← 3.23 Rāma prepares to fight alone · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.25 Dūṣaṇa’s death →

Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 24: Battle at Janasthāna

Summary. The army surrounds and wounds Rāma, his arrows drive it back and Dūṣaṇa rallies the survivors to attack with trees and rocks

Sequence

  1. Khara sees Rāma ready at the hermitage and orders his charioteer to drive toward him → the rākṣasa leaders close around Rāma and shower him with weapons (3.24.1–9)
  2. Rāma intercepts the missiles with arrows; although wounded and covered in blood, he holds his ground (3.24.10–13)
  3. the Devas, gandharvas, siddhas, and maharṣis grow dismayed at seeing one man surrounded by thousands (3.24.14)
  4. Rāma responds with hundreds and thousands of arrows, killing attackers and cutting through their weapons, standards, armor, and limbs (3.24.15–22)
  5. more warriors throw spears, swords, and axes, which he wards off before striking them down (3.24.23–24)
  6. the survivors retreat toward Khara (3.24.25)
  7. Dūṣaṇa rallies and reassures them, then leads a renewed attack with uprooted trees and rocks. (3.24.26–28)

Verses 3.24.1–28

3.24.1

avaṣṭabdhadhanuṃ rāmaṃ kruddhaṃ ca ripughātinam
dadarśāśramam āgamya kharaḥ saha puraḥsaraiḥ

Coming to the hermitage, Khara, together with his vanguard, saw Rāma — his bow braced, enraged, the slayer of foes.

Words: avaṣṭabdhadhanuṃ — with braced bow; rāmaṃ — Rāma; kruddhaṃ — enraged; ca — and; ripughātinam — slayer of foes; dadarśāśramam — saw (him); the hermitage; āgamya — having come to; kharaḥ — Khara; saha puraḥsaraiḥ — together with (his) vanguard

3.24.2

taṃ dṛṣṭvā saguṇaṃ cāpam udyamya kharaniḥsvanam
rāmasyābhimukhaṃ sūtaṃ codyatām ity acodayat

Seeing him, Khara raised his strung bow of harsh twang and urged his charioteer, “Drive on toward Rāma!”

Words: taṃ — him; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; saguṇaṃ — strung (with bowstring); cāpam — bow; udyamya — having raised; kharaniḥsvanam — of harsh twang; rāmasyābhimukhaṃ — toward Rāma, facing Rāma; sūtaṃ — the charioteer; codyatām — 'let (it) be driven'; ity — thus; acodayat — urged, commanded

3.24.3

sa kharasyājñayā sūtas turagān samacodayat
yatra rāmo mahābāhur eko dhunvan dhanuḥ sthitaḥ

At Khara's command, the charioteer urged on the horses to where the mighty-armed Rāma stood alone, brandishing his bow.

Words: sa — the (that); kharasyājñayā — at Khara's command; sūtas — the charioteer; turagān — the horses; samacodayat — urged on, drove; yatra — where; rāmo — Rāma; mahābāhur — mighty-armed; eko — alone; dhunvan — brandishing, shaking; dhanuḥ — bow; sthitaḥ — stood

3.24.4

taṃ tu niṣpatitaṃ dṛṣṭvā sarve te rajanīcarāḥ
nardamānā mahānādaṃ sacivāḥ paryavārayan

Seeing him (Khara) sallying forth, all those night-roaming ministers, roaring a mighty roar, closed in around (Rāma).

Words: taṃ — him (Khara); tu — and; niṣpatitaṃ — sallying forth, rushing out; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; sarve — all; te — those; rajanīcarāḥ — night-roamers; nardamānā — roaring; mahānādaṃ — a mighty roar; sacivāḥ — the ministers, attendants; paryavārayan — surrounded, encircled

3.24.5

sa teṣāṃ yātudhānānāṃ madhye rato gataḥ kharaḥ
babhūva madhye tārāṇāṃ lohitāṅga ivoditaḥ

Khara, gone into the midst of those yātudhānas and taking his stand there, appeared like Mars (the red-bodied one) risen amid the stars.

