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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 28: Khara’s mace destroyed
Summary. Rāma condemns his attacks on the ṛṣis, Khara throws a blazing mace and Rāma shatters it with arrows
Sequence
- Facing the now dismounted Khara, Rāma condemns his cruelty and the killing of tapasvins → he says power cannot protect someone forever from the consequences of such actions (3.28.1–9)
- he declares that he has come to punish those who harm others and that Khara will now face the fate of his victims (3.28.10–14)
- Khara answers that killing ordinary troops is no reason to boast → he claims that his mace is enough to kill Rāma and cuts the argument short because sunset would interrupt their fight (3.28.15–23)
- promising to avenge the fourteen thousand, he throws the blazing mace (3.28.24–25)
- it burns trees and bushes as it flies toward Rāma → Rāma breaks it into pieces with arrows before it reaches him. (3.28.26–28)
Verses 3.28.1–28
3.28.1
kharaṃ tu virathaṃ rāmo gadāpāṇim avasthitam
mṛdupūrvaṃ mahātejāḥ paruṣaṃ vākyam abravīt
To Khara, chariotless, standing mace in hand, the greatly resplendent Rāma spoke harsh words, though mildly prefaced:
Words: kharaṃ — Khara; tu — and; virathaṃ — chariotless; rāmo — Rāma; gadāpāṇim — mace in hand; avasthitam — standing; mṛdupūrvaṃ — gently prefaced, mildly begun; mahātejāḥ — the greatly resplendent one; paruṣaṃ — harsh; vākyam — words; abravīt — spoke
3.28.2
gajāśvarathasaṃbādhe bale mahati tiṣṭhatā
kṛtaṃ sudāruṇaṃ karma sarvalokajugupsitam
“Standing amid a great army thronging with elephants, horses, and chariots, you have done a most cruel deed, abhorred by all the world.
Words: gajāśvarathasaṃbādhe — thronging with elephants, horses, and chariots; bale — in an army; mahati — great; tiṣṭhatā — by (you) standing; kṛtaṃ — done; sudāruṇaṃ — most cruel; karma — deed; sarvalokajugupsitam — abhorred by all the world
3.28.3
udvejanīyo bhūtānāṃ nṛśaṃsaḥ pāpakarmakṛt
trayāṇām api lokānām īśvaro 'pi na tiṣṭhati
One who is a terror to creatures, cruel, a doer of evil deeds, cannot survive, even were he the lord of all three worlds.
Words: udvejanīyo — one to be dreaded, a terror; bhūtānāṃ — to creatures; nṛśaṃsaḥ — cruel, malignant; pāpakarmakṛt — a doer of evil deeds; trayāṇām — of the three; api — even; lokānām — of the worlds; īśvaro — the lord; 'pi — even; na tiṣṭhati — does not endure, survive
3.28.4
karma lokaviruddhaṃ tu kurvāṇaṃ kṣaṇadācara
tīkṣṇaṃ sarvajano hanti sarpaṃ duṣṭam ivāgatam
One who does a deed against the world, O night-roamer, all people, fierce as they are, kill, as they kill a venomous serpent that has come near.
Words: karma — a deed; lokaviruddhaṃ — against the world; tu — indeed; kurvāṇaṃ — one doing; kṣaṇadācara — O night-roamer; tīkṣṇaṃ — fierce, sharp; sarvajano — all people; hanti — kills; sarpaṃ — a serpent; duṣṭam — venomous, wicked; ivāgatam — as (one) that has come
3.28.5
lobhāt pāpāni kurvāṇaḥ kāmād vā yo na budhyate
bhraṣṭaḥ paśyati tasyāntaṃ brāhmaṇī karakād iva
He who, doing evil out of greed or lust, does not come to his senses, being fallen, sees his own end — as a brahmin woman is ruined by a karaka. [simile obscure]
Words: lobhāt — out of greed; pāpāni — evil deeds; kurvāṇaḥ — doing; kāmād — out of lust; vā — or; yo — who; na budhyate — does not come to his senses; bhraṣṭaḥ — fallen, ruined; paśyati — sees; tasyāntaṃ — his end; brāhmaṇī — a brahmin woman; karakād — from a karaka (hailstone / fatal thing); iva — as, like
3.28.6
vasato daṇḍakāraṇye tāpasān dharmacāriṇaḥ
kiṃ nu hatvā mahābhāgān phalaṃ prāpsyasi rākṣasa
By slaying the illustrious ascetics who dwell in the Daṇḍaka forest, practising dharma, what fruit will you gain, rākṣasa?
