← 3.25 Dūṣaṇa’s death · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.27 Rāma takes up Viṣṇu’s bow →

Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 26: Triśiras loses his three heads

Summary. He takes Khara’s place in battle, Rāma wrecks his chariot and severs his heads, Khara advances himself

Sequence

  1. Triśiras intercepts Khara and asks to fight first, swearing on his weapon that either he or Rāma will die → Khara can return victorious if Rāma falls, or fight afterward if Triśiras fails (3.26.1–5)
  2. Khara gives permission, and Triśiras drives at Rāma, roaring and firing arrows (3.26.6–10)
  3. three arrows strike Rāma's forehead → Rāma mocks their force and answers with fourteen arrows into Triśiras's chest (3.26.11–13)
  4. he kills the four horses, brings down the charioteer, and cuts the standard (3.26.14–15)
  5. as Triśiras jumps from the ruined chariot, Rāma strikes his heart, then severs all three heads with three arrows (3.26.16–18)
  6. surviving troops who have sheltered near Khara flee again → Khara turns them back and charges Rāma himself. (3.26.19–20)

Verses 3.26.1–20

3.26.1

kharaṃ tu rāmābhimukhaṃ prayāntaṃ vāhinīpatiḥ
rākṣasas triśirā nāma saṃnipatyedam abravīt

As Khara was advancing toward Rāma, an army-commander, a rākṣasa named Triśiras, coming up to him, said this:

Words: kharaṃ — Khara; tu — and; rāmābhimukhaṃ — facing Rāma; prayāntaṃ — advancing; vāhinīpatiḥ — the army-commander; rākṣasas — the rākṣasa; triśirā — Triśiras; nāma — by name; saṃnipatyedam — coming up (to him), this; abravīt — said

3.26.2

māṃ niyojaya vikrānta saṃnivartasva sāhasāt
paśya rāmaṃ mahābāhuṃ saṃyuge vinipātitam

“Appoint me to the task, O valiant one; desist from this rash venture; behold the mighty-armed Rāma struck down in battle.

Words: māṃ — me; niyojaya — appoint, commission; vikrānta — O valiant one; saṃnivartasva — turn back, desist; sāhasāt — from (this) rash act; paśya — behold; rāmaṃ — Rāma; mahābāhuṃ — mighty-armed; saṃyuge — in battle; vinipātitam — struck down, felled

3.26.3

pratijānāmi te satyam āyudhaṃ cāham ālabhe
yathā rāmaṃ vadhiṣyāmi vadhārhaṃ sarvarakṣasām

I promise you truly, and I lay my hand on my weapon in oath, that I shall slay Rāma, who deserves death for the sake of all the rākṣasas.

Words: pratijānāmi — I promise; te — to you; satyam — truly, in truth; āyudhaṃ — weapon; cāham — and I; ālabhe — I touch (in oath); yathā — that, so that; rāmaṃ — Rāma; vadhiṣyāmi — I shall slay; vadhārhaṃ — deserving death; sarvarakṣasām — of all the rākṣasas

3.26.4

ahaṃ vāsya raṇe mṛtyur eṣa vā samare mama
vinivartya raṇotsāhaṃ muhūrtaṃ prāśniko bhava

Either I shall be his death in the fray, or he mine in battle; restraining your zeal for battle a moment, be the judge.

Words: ahaṃ — I; vāsya — or of him; raṇe — in the fray; mṛtyur — death; eṣa — he, this one; vā — or; samare — in battle; mama — my, of me; vinivartya — having restrained, held back; raṇotsāhaṃ — zeal for battle; muhūrtaṃ — for a moment; prāśniko — a judge, umpire; bhava — be

3.26.5

prahṛṣṭo vā hate rāme janasthānaṃ prayāsyasi
mayi vā nihate rāmaṃ saṃyugāyopayāsyasi

Either, delighted at Rāma's death, you will go back to Janasthāna; or, should I be slain, you will go against Rāma for battle.

Words: prahṛṣṭo — delighted; vā — either; hate rāme — when Rāma is slain; janasthānaṃ — to Janasthāna; prayāsyasi — you will go; mayi vā nihate — or when I am slain; rāmaṃ — against Rāma; saṃyugāyopayāsyasi — you will go for battle

3.26.6

kharas triśirasā tena mṛtyulobhāt prasāditaḥ
gaccha yudhyety anujñāto rāghavābhimukho yayau

Khara, won over by that Triśiras out of the latter's craving for death, gave leave with “Go, fight!”; and (Triśiras,) so permitted, went to face Rāghava.