Words: sa — he; teṣāṃ — of those; yātudhānānāṃ — of the yātudhānas (demons); madhye — in the midst; rato — delighting, set (in his place); gataḥ — gone; kharaḥ — Khara; babhūva — became, appeared; madhye — in the midst; tārāṇāṃ — of the stars; lohitāṅga — Mars (the red-bodied one); ivoditaḥ — like (one) risen

3.24.6

tatas taṃ bhīmadhanvānaṃ kruddhāḥ sarve niśācarāḥ
rāmaṃ nānāvidhaiḥ śastrair abhyavarṣanta durjayam

Then all the night-roamers, enraged, showered Rāma — of fearsome bow, invincible — with weapons of every kind.

Words: tatas — then; taṃ — him; bhīmadhanvānaṃ — of fearsome bow; kruddhāḥ — enraged; sarve — all; niśācarāḥ — night-roamers; rāmaṃ — Rāma; nānāvidhaiḥ — of various kinds; śastrair — with weapons; abhyavarṣanta — showered, rained upon; durjayam — invincible

3.24.7

mudgarair āyasaiḥ śūlaiḥ prāsaiḥ khaḍgaiḥ paraśvadhaiḥ
rākṣasāḥ samare rāmaṃ nijaghnū roṣatatparāḥ

With iron mallets, spears, javelins, swords, and battle-axes, the rākṣasas, bent on fury, smote Rāma in the battle.

Words: mudgarair — with mallets; āyasaiḥ — of iron; śūlaiḥ — with spears; prāsaiḥ — with javelins, darts; khaḍgaiḥ — with swords; paraśvadhaiḥ — with battle-axes; rākṣasāḥ — the rākṣasas; samare — in the battle; rāmaṃ — Rāma; nijaghnū — struck, smote; roṣatatparāḥ — bent on fury

3.24.8

te balāhakasaṃkāśā mahānādā mahābalāḥ
abhyadhāvanta kākutsthaṃ rāmaṃ yuddhe jighāṃsavaḥ

Those mighty ones, like storm-clouds, of loud roar, rushed upon Kākutstha Rāma, seeking to slay him in the battle.

Words: te — those; balāhakasaṃkāśā — like storm-clouds; mahānādā — of loud roar; mahābalāḥ — mighty; abhyadhāvanta — rushed upon; kākutsthaṃ — Kākutstha (Rāma); rāmaṃ — Rāma; yuddhe — in the battle; jighāṃsavaḥ — seeking to slay

3.24.9

te rāme śaravarṣāṇi vyasṛjan rakṣasāṃ guṇāḥ
śailendram iva dhārābhir varṣamāṇā mahādhanāḥ

The foremost of the rākṣasas, mighty archers, loosed showers of arrows upon Rāma, as clouds pour streams of rain upon the king of mountains.

Words: te — they, those; rāme — on Rāma; śaravarṣāṇi — showers of arrows; vyasṛjan — loosed, let loose; rakṣasāṃ — of the rākṣasas; guṇāḥ — the foremost, chief ones; śailendram — the king of mountains; iva — as, like; dhārābhir — with streams (of rain); varṣamāṇā — pouring, raining; mahādhanāḥ — mighty archers, richly armed

3.24.10

sa taiḥ parivṛto ghorai rāghavo rakṣasāṃ gaṇaiḥ
tithiṣv iva mahādevo vṛtaḥ pāriṣadāṃ gaṇaiḥ

Rāghava, surrounded by those dreadful hosts of rākṣasas, was like Mahādeva (Śiva) on the festival days, encircled by troops of his attendants.

