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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 27: Rāma takes up Viṣṇu’s bow

Summary. Khara breaks his bow and shoots away his armour, Rāma uses Agastya’s gift to destroy Khara’s chariot and bow

Sequence

  1. Seeing Dūṣaṇa, Triśiras, and most of his army dead, Khara feels fear but advances (3.27.1–3)
  2. the two exchange such dense volleys that their arrows hide the sky and sun (3.27.4–9)
  3. Khara wounds Rāma while maneuvering his chariot, but Rāma remains undaunted (3.27.10–13)
  4. Khara cuts Rāma's bow at the grip and strikes his armor with seven arrows, making it fall away (3.27.14–16)
  5. bloodied and angry, Rāma takes up the bow of Viṣṇu received from Agastya (3.27.17–19)
  6. he cuts down Khara's standard (3.27.20–21)
  7. Khara wounds him again, and Rāma replies with six arrows to Khara's head, arms, and chest (3.27.22–25)
  8. with thirteen further arrows, Rāma breaks the chariot's yoke, kills its horses and driver, cuts its pole and axle, destroys Khara's bow, and wounds him (3.27.26–28)
  9. Khara jumps down holding a mace → the Devas and munis applaud Rāma's feat. (3.27.29–30)

Verses 3.27.1–30

3.27.1

nihataṃ dūṣaṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā raṇe triśirasā saha
kharasyāpy abhavat trāso dṛṣṭvā rāmasya vikramam

Seeing Dūṣaṇa slain in battle along with Triśiras, and seeing Rāma's prowess, terror came even upon Khara.

Words: nihataṃ — slain; dūṣaṇaṃ — Dūṣaṇa; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; raṇe — in battle; triśirasā saha — along with Triśiras; kharasyāpy — of Khara even; abhavat — arose, came to be; trāso — terror; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; rāmasya — of Rāma; vikramam — prowess, valour

3.27.2

sa dṛṣṭvā rākṣasaṃ sainyam aviṣahyaṃ mahābalam
hatam ekena rāmeṇa dūṣaṇas triśirā api

Seeing the rākṣasa army, irresistible and mighty, slain by Rāma alone — and Dūṣaṇa and Triśiras too —

Words: sa — he; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; rākṣasaṃ — rākṣasa; sainyam — army; aviṣahyaṃ — irresistible, unbearable; mahābalam — mighty; hatam — slain; ekena — by one, alone; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; dūṣaṇas — Dūṣaṇa; triśirā — Triśiras; api — too, also

3.27.3

tad balaṃ hatabhūyiṣṭhaṃ vimanāḥ prekṣya rākṣasaḥ
āsasāda kharo rāmaṃ namucir vāsavaṃ yathā

Seeing that host for the most part slain, the rākṣasa Khara, dejected, bore down on Rāma, as Namuci upon Vāsava (Indra).

Words: tad — that; balaṃ — host, army; hatabhūyiṣṭhaṃ — for the most part slain; vimanāḥ — dejected, downcast; prekṣya — having seen; rākṣasaḥ — the rākṣasa; āsasāda — bore down on, attacked; kharo — Khara; rāmaṃ — Rāma; namucir — Namuci (a demon); vāsavaṃ — Vāsava (Indra); yathā — as, like

3.27.4

vikṛṣya balavac cāpaṃ nārācān raktabhojanān
kharaś cikṣepa rāmāya kruddhān āśīviṣān iva

Drawing his bow mightily, Khara hurled at Rāma blood-drinking iron arrows, like angry venomous serpents.

Words: vikṛṣya — having drawn; balavac — mightily, forcefully; cāpaṃ — bow; nārācān — iron arrows; raktabhojanān — blood-drinking; kharaś — Khara; cikṣepa — hurled; rāmāya — at Rāma; kruddhān — angry; āśīviṣān — venomous serpents; iva — like

3.27.5

jyāṃ vidhunvan subahuśaḥ śikṣayāstrāṇi darśayan
cacāra samare mārgāñ śarai rathagataḥ kharaḥ

Twanging his bowstring again and again, displaying his weapons with skill, Khara, mounted on his chariot, ranged over the courses of battle with his arrows.