Words: vasato — dwelling; daṇḍakāraṇye — in the Daṇḍaka forest; tāpasān — ascetics; dharmacāriṇaḥ — practising dharma; kiṃ nu — what indeed; hatvā — having slain; mahābhāgān — the illustrious, greatly fortunate; phalaṃ — fruit, reward; prāpsyasi — will you gain; rākṣasa — O rākṣasa
3.28.7
na ciraṃ pāpakarmāṇaḥ krūrā lokajugupsitāḥ
aiśvaryaṃ prāpya tiṣṭhanti śīrṇamūlā iva drumāḥ
Doers of evil, cruel, abhorred by the world, do not stand long after gaining power, like trees whose roots have rotted.
Words: na ciraṃ — not long; pāpakarmāṇaḥ — doers of evil; krūrā — cruel; lokajugupsitāḥ — abhorred by the world; aiśvaryaṃ — power, lordship; prāpya — having gained; tiṣṭhanti — stand, endure; śīrṇamūlā — with rotted roots; iva — like; drumāḥ — trees
3.28.8
avaśyaṃ labhate kartā phalaṃ pāpasya karmaṇaḥ
ghoraṃ paryāgate kāle drumaḥ puṣpam ivārtavam
The doer inevitably reaps the dreadful fruit of an evil deed when the time comes round, as a tree bears its seasonal blossom.
Words: avaśyaṃ — inevitably, necessarily; labhate — obtains, reaps; kartā — the doer; phalaṃ — fruit; pāpasya — of the evil; karmaṇaḥ — deed; ghoraṃ — dreadful; paryāgate kāle — when the time comes round; drumaḥ — a tree; puṣpam — blossom; ivārtavam — like (its) seasonal (flower)
3.28.9
nacirāt prāpyate loke pāpānāṃ karmaṇāṃ phalam
saviṣāṇām ivānnānāṃ bhuktānāṃ kṣaṇadācara
Before long, in this world, the fruit of evil deeds is reaped, O night-roamer, as the effect of poisoned foods that have been eaten.
Words: nacirāt — before long, soon; prāpyate — is obtained, reaped; loke — in the world; pāpānāṃ — of evil; karmaṇāṃ — of deeds; phalam — fruit; saviṣāṇām — poisoned; ivānnānāṃ — as of foods; bhuktānāṃ — eaten; kṣaṇadācara — O night-roamer
3.28.10
pāpam āccaratāṃ ghoraṃ lokasyāpriyam icchatām
aham āsādito rājā prāṇān hantuṃ niśācara
For those committing dreadful evil and wishing harm to the world, I, the king, have come to take their lives, O night-roamer.
Words: pāpam — evil; āccaratāṃ — of those committing; ghoraṃ — dreadful; lokasyāpriyam — harm to the world; icchatām — of those wishing; aham — I; āsādito — have come, arrived; rājā — the king; prāṇān — the life-breaths, lives; hantuṃ — to take, slay; niśācara — O night-roamer
3.28.11
adya hi tvāṃ mayā muktāḥ śarāḥ kāñcanabhūṣaṇāḥ
vidārya nipatiṣyanti valmīkam iva pannagāḥ
For today the gold-adorned arrows loosed by me shall tear you and plunge in, as serpents enter an anthill.
Words: adya — today; hi — for; tvāṃ — you; mayā — by me; muktāḥ — loosed; śarāḥ — arrows; kāñcanabhūṣaṇāḥ — gold-adorned; vidārya — having torn; nipatiṣyanti — will fall into, plunge; valmīkam — an anthill; iva — as, like; pannagāḥ — serpents
3.28.12
ye tvayā daṇḍakāraṇye bhakṣitā dharmacāriṇaḥ
tān adya nihataḥ saṃkhye sasainyo 'nugamiṣyasi
Those practisers of dharma whom you devoured in the Daṇḍaka forest — them, slain in battle today with your army, you shall follow.
Words: ye — who; tvayā — by you; daṇḍakāraṇye — in the Daṇḍaka forest; bhakṣitā — devoured; dharmacāriṇaḥ — practisers of dharma; tān — them; adya — today; nihataḥ — slain (being slain); saṃkhye — in battle; sasainyo — with your army; 'nugamiṣyasi — you will follow
3.28.13
adya tvāṃ nihataṃ bāṇaiḥ paśyantu paramarṣayaḥ
nirayasthaṃ vimānasthā ye tvayā hiṃsitāḥ purā
Let those supreme seers whom you formerly harmed, now stationed in celestial cars, behold you today, slain by my arrows and cast into hell.