Words: kharas — Khara; triśirasā — by Triśiras; tena — by that (one); mṛtyulobhāt — out of (his) craving for death; prasāditaḥ — won over, conciliated; gaccha — go; yudhyety — 'fight'; anujñāto — permitted, given leave; rāghavābhimukho — facing Rāghava; yayau — went

3.26.7

triśirāś ca rathenaiva vājiyuktena bhāsvatā
abhyadravad raṇe rāmaṃ triśṛṅga iva parvataḥ

And Triśiras, on his gleaming chariot yoked with horses, rushed at Rāma in the battle, like a three-peaked mountain.

Words: triśirāś — Triśiras; ca — and; rathenaiva — on the very chariot; vājiyuktena — yoked with horses; bhāsvatā — gleaming, shining; abhyadravad — rushed at; raṇe — in the battle; rāmaṃ — Rāma; triśṛṅga — three-peaked; iva — like; parvataḥ — mountain

3.26.8

śaradhārā samūhān sa mahāmegha ivotsṛjan
vyasṛjat sadṛśaṃ nādaṃ jalārdrasyeva dundubheḥ

Pouring forth masses of arrow-streams like a great cloud, he uttered a roar like that of a rain-soaked kettle-drum.

Words: śaradhārā — arrow-streams; samūhān — masses, heaps; sa — he; mahāmegha — a great cloud; ivotsṛjan — pouring forth like; vyasṛjat — let out, uttered; sadṛśaṃ — similar, like; nādaṃ — roar, sound; jalārdrasyeva — like (that) of a rain-soaked (drum); dundubheḥ — of a kettle-drum

3.26.9

āgacchantaṃ triśirasaṃ rākṣasaṃ prekṣya rāghavaḥ
dhanuṣā pratijagrāha vidhunvan sāyakāñ śitān

Seeing the rākṣasa Triśiras coming on, Rāghava received him with his bow, brandishing sharp arrows.

Words: āgacchantaṃ — coming on, approaching; triśirasaṃ — Triśiras; rākṣasaṃ — the rākṣasa; prekṣya — having seen; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; dhanuṣā — with (his) bow; pratijagrāha — received, met; vidhunvan — brandishing, shaking; sāyakāñ — arrows; śitān — sharp

3.26.10

sa saṃprahāras tumulo rāma triśirasor mahān
babhūvātīva balinoḥ siṃhakuñjarayor iva

That tumultuous, mighty clash between Rāma and Triśiras grew exceedingly fierce, like a fight between a lion and an elephant, both strong.

Words: sa — that; saṃprahāras — clash, encounter; tumulo — tumultuous; rāma — of Rāma (and); triśirasor — of Triśiras (dual); mahān — great; babhūvātīva — grew exceedingly; balinoḥ — of the two strong ones; siṃhakuñjarayor — of a lion and an elephant; iva — like

3.26.11

tatas triśirasā bāṇair lalāṭe tāḍitas tribhiḥ
amarṣī kupito rāmaḥ saṃrabdham idam abravīt

Then, struck on the forehead by Triśiras with three arrows, the indignant Rāma, enraged, said this in fury:

Words: tatas — then; triśirasā — by Triśiras; bāṇair — with arrows; lalāṭe — on the forehead; tāḍitas — struck; tribhiḥ — with three; amarṣī — the indignant one; kupito — enraged; rāmaḥ — Rāma; saṃrabdham — furiously, in agitation; idam — this; abravīt — said

3.26.12

aho vikramaśūrasya rākṣasasyedṛśaṃ balam
puṣpair iva śarair yasya lalāṭe 'smi parikṣataḥ
mamāpi pratigṛhṇīṣva śarāṃś cāpaguṇacyutān

“Ah, such is the strength of this rākṣasa, valiant in prowess, by whose arrows — as if with flowers — I have been wounded on the forehead! Now receive my arrows too, sped from my bowstring.

Words: aho — ah! (exclamation); vikramaśūrasya — of (this rākṣasa) valiant in prowess; rākṣasasyedṛśaṃ — of the rākṣasa, such; balam — strength; puṣpair — with flowers; iva — as if, like; śarair — with arrows; yasya — by whose; lalāṭe — on the forehead; 'smi — I am; parikṣataḥ — wounded, torn; mamāpi — of mine too; pratigṛhṇīṣva — receive; śarāṃś — arrows; cāpaguṇacyutān — sped from the bowstring

3.26.13

evam uktvā tu saṃrabdhaḥ śarān āśīviṣopamān
triśiro vakṣasi kruddho nijaghāna caturdaśa

So saying, the furious one, enraged, struck fourteen arrows, like venomous serpents, into the breast of Triśiras.