Words: sa — he; taiḥ — by those; parivṛto — surrounded; ghorai — dreadful; rāghavo — Rāghava; rakṣasāṃ — of the rākṣasas; gaṇaiḥ — by the hosts, troops; tithiṣv — on the (festival) lunar days; iva — as, like; mahādevo — Mahādeva (Śiva); vṛtaḥ — surrounded; pāriṣadāṃ — of the attendants (of Śiva); gaṇaiḥ — by troops

3.24.11

tāni muktāni śastrāṇi yātudhānaiḥ sa rāghavaḥ
pratijagrāha viśikhair nadyoghān iva sāgaraḥ

Rāghava received with his arrows those weapons loosed by the yātudhānas, as the ocean receives the floods of the rivers.

Words: tāni — those; muktāni — loosed, hurled; śastrāṇi — weapons; yātudhānaiḥ — by the yātudhānas; sa — he; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; pratijagrāha — received, met, caught; viśikhair — with (his) arrows; nadyoghān — the floods of the rivers; iva — as, like; sāgaraḥ — the ocean

3.24.12

sa taiḥ praharaṇair ghorair bhinnagātro na vivyathe
rāmaḥ pradīptair bahubhir vajrair iva mahācalaḥ

Though his limbs were wounded by those dreadful weapons, Rāma did not falter — like a great mountain unshaken by many blazing thunderbolts.

Words: sa — he; taiḥ — by those; praharaṇair — weapons, blows; ghorair — dreadful; bhinnagātro — his limbs wounded; na vivyathe — did not falter, was not shaken; rāmaḥ — Rāma; pradīptair — blazing; bahubhir — many; vajrair — by thunderbolts; iva — like; mahācalaḥ — a great mountain

3.24.13

sa viddhaḥ kṣatajādigdhaḥ sarvagātreṣu rāghavaḥ
babhūva rāmaḥ saṃdhyābhrair divākara ivāvṛtaḥ

Rāghava, pierced and smeared with blood over all his limbs, became like the sun veiled by the twilight clouds.

Words: sa — he; viddhaḥ — pierced; kṣatajādigdhaḥ — smeared with blood; sarvagātreṣu — over all (his) limbs; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; babhūva — became; rāmaḥ — Rāma; saṃdhyābhrair — by the twilight clouds; divākara — the sun; ivāvṛtaḥ — like (one) veiled

3.24.14

viṣedur devagandharvāḥ siddhāś ca paramarṣayaḥ
ekaṃ sahastrair bahubhis tadā dṛṣṭvā samāvṛtam

The gods, gandharvas, siddhas, and supreme seers grew despondent, seeing one man then beset by many thousands.

Words: viṣedur — grew despondent, were dismayed; devagandharvāḥ — gods and gandharvas; siddhāś — siddhas; ca — and; paramarṣayaḥ — supreme seers; ekaṃ — one (man); sahastrair — by thousands; bahubhis — many; tadā — then; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; samāvṛtam — beset, surrounded

3.24.15

tato rāmaḥ susaṃkruddho maṇḍalīkṛtakārmukaḥ
sasarja niśitān bāṇāñ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ

Then Rāma, greatly enraged, his bow bent into a circle, loosed sharp arrows by the hundreds and thousands.

Words: tato — then; rāmaḥ — Rāma; susaṃkruddho — greatly enraged; maṇḍalīkṛtakārmukaḥ — his bow bent into a circle; sasarja — loosed, discharged; niśitān — sharp; bāṇāñ — arrows; śataśo — by hundreds; 'tha — and, then; sahasraśaḥ — by thousands

3.24.16

durāvārān durviṣahān kālapāśopamān raṇe
mumoca līlayā rāmaḥ kaṅkapatrān ajihmagān

Irresistible, unbearable, like the noose of Death in battle, feathered with heron-plumes and flying straight — such arrows Rāma loosed with ease.

Words: durāvārān — irresistible, hard to ward off; durviṣahān — unbearable, hard to withstand; kālapāśopamān — like the noose of Death; raṇe — in battle; mumoca — loosed, released; līlayā — with ease, playfully; rāmaḥ — Rāma; kaṅkapatrān — feathered with heron-plumes; ajihmagān — flying straight

3.24.17

te śarāḥ śatrusainyeṣu muktā rāmeṇa līlayā
ādadū rakṣasāṃ prāṇān pāśāḥ kālakṛtā iva

Those arrows, loosed with ease by Rāma into the enemy hosts, took away the lives of the rākṣasas like nooses fashioned by Death.

