Aranya Kanda, Sarga 30

Meaning

Having shattered that mace with arrows, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, for his part, who was fond of virtue, smilingly uttered the following furious words : (1)

Meaning

“Is this the totality of your strength that you have exhibited, O vile ogre? Though much deficient in strength as compared to me, you brag in vain ! (2)

Meaning

“Fallen to the ground when split into pieces by my arrows, this mace of yours, you being bold in braggadocio alone, has dashed to pieces the confidence reposed in it by you. (3)

Meaning

“Even the declaration that was made by you in the following words : ‘I hereby wipe away the tears of the relatives of the ogres killed in battle’ has proved false. (4)

Meaning

“Even as Garuḍa, the king of birds, snatched away nectar from the custody of the gods in heaven, I shall take away the life of the vile ogre that you are, mean of nature and immoral of conduct. (5)

Meaning

“The earth will quaff your blood enriched with foam and bubbles, when your throat has been pierced and your body torn with my shafts. (6)

Meaning

“Closely embracing the earth like a young woman hard to win, you will lie asleep forever covered with dust all over the body, with both of your arms severed. (7)

Meaning

“When you, the disgrace of the ogres, are laid in protracted slumber, this Daṇḍaka forest will turn out to be a place of resort for sages, who afford shelter to all. (8)

Meaning

“When your abode in Janasthāna has been destroyed by my arrows, O ogre, ascetics will roam about fearlessly everywhere in the forest. (9)

Meaning

“Ogresses who caused terror in others, will run away, afflicted through fear, from the Daṇḍaka forest today, their faces wet with tears, their kith and kin having been killed by me. (10)

Meaning

“Your wives, whose husband is of such immoral conduct as you and who are born of like families will taste the sentiment of pathos today, being deprived of all enjoyments coveted by all. (11)

Meaning

“O ogre of cruel disposition and mean mentality, a standing thorn in the side of Brāhmaṇa, oblations are poured into the fire by ascetics full of apprehension on account of you.” (12)

Meaning

Khara, whose voice waxed sterner due to wrath, censured in the following words Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, who was uttering such angry words in the forest : (13)

Meaning

“Surely you are excessively vainglorious and fearless even in the face of dangers. Evidently you are in the grip of death; that is why you cannot judge what should be spoken and what should not be spoken. Indeed men who are caught in the noose of Death can no longer distinguish what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, their senses and mind having been thrown out of order.” (14-15)

Meaning

Speaking as aforesaid to Śrī Rāma and then knitting his eyebrows and further eagerly casting his eyes all round for some weapon to be used in the encounter, the said ogre saw a big sal tree not far off; and sharply biting his lips he uprooted it. (16-17)

Meaning

Whirling it with his arms and loudly roaring, the ogre, who was possessed of extraordinary might, hurled it at Śrī Rāma and said, “You are killed.” (18)

Meaning

Cutting down with his volleys of arrows the approaching tree, the glorious Śrī Rāma summoned violent anger to make short work of Khara in the battle. (19)

Meaning

Covered with perspiration due to anger and with the outer corners of his eyes reddened through anger, Śrī Rāma thereupon pierced Khara on the battlefield with a thousand arrows. (20)

Meaning

Like the flow of torrents from Mount Prasravaṇa, copious foaming blood gushed forth from the cuts made in his body by the arrows. (21)

Meaning

Rendered uneasy with his arrows by Śrī Rāma in battle, and maddened by the smell of blood indeed, Khara ran fast towards Śrī Rāma. (22)

Meaning

Taking a bit hasty strides, Śrī Rāma, who was skilled in the use of missiles, retreated two or three steps in order to be able to strike Khara, who was rushing towards him, highly infuriated and bathed in blood. (23)

Meaning

Then, for the destruction of Khara in battle, Śrī Rāma seized an arrow blazing like fire and looking like another rod of Brahmā, the creator. (24)

Meaning

Nay, the celebrated Śrī Rāma, whose mind was given to righteousness, fitted to his bow the said arrow gifted, through the medium of Sage Agastya, by the wise Indra, the ruler of gods, and discharged it towards Khara. (25)

Meaning

Discharged with great vehemence by Śrī Rāma, stretching his bow, that mighty arrow hit the chest of Khara, making a thunder-like sound. (26)

Meaning

Being burnt by the fire of the arrow, the notorious Khara fell to the ground as did the demon Andhaka, entirely burnt by Lord Rudra (the god of destruction) in the Śweta forest. (27)

Meaning

Killed by Śrī Rāma with that arrow, as Vṛtra with a thunderbolt, Namuci with foam or Bala with a stroke of lightning by Indra, Khara fell down dead. (28)

Meaning

In the meanwhile, united with the Cāraṇas (celestial bards) and loudly beating their large drums on all sides, gods, who felt greatly rejoiced and wonder-struck, rained a shower of flowers all round at that moment on Śrī Rāma. They said, ‘In the course of an hour and a half fourteen thousand ogres, headed by Khara and Dūṣaṇa and capable of assuming any form at will, were got rid of with sharp arrows in a major operation. (29—31)

Meaning

Ah, great indeed was the feat of Śrī Rāma, the knower of the Self ! Wonderful is his prowess. Oh, his firmness too looks like that of Lord Viṣṇu !” (32)

Meaning

Speaking as aforesaid, all those gods went as they had come. Hailing Śrī Rāma then, all the royal sages and great sages assembled, including Sage Agastya, who all felt rejoiced, spoke as follows : “For this very purpose of bringing about your sojourn in this area the great Indra, the subduer of the demon Pāka and the smasher of enemies’ fortresses, who is possessed of exceptional glory, visited the holy hermitage of Sage Śarabharṅga. You were brought to the region tactfully by great sages for compassing the extermination of their sworn enemies, the ogres of sinful deeds. This aforesaid purpose of ours has been accomplished by you O son of Daśaratha ! (33—36)

Meaning

“The great sages will henceforward vigorously practise their devotions in the Daṇḍaka forest.” In the meantime, issuing forth from the mountain cavern, which was difficult of access, with Sītā, the valiant Lakṣmaṇa sat down in an easy posture in the hermitage. Being glorified by great sages and honoured in every way by Lakṣmaṇa, the victorious and heroic Śrī Rāma duly entered the hermitage. Seeing her husband, who had made short work of his enemies and brought happiness to the great sages, Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, felt rejoiced and embraced him. Nay, transported with supreme felicity to see the hordes of ogres killed, the daughter of Janaka, Sītā, felt gratified to find Śrī Rāma all well. (37—40)

Meaning

Then closely embracing once more that destroyer of the ogre-hordes, who was being highly extolled by exalted souls full of delight, the daughter of Janaka, Sītā, felt rejoiced, her countenance lit with joy. (41)