielded a great bow, discharged six well-aimed arrows. (26)

> शिरस्येकेन बाणेन द्वाभ्यां बाह्वोरथार्पयत्।  
> त्रिभिश्चन्द्रार्धवक्त्रैश्च वक्षस्यभिजघान ह॥ २७॥

They say he pierced Khara in the head with one arrow, with two more the arms, and with three crescent-headed arrows hit him hard in the chest. (27)

> ततः पश्चान्महातेजा नाराचान् भास्करोपमान्।  
> जघान राक्षसं क्रुद्धस्त्रयोदश शिलाशितान्॥ २८॥

After that Śrī Rāma, who was exceptionally glorious, discharged at the ogre thirteen arrows whetted on the stone and blazing like the sun. (28)

> रथस्य युगमेकेन चतुर्भिः शबलान् हयान्।  
> षष्ठेन च शिरः संख्ये चिच्छेद खरसारथेः॥ २९॥

With one arrow he cut down the yoke of the chariot; with four, the spotted horses; and with the sixth he cut off the head of Khara’s charioteer on the battle-field. (29)

> त्रिभिस्त्रिवेणून् बलवान् द्वाभ्यामक्षं महाबलः।  
> द्वादशेन तु बाणेन खरस्य सशरं धनुः॥ ३०॥  
> छित्त्वा वज्रनिकाशेन राघवः प्रहसन्निव।  
> त्रयोदशेनेन्द्रसमो बिभेद समरे खरम्॥ ३१॥

Having cut down with three arrows the three shafts supporting the yoke, with two the axle and with the twelfth, which shone brightly like a thunderbolt, the bow and the arrow of Khara, Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) for his part, who was possessed of exceptional might and looked like Indra, pierced Khara in the heart as though laughing on the battle-field with the thirteenth. (30-31)

> प्रभग्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः।  
> गदापाणिरवप्लुत्य तस्थौ भूमौ खरस्तदा॥ ३२॥

Then, jumping down, Khara, who was deprived of his chariot and had his bow shattered, horses killed and charioteer slain, stood on the ground mace in hand. (32)

> तत् कर्म रामस्य महारथस्य  
> समेत्य देवाश्च महर्षयश्च।  
> अपूजयन् प्राञ्जलयः प्रहृष्टा-  
> स्तदा विमानाग्रगताः समेताः॥ ३३॥

Collecting in the fore-part of their aerial cars at that time, gods and eminent Ṛṣis too, who felt highly rejoiced, applauded in a body with joined palms that feat of Śrī Rāma, the great car-warrior. (33)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

---

Source: Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions. Buy the book: https://gitapress.org/product/sri-ramcharitmanas-special-edition

Ramayana.com, a free, ad-free project of Ved Vyas Foundation.