Words: jyāṃ — the bowstring; vidhunvan — twanging, shaking; subahuśaḥ — again and again; śikṣayāstrāṇi — the weapons, with skill; darśayan — displaying, showing; cacāra — ranged, moved; samare — in the battle; mārgāñ — the courses, paths (of weaponry); śarai — with arrows; rathagataḥ — mounted on the chariot; kharaḥ — Khara

3.27.6

sa sarvāś ca diśo bāṇaiḥ pradiśaś ca mahārathaḥ
pūrayām āsa taṃ dṛṣṭvā rāmo 'pi sumahad dhanuḥ

That great warrior filled all the quarters and the intermediate quarters with arrows; seeing him, Rāma too (raised) his very great bow.

Words: sa — he; sarvāś — all; ca — and; diśo — the quarters; bāṇaiḥ — with arrows; pradiśaś — the intermediate quarters; ca — and; mahārathaḥ — the great warrior; pūrayām āsa — filled; taṃ — him; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; rāmo 'pi — Rāma too; sumahad — very great; dhanuḥ — bow

3.27.7

sa sāyakair durviṣahaiḥ sasphuliṅgair ivāgnibhiḥ
nabhaś cakārāvivaraṃ parjanya iva vṛṣṭibhiḥ

With his unbearable arrows, like fires spitting sparks, he made the sky gapless, as the rain-god fills it with showers.

Words: sa — he; sāyakair — with arrows; durviṣahaiḥ — unbearable, hard to withstand; sasphuliṅgair — spitting sparks; ivāgnibhiḥ — like fires; nabhaś — the sky; cakārāvivaraṃ — made gapless (dense); parjanya — the rain-god, rain-cloud; iva — as, like; vṛṣṭibhiḥ — with showers of rain

3.27.8

tad babhūva śitair bāṇaiḥ khararāmavisarjitaiḥ
paryākāśam anākāśaṃ sarvataḥ śarasaṃkulam

With the sharp arrows loosed by Khara and Rāma, the surrounding sky became no-sky, choked on every side with arrows.

Words: tad — that, then; babhūva — became; śitair — sharp; bāṇaiḥ — with arrows; khararāmavisarjitaiḥ — loosed by Khara and Rāma; paryākāśam — the surrounding sky; anākāśaṃ — no-sky, without open space; sarvataḥ — on every side; śarasaṃkulam — choked with arrows

3.27.9

śarajālāvṛtaḥ sūryo na tadā sma prakāśate
anyonyavadhasaṃrambhād ubhayoḥ saṃprayudhyatoḥ

Veiled in a net of arrows, the sun then did not shine, so furious for each other's death were the two as they fought.

Words: śarajālāvṛtaḥ — veiled in a net of arrows; sūryo — the sun; na — not; tadā — then; sma — (past particle); prakāśate — shines; anyonyavadhasaṃrambhād — out of fury for each other's death; ubhayoḥ — of the two; saṃprayudhyatoḥ — as they fought together

3.27.10

tato nālīkanārācais tīkṣṇāgraiś ca vikarṇibhiḥ
ājaghāna raṇe rāmaṃ totrair iva mahādvipam

Then with nālīka and iron arrows, sharp-tipped and barbed, he struck Rāma in the battle, as a driver goads a great elephant.

Words: tato — then; nālīkanārācais — with nālīka and iron arrows; tīkṣṇāgraiś — sharp-tipped; ca — and; vikarṇibhiḥ — barbed (arrows); ājaghāna — struck; raṇe — in the battle; rāmaṃ — Rāma; totrair — with goads; iva — as, like; mahādvipam — a great elephant

3.27.11

taṃ rathasthaṃ dhanuṣpāṇiṃ rākṣasaṃ paryavasthitam
dadṛśuḥ sarvabhūtāni pāśahastam ivāntakam

All beings saw that rākṣasa, standing on his chariot, bow in hand, poised for combat, like Death with noose in hand.

Words: taṃ — that, him; rathasthaṃ — standing on the chariot; dhanuṣpāṇiṃ — bow in hand; rākṣasaṃ — the rākṣasa; paryavasthitam — poised, standing ready; dadṛśuḥ — saw; sarvabhūtāni — all beings; pāśahastam — with noose in hand; ivāntakam — like Death (Antaka)

3.27.12

taṃ siṃham iva vikrāntaṃ siṃhavikrāntagāminam
dṛṣṭvā nodvijate rāmaḥ siṃhaḥ kṣudramṛgaṃ yathā

Seeing him, valiant as a lion, moving with a lion's stride, Rāma was no more dismayed than a lion at a small deer.