Words: adya — today; tvāṃ — you; nihataṃ — slain; bāṇaiḥ — by arrows; paśyantu — let (them) behold; paramarṣayaḥ — the supreme seers; nirayasthaṃ — cast into hell; vimānasthā — stationed in celestial cars; ye — who; tvayā — by you; hiṃsitāḥ — harmed, injured; purā — formerly
3.28.14
prahara tvaṃ yathākāmaṃ kuru yatnaṃ kulādhama
adya te pātayiṣyāmi śiras tālaphalaṃ yathā
Strike as you please, make your effort, basest of your race; today I shall bring down your head like a palmyra fruit.”
Words: prahara — strike; tvaṃ — you; yathākāmaṃ — as you please; kuru — make; yatnaṃ — effort; kulādhama — O basest of (your) race; adya — today; te — your; pātayiṣyāmi — I shall bring down, fell; śiras — head; tālaphalaṃ — a palmyra fruit; yathā — like, as
3.28.15
evam uktas tu rāmeṇa kruddhaḥ saṃraktalocanaḥ
pratyuvāca tato rāmaṃ prahasan krodhamūrchitaḥ
Thus addressed by Rāma, Khara, enraged, his eyes bloodshot, senseless with rage, then replied to Rāma, laughing:
Words: evam uktas — thus addressed; tu — and; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; kruddhaḥ — enraged; saṃraktalocanaḥ — with bloodshot eyes; pratyuvāca — replied; tato — then; rāmaṃ — to Rāma; prahasan — laughing; krodhamūrchitaḥ — senseless with rage
3.28.16
prākṛtān rākṣasān hatvā yuddhe daśarathātmaja
ātmanā katham ātmānam apraśasyaṃ praśaṃsasi
“Having slain only common rākṣasas in battle, son of Daśaratha, why do you yourself praise yourself, though unworthy of praise?
Words: prākṛtān — common, ordinary; rākṣasān — rākṣasas; hatvā — having slain; yuddhe — in battle; daśarathātmaja — O son of Daśaratha; ātmanā — by yourself; katham — how, why; ātmānam — yourself; apraśasyaṃ — unworthy of praise; praśaṃsasi — you praise
3.28.17
vikrāntā balavanto vā ye bhavanti nararṣabhāḥ
kathayanti na te kiṃ cit tejasā svena garvitāḥ
Those bulls among men who are valiant and strong say nothing in boast, though proud in their own might.
Words: vikrāntā — valiant; balavanto — strong; vā — and, or; ye — who; bhavanti — are; nararṣabhāḥ — bulls among men; kathayanti — speak, say; na — not; te — they; kiṃ cit — anything; tejasā — in might; svena — their own; garvitāḥ — proud
3.28.18
prākṛtās tv akṛtātmāno loke kṣatriyapāṃsanāḥ
nirarthakaṃ vikatthante yathā rāma vikatthase
But base men of undisciplined soul, disgraces to the kṣatriya order in the world, boast to no purpose, just as you boast, Rāma.
Words: prākṛtās — base, common (men); tv — but; akṛtātmāno — of undisciplined soul; loke — in the world; kṣatriyapāṃsanāḥ — disgraces to the kṣatriyas; nirarthakaṃ — to no purpose, uselessly; vikatthante — boast, brag; yathā — just as; rāma — O Rāma; vikatthase — you boast
3.28.19
kulaṃ vyapadiśan vīraḥ samare ko 'bhidhāsyati
mṛtyukāle hi saṃprāpte svayam aprastave stavam
What hero, in battle, would proclaim his lineage and utter self-praise, unprompted, when the hour of death has arrived?
Words: kulaṃ — lineage, family; vyapadiśan — pointing to, proclaiming; vīraḥ — a hero; samare — in battle; ko — who; 'bhidhāsyati — would declare, utter; mṛtyukāle — at the time of death; hi — for; saṃprāpte — when arrived; svayam — of oneself, unprompted; aprastave — on an unfit occasion; stavam — praise, eulogy
3.28.20
sarvathā tu laghutvaṃ te katthanena vidarśitam
suvarṇapratirūpeṇa tapteneva kuśāgninā
In every way your pettiness has been revealed by your boasting, as base metal counterfeiting gold is exposed by fire kindled with kuśa-straw.