Words: te — those; śarāḥ — arrows; śatrusainyeṣu — into the enemy hosts; muktā — loosed; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; līlayā — with ease; ādadū — took away; rakṣasāṃ — of the rākṣasas; prāṇān — life-breaths, lives; pāśāḥ — nooses; kālakṛtā — fashioned by Death; iva — like

3.24.18

bhittvā rākṣasadehāṃs tāṃs te śarā rudhirāplutāḥ
antarikṣagatā rejur dīptāgnisamatejasaḥ

Piercing those rākṣasa bodies, those arrows, drenched in blood, gleamed in the air, bright as blazing fire.

Words: bhittvā — having pierced; rākṣasadehāṃs — the rākṣasa bodies; tāṃs — those; te — those; śarā — arrows; rudhirāplutāḥ — drenched in blood; antarikṣagatā — gone into the air, midair; rejur — gleamed, shone; dīptāgnisamatejasaḥ — bright as blazing fire

3.24.19

asaṃkhyeyās tu rāmasya sāyakāś cāpamaṇḍalāt
viniṣpetur atīvogrā rakṣaḥ prāṇāpahāriṇaḥ

Countless arrows of Rāma, exceedingly fierce, sped forth from the circle of his bow, carrying off the lives of the rākṣasas.

Words: asaṃkhyeyās — countless; tu — and; rāmasya — of Rāma; sāyakāś — arrows; cāpamaṇḍalāt — from the circle of the bow; viniṣpetur — sped forth, flew out; atīvogrā — exceedingly fierce; rakṣaḥ — of the rākṣasas; prāṇāpahāriṇaḥ — carrying off (their) lives

3.24.20

tair dhanūṃṣi dhvajāgrāṇi varmāṇi ca śirāṃsi ca
bahūn sahastābharaṇān ūrūn karikaropamān

With those (arrows he cut through) bows, banner-tops, and armour, and heads, and many thighs thick as elephants' trunks, with the hands and their ornaments —

Words: tair — with those; dhanūṃṣi — bows; dhvajāgrāṇi — banner-tops; varmāṇi — pieces of armour; ca — and; śirāṃsi — heads; ca — and; bahūn — many; sahastābharaṇān — with hands and ornaments; ūrūn — thighs; karikaropamān — thick as elephants' trunks

3.24.21

tato nālīkanārācais tīkṣṇāgraiś ca vikarṇibhiḥ
bhīmam ārtasvaraṃ cakrur bhidyamānā niśācarāḥ

Then, pierced by nālīka and iron shafts, sharp-tipped and barbed, the night-roamers raised a fearful cry of anguish.

Words: tato — then; nālīkanārācais — with nālīka and iron arrows; tīkṣṇāgraiś — sharp-tipped; ca — and; vikarṇibhiḥ — barbed (arrows); bhīmam — fearful; ārtasvaraṃ — a cry of anguish; cakrur — made, raised; bhidyamānā — being pierced; niśācarāḥ — the night-roamers

3.24.22

tat sainyaṃ niśitair bāṇair arditaṃ marmabhedibhiḥ
rāmeṇa na sukhaṃ lebhe śuṣkaṃ vanam ivāgninā

That army, tormented by Rāma's sharp, vital-piercing arrows, found no ease — like a dry forest set upon by fire.

Words: tat — that; sainyaṃ — army; niśitair — sharp; bāṇair — with arrows; arditaṃ — tormented, afflicted; marmabhedibhiḥ — vital-piercing; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; na sukhaṃ — no ease, no comfort; lebhe — obtained, found; śuṣkaṃ — dry; vanam — forest; ivāgninā — as by fire

3.24.23

ke cid bhīmabalāḥ śūrāḥ śūlān khaḍgān paraśvadhān
cikṣipuḥ paramakruddhā rāmāya rajanīcarāḥ

Some brave night-roamers of terrible strength, in utmost fury, hurled spears, swords, and battle-axes at Rāma.