Words: taṃ — him; siṃham iva — like a lion; vikrāntaṃ — valiant, striding; siṃhavikrāntagāminam — moving with a lion's stride; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; nodvijate — is not dismayed, does not tremble; rāmaḥ — Rāma; siṃhaḥ — a lion; kṣudramṛgaṃ — a small deer; yathā — as, like

3.27.13

tataḥ sūryanikāśena rathena mahatā kharaḥ
āsasāda raṇe rāmaṃ pataṅga iva pāvakam

Then Khara, on his great sun-like chariot, bore down on Rāma in the battle, like a moth upon a flame.

Words: tataḥ — then; sūryanikāśena — sun-like; rathena — on the chariot; mahatā — great; kharaḥ — Khara; āsasāda — bore down on, approached; raṇe — in the battle; rāmaṃ — Rāma; pataṅga — a moth, insect; iva — like; pāvakam — fire, flame

3.27.14

tato 'sya saśaraṃ cāpaṃ muṣṭideśe mahātmanaḥ
kharaś ciccheda rāmasya darśayan pāṇilāghavam

Then Khara, displaying his dexterity of hand, cut the great-souled Rāma's bow, arrow and all, at the grip.

Words: tato — then; 'sya — his; saśaraṃ — with the arrow; cāpaṃ — bow; muṣṭideśe — at the grip (place of the fist); mahātmanaḥ — of the great-souled; kharaś — Khara; ciccheda — cut; rāmasya — of Rāma; darśayan — displaying, showing; pāṇilāghavam — dexterity of hand, nimbleness

3.27.15

sa punas tv aparān sapta śarān ādāya varmaṇi
nijaghāna raṇe kruddhaḥ śakrāśanisamaprabhān

He (Khara), enraged, taking up seven more arrows, bright as Indra's thunderbolt, struck (Rāma) on the armour in the battle.

Words: sa — he; punas — again; tv — and; aparān — other, more; sapta — seven; śarān — arrows; ādāya — having taken; varmaṇi — on the armour; nijaghāna — struck; raṇe — in the battle; kruddhaḥ — enraged; śakrāśanisamaprabhān — bright as Indra's thunderbolt

3.27.16

tatas tat prahataṃ bāṇaiḥ kharamuktaiḥ suparvabhiḥ
papāta kavacaṃ bhūmau rāmasyādityavarcasaḥ

Then, struck by the well-jointed arrows loosed by Khara, the armour of Rāma, splendid as the sun, fell to the ground.

Words: tatas — then; tat — that; prahataṃ — struck; bāṇaiḥ — by the arrows; kharamuktaiḥ — loosed by Khara; suparvabhiḥ — well-jointed; papāta — fell; kavacaṃ — armour; bhūmau — on the ground; rāmasyādityavarcasaḥ — of Rāma, splendid as the sun

3.27.17

sa śarair arpitaḥ kruddhaḥ sarvagātreṣu rāghavaḥ
rarāja samare rāmo vidhūmo 'gnir iva jvalan

Rāghava, struck with arrows over all his limbs, enraged, blazed in the battle like a smokeless fire flaming up.

Words: sa — he; śarair — with arrows; arpitaḥ — struck, pierced (fixed); kruddhaḥ — enraged; sarvagātreṣu — over all (his) limbs; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; rarāja — blazed, shone; samare — in the battle; rāmo — Rāma; vidhūmo — smokeless; 'gnir — fire; iva — like; jvalan — flaming, blazing

3.27.18

tato gambhīranirhrādaṃ rāmaḥ śatrunibarhaṇaḥ
cakārāntāya sa ripoḥ sajyam anyan mahad dhanuḥ

Then Rāma, crusher of foes, strung another great bow of deep-thundering twang for the destruction of his enemy.