Words: evam uktvā — having spoken thus; tu — and; saṃrabdhaḥ — furious, agitated; śarān — arrows; āśīviṣopamān — like venomous serpents; triśiro — of Triśiras; vakṣasi — in the breast; kruddho — enraged; nijaghāna — struck, smote; caturdaśa — fourteen

3.26.14

caturbhis turagān asya śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ
nyapātayata tejasvī caturas tasya vājinaḥ

With four smooth-jointed arrows the resplendent one brought down his four horses.

Words: caturbhis — with four; turagān — horses; asya — his; śaraiḥ — with arrows; saṃnataparvabhiḥ — smooth-jointed; nyapātayata — brought down, felled; tejasvī — the resplendent one; caturas — four; tasya — his; vājinaḥ — horses

3.26.15

aṣṭabhiḥ sāyakaiḥ sūtaṃ rathopasthe nyapātayat
rāmaś ciccheda bāṇena dhvajaṃ cāsya samucchritam

With eight arrows Rāma felled the charioteer from the chariot-seat, and with an arrow cut down his banner raised aloft.

Words: aṣṭabhiḥ — with eight; sāyakaiḥ — with arrows; sūtaṃ — the charioteer; rathopasthe — on the chariot-seat; nyapātayat — felled, brought down; rāmaś — Rāma; ciccheda — cut down; bāṇena — with an arrow; dhvajaṃ — banner; cāsya — and his; samucchritam — raised aloft

3.26.16

tato hatarathāt tasmād utpatantaṃ niśācaram
bibheda rāmas taṃ bāṇair hṛdaye so 'bhavaj jaḍaḥ

Then, as the night-roamer leapt out from that ruined chariot, Rāma pierced him in the heart with arrows, and he became senseless.

Words: tato — then; hatarathāt — from the ruined chariot; tasmād — from that; utpatantaṃ — leaping out, springing up; niśācaram — the night-roamer; bibheda — pierced; rāmas — Rāma; taṃ — him; bāṇair — with arrows; hṛdaye — in the heart; so 'bhavaj — he became; jaḍaḥ — senseless, stupefied

3.26.17

sāyakaiś cāprameyātmā sāmarṣas tasya rakṣasaḥ
śirāṃsy apātayat trīṇi vegavadbhis tribhiḥ śataiḥ

And the one of immeasurable spirit, indignant, with three swift arrows brought down the three heads of that rākṣasa.

Words: sāyakaiś — with arrows; cāprameyātmā — and the one of immeasurable spirit; sāmarṣas — indignant, wrathful; tasya — his; rakṣasaḥ — of the rākṣasa; śirāṃsy — heads; apātayat — brought down, felled; trīṇi — three; vegavadbhis — swift; tribhiḥ — three; śataiḥ — arrows (lit. hundreds)

3.26.18

sa bhūmau śoṇitodgārī rāmabāṇābhipīḍitaḥ
nyapatat patitaiḥ pūrvaṃ svaśirobhir niśācaraḥ

Spewing blood, tormented by Rāma's arrows, the night-roamer fell to the ground, his own heads having fallen first.

Words: sa — he; bhūmau — on the ground; śoṇitodgārī — spewing blood; rāmabāṇābhipīḍitaḥ — tormented by Rāma's arrows; nyapatat — fell down; patitaiḥ — fallen; pūrvaṃ — before, first; svaśirobhir — with his own heads; niśācaraḥ — the night-roamer

3.26.19

hataśeṣās tato bhagnā rākṣasāḥ kharasaṃśrayāḥ
dravanti sma na tiṣṭhanti vyāghratrastā mṛgā iva

Then the rākṣasas who survived, routed, who had taken refuge with Khara, fled and did not stand their ground, like deer terrified by a tiger.

Words: hataśeṣās — the survivors (left from the slaughter); tato — then; bhagnā — routed, broken; rākṣasāḥ — the rākṣasas; kharasaṃśrayāḥ — who had taken refuge with Khara; dravanti sma — fled, ran; na tiṣṭhanti — did not stand; vyāghratrastā — terrified by a tiger; mṛgā — deer; iva — like

3.26.20

tān kharo dravato dṛṣṭvā nivartya ruṣitaḥ svayam
rāmam evābhidudrāva rāhuś candramasaṃ yathā

Seeing them fleeing, Khara, enraged, turned them back himself and rushed straight at Rāma, as Rāhu at the moon.

Words: tān — them; kharo — Khara; dravato — fleeing; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; nivartya — having turned (them) back; ruṣitaḥ — angered, enraged; svayam — himself; rāmam — at Rāma; evābhidudrāva — rushed straight (at); rāhuś — Rāhu; candramasaṃ — the moon; yathā — as, like

← 3.25 Dūṣaṇa’s death · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.27 Rāma takes up Viṣṇu’s bow →

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.

Plain text: /text/3/26.md · JSON: /data/3/26.json