Words: ke cid — some; bhīmabalāḥ — of terrible strength; śūrāḥ — brave (ones); śūlān — spears; khaḍgān — swords; paraśvadhān — battle-axes; cikṣipuḥ — hurled; paramakruddhā — in utmost fury; rāmāya — at Rāma; rajanīcarāḥ — night-roamers

3.24.24

tāni bāṇair mahābāhuḥ śastrāṇy āvārya rāghavaḥ
jahāra samare prāṇāṃś ciccheda ca śirodharān

Warding off those weapons with his arrows, the mighty-armed Rāghava took their lives in the battle and cut off their necks.

Words: tāni — those; bāṇair — with arrows; mahābāhuḥ — the mighty-armed; śastrāṇy — weapons; āvārya — having warded off; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; jahāra — took away, carried off; samare — in the battle; prāṇāṃś — life-breaths, lives; ciccheda — cut off; ca — and; śirodharān — necks

3.24.25

avaśiṣṭāś ca ye tatra viṣaṇṇāś ca niśācarāḥ
kharam evābhyadhāvanta śaraṇārthaṃ śarārditāḥ

And those night-roamers who remained there, dejected and stricken by his arrows, ran to Khara alone for refuge.

Words: avaśiṣṭāś — who remained, survivors; ca — and; ye — who; tatra — there; viṣaṇṇāś — dejected; ca — and; niśācarāḥ — night-roamers; kharam — to Khara; evābhyadhāvanta — indeed ran to; śaraṇārthaṃ — for refuge; śarārditāḥ — stricken by arrows

3.24.26

tān sarvān punar ādāya samāśvāsya ca dūṣaṇaḥ
abhyadhāvata kākutsthaṃ kruddho rudram ivāntakaḥ

Rallying all of them again and reassuring them, Dūṣaṇa rushed upon Kākutstha, enraged, like Death (Antaka) upon Rudra.

Words: tān — them; sarvān — all; punar — again; ādāya — having taken up, rallied; samāśvāsya — having reassured, comforted; ca — and; dūṣaṇaḥ — Dūṣaṇa; abhyadhāvata — rushed upon; kākutsthaṃ — Kākutstha (Rāma); kruddho — enraged; rudram — Rudra (Śiva); ivāntakaḥ — like Death (Antaka)

3.24.27

nivṛttās tu punaḥ sarve dūṣaṇāśrayanirbhayāḥ
rāmam evābhyadhāvanta sālatālaśilāyudhāḥ

All of them, turning back once more, made fearless by Dūṣaṇa's protection, rushed at Rāma, armed with sāl trees, palmyras, and rocks.

Words: nivṛttās — turned back; tu — and; punaḥ — again; sarve — all; dūṣaṇāśrayanirbhayāḥ — fearless through Dūṣaṇa's protection; rāmam — at Rāma; evābhyadhāvanta — indeed rushed; sālatālaśilāyudhāḥ — armed with sāl trees, palmyras, and rocks

3.24.28

tad babhūvādbhutaṃ yuddhaṃ tumulaṃ romaharṣaṇam
rāmasyāsya mahāghoraṃ punas teṣāṃ ca rakṣasām

Then there was a marvellous, tumultuous, hair-raising, most dreadful battle between this Rāma on the one side and those rākṣasas on the other.

Words: tad — then, that; babhūvādbhutaṃ — there was a marvellous; yuddhaṃ — battle; tumulaṃ — tumultuous; romaharṣaṇam — hair-raising; rāmasyāsya — of this Rāma; mahāghoraṃ — most dreadful; punas — again, on the other hand; teṣāṃ — of those; ca — and; rakṣasām — of the rākṣasas

← 3.23 Rāma prepares to fight alone · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.25 Dūṣaṇa’s death →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.

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