Words: tato — then; gambhīranirhrādaṃ — of deep-thundering (twang); rāmaḥ — Rāma; śatrunibarhaṇaḥ — crusher of foes; cakārāntāya — made (it ready), for the destruction; sa — he; ripoḥ — of the enemy; sajyam — strung; anyan — another; mahad — great; dhanuḥ — bow

3.27.19

sumahad vaiṣṇavaṃ yat tad atisṛṣṭaṃ maharṣiṇā
varaṃ tad dhanur udyamya kharaṃ samabhidhāvata

Raising that mighty, excellent bow of Viṣṇu, which had been bestowed on him by the great sage, he rushed upon Khara.

Words: sumahad — very great, mighty; vaiṣṇavaṃ — of Viṣṇu, belonging to Viṣṇu; yat — which; tad — that; atisṛṣṭaṃ — bestowed, given; maharṣiṇā — by the great sage; varaṃ — excellent, choice; tad — that; dhanur — bow; udyamya — having raised; kharaṃ — Khara; samabhidhāvata — rushed upon

3.27.20

tataḥ kanakapuṅkhais tu śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ
ciccheda rāmaḥ saṃkruddhaḥ kharasya samare dhvajam

Then Rāma, greatly enraged, with gold-shafted, smooth-jointed arrows, cut down Khara's banner in the battle.

Words: tataḥ — then; kanakapuṅkhais — gold-shafted; tu — and; śaraiḥ — with arrows; saṃnataparvabhiḥ — smooth-jointed; ciccheda — cut down; rāmaḥ — Rāma; saṃkruddhaḥ — greatly enraged; kharasya — of Khara; samare — in the battle; dhvajam — banner

3.27.21

sa darśanīyo bahudhā vicchinnaḥ kāñcano dhvajaḥ
jagāma dharaṇīṃ sūryo devatānām ivājñayā

That splendid golden banner, cut into many pieces, fell to the earth, like the sun brought down by the command of the gods.

Words: sa — that; darśanīyo — splendid, fair to see; bahudhā — in many (pieces); vicchinnaḥ — cut, severed; kāñcano — golden; dhvajaḥ — banner; jagāma — went, fell; dharaṇīṃ — to the earth; sūryo — the sun; devatānām — of the gods; ivājñayā — as by the command

3.27.22

taṃ caturbhiḥ kharaḥ kruddho rāmaṃ gātreṣu mārgaṇaiḥ
vivyādha hṛdi marmajño mātaṅgam iva tomaraiḥ

Khara, enraged and knowing the vital spots, pierced Rāma in the limbs and in the heart with four arrows, as a driver pierces an elephant with lances.

Words: taṃ — him; caturbhiḥ — with four; kharaḥ — Khara; kruddho — enraged; rāmaṃ — Rāma; gātreṣu — in the limbs; mārgaṇaiḥ — with arrows; vivyādha — pierced; hṛdi — in the heart; marmajño — knowing the vital spots; mātaṅgam — an elephant; iva — as, like; tomaraiḥ — with lances, goads

3.27.23

sa rāmo bahubhir bāṇaiḥ kharakārmukaniḥsṛtaiḥ
viddho rudhirasiktāṅgo babhūva ruṣito bhṛśam

Rāma, pierced by many arrows sped from Khara's bow, his limbs bathed in blood, grew exceedingly enraged.

Words: sa — that; rāmo — Rāma; bahubhir — many; bāṇaiḥ — with arrows; kharakārmukaniḥsṛtaiḥ — sped from Khara's bow; viddho — pierced; rudhirasiktāṅgo — his limbs bathed in blood; babhūva — became; ruṣito — enraged; bhṛśam — exceedingly

3.27.24

sa dhanur dhanvināṃ śreṣṭhaḥ pragṛhya paramāhave
mumoca parameṣvāsaḥ ṣaṭ śarān abhilakṣitān

That best of bowmen, the supreme archer, grasping his bow in the great combat, loosed six well-aimed arrows.

Words: sa — he; dhanur — bow; dhanvināṃ — of bowmen; śreṣṭhaḥ — the best; pragṛhya — having grasped; paramāhave — in the great combat; mumoca — loosed; parameṣvāsaḥ — the supreme archer; ṣaṭ — six; śarān — arrows; abhilakṣitān — well-aimed, marked out

3.27.25

śirasy ekena bāṇena dvābhyāṃ bāhvor athārpayat
tribhiś candrārdhavaktraiś ca vakṣasy abhijaghāna ha

With one arrow he struck (Khara) on the head, with two on the arms, and with three crescent-headed arrows he smote him on the breast.

Words: śirasy — on the head; ekena — with one; bāṇena — arrow; dvābhyāṃ — with two; bāhvor — on the (two) arms; athārpayat — then he struck, fixed; tribhiś — with three; candrārdhavaktraiś — crescent-headed; ca — and; vakṣasy — on the breast; abhijaghāna — smote, struck; ha — indeed

3.27.26

tataḥ paścān mahātejā nārācān bhāskaropamān
jighāṃsū rākṣasaṃ kruddhas trayodaśa śilāśitān

Then afterwards the greatly resplendent one, enraged, seeking to slay the rākṣasa, (took up) thirteen iron arrows bright as the sun, whetted on stone.

Words: tataḥ paścān — then afterwards; mahātejā — the greatly resplendent one; nārācān — iron arrows; bhāskaropamān — bright as the sun; jighāṃsū — seeking to slay; rākṣasaṃ — the rākṣasa; kruddhas — enraged; trayodaśa — thirteen; śilāśitān — whetted on stone

3.27.27

tato 'sya yugam ekena caturbhiś caturo hayān
ṣaṣṭhena ca śiraḥ saṃkhye ciccheda kharasāratheḥ

Then with one arrow he cut his yoke, with four the four horses, and with the sixth he cut off, in battle, the head of Khara's charioteer.

Words: tato — then; 'sya — his; yugam — the yoke; ekena — with one; caturbhiś — with four; caturo — four; hayān — horses; ṣaṣṭhena — with the sixth; ca — and; śiraḥ — the head; saṃkhye — in battle; ciccheda — cut off; kharasāratheḥ — of Khara's charioteer

3.27.28

tribhis triveṇuṃ balavān dvābhyām akṣaṃ mahābalaḥ
dvādaśena tu bāṇena kharasya saśaraṃ dhanuḥ
chittvā vajranikāśena rāghavaḥ prahasann iva
trayodaśenendrasamo bibheda samare kharam

With three arrows the mighty one cut the chariot's triple pole, with two the axle, and with a twelfth arrow like a thunderbolt he cut Khara's bow, arrow and all; then Rāghava, the equal of Indra, as if smiling, pierced Khara with the thirteenth in the battle.

Words: tribhis — with three; triveṇuṃ — the triple pole (of the chariot); balavān — the strong one; dvābhyām — with two; akṣaṃ — the axle; mahābalaḥ — the mighty one; dvādaśena — with the twelfth; tu — and; bāṇena — arrow; kharasya — of Khara; saśaraṃ — with the arrow; dhanuḥ — bow; chittvā — having cut; vajranikāśena — like a thunderbolt; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; prahasann — as if smiling; iva — as if; trayodaśenendrasamo — with the thirteenth, the equal of Indra; bibheda — pierced; samare — in the battle; kharam — Khara

3.27.29

prabhagnadhanvā viratho hatāśvo hatasārathiḥ
gadāpāṇir avaplutya tasthau bhūmau kharas tadā

His bow shattered, his chariot gone, his horses slain, his charioteer killed, Khara then, mace in hand, leapt down and stood upon the ground.

Words: prabhagnadhanvā — his bow shattered; viratho — without a chariot; hatāśvo — his horses slain; hatasārathiḥ — his charioteer killed; gadāpāṇir — mace in hand; avaplutya — having leapt down; tasthau — stood; bhūmau — on the ground; kharas — Khara; tadā — then

3.27.30

tat karma rāmasya mahārathasya sametya devāś ca maharṣayaś ca
apūjayan prāñjalayaḥ prahṛṣṭās tadā vimānāgragatāḥ sametāḥ

That deed of Rāma, the great warrior, the gods and great seers, coming together, applauded — delighted, with palms joined, then assembled at the fronts of their celestial cars.

Words: tat — that; karma — deed; rāmasya — of Rāma; mahārathasya — of the great warrior; sametya — having come together; devāś — the gods; ca — and; maharṣayaś — the great seers; ca — and; apūjayan — applauded, honoured; prāñjalayaḥ — with palms joined; prahṛṣṭās — delighted; tadā — then; vimānāgragatāḥ — stationed at the fronts of their celestial cars; sametāḥ — assembled, gathered

← 3.26 Triśiras loses his three heads · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.28 Khara’s mace destroyed →

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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