Words: sarvathā — in every way; tu — indeed; laghutvaṃ — pettiness, lightness; te — your; katthanena — by (your) boasting; vidarśitam — shown, revealed; suvarṇapratirūpeṇa — by (base metal) counterfeiting gold; tapteneva — as by (that) heated; kuśāgninā — by the kuśa-straw fire
3.28.21
na tu mām iha tiṣṭhantaṃ paśyasi tvaṃ gadādharam
dharādharam ivākampyaṃ parvataṃ dhātubhiś citam
But you do not see me standing here, mace in hand, unshakable like an earth-supporting mountain heaped with minerals.
Words: na — not; tu — but; mām — me; iha — here; tiṣṭhantaṃ — standing; paśyasi — you see; tvaṃ — you; gadādharam — mace-bearing; dharādharam — an earth-supporting (mountain); ivākampyaṃ — unshakable, like; parvataṃ — mountain; dhātubhiś — with minerals, metals; citam — heaped, covered
3.28.22
paryāpto 'haṃ gadāpāṇir hantuṃ prāṇān raṇe tava
trayāṇām api lokānāṃ pāśahasta ivāntakaḥ
I, mace in hand, am able to take your life in battle — as able as Death, noose in hand, to take the lives of all three worlds.
Words: paryāpto — able, competent; 'haṃ — I; gadāpāṇir — mace in hand; hantuṃ — to take, slay; prāṇān — life-breaths, life; raṇe — in battle; tava — your; trayāṇām — of the three; api — even; lokānāṃ — of the worlds; pāśahasta — with noose in hand; ivāntakaḥ — like Death (Antaka)
3.28.23
kāmaṃ bahv api vaktavyaṃ tvayi vakṣyāmi na tv aham
astaṃ gacched dhi savitā yuddhavighras tato bhavet
Though much might well be said to you, I shall say no more; for the sun would else set, and then there would be a hindrance to the fight.
Words: kāmaṃ — granted, though; bahv api — even much; vaktavyaṃ — to be said; tvayi — to you; vakṣyāmi — I shall speak; na — not; tv — but; aham — I; astaṃ gacched — would set; dhi — for; savitā — the sun; yuddhavighras — a hindrance to the fight; tato — then; bhavet — would be
3.28.24
caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rākṣasānāṃ hatāni te
tvadvināśāt karomy adya teṣām aśrupramārjanam
Fourteen thousand rākṣasas have been slain by you; by your destruction today I shall wipe away the tears shed for them.
Words: caturdaśa — fourteen; sahasrāṇi — thousand; rākṣasānāṃ — of rākṣasas; hatāni — slain; te — by you; tvadvināśāt — by your destruction; karomy — I make, do; adya — today; teṣām — for them, of them; aśrupramārjanam — the wiping away of tears
3.28.25
ity uktvā paramakruddhas tāṃ gadāṃ paramāṅgadām
kharaś cikṣepa rāmāya pradīptām aśaniṃ yathā
Having said this, Khara, in utmost fury, hurled at Rāma that richly ornamented mace, blazing like a thunderbolt.
Words: ity uktvā — having said this; paramakruddhas — in utmost fury; tāṃ — that; gadāṃ — mace; paramāṅgadām — richly banded, ornamented; kharaś — Khara; cikṣepa — hurled; rāmāya — at Rāma; pradīptām — blazing; aśaniṃ — a thunderbolt; yathā — like, as
3.28.26
kharabāhupramuktā sā pradīptā mahatī gadā
bhasmavṛkṣāṃś ca gulmāṃś ca kṛtvāgāt tatsamīpataḥ
That great, blazing mace, loosed from Khara's arm, reducing trees and bushes to ashes, came near to him (Rāma).
Words: kharabāhupramuktā — loosed from Khara's arm; sā — that; pradīptā — blazing; mahatī — great; gadā — mace; bhasmavṛkṣāṃś — the trees (into) ashes; ca — and; gulmāṃś — bushes, shrubs; ca — and; kṛtvāgāt — having made, came; tatsamīpataḥ — near to him
3.28.27
tām āpatantīṃ jvalitāṃ mṛtyupāśopamāṃ gadā
antarikṣagatāṃ rāmaś ciccheda bahudhā śaraiḥ
That blazing mace, hurtling on like the noose of death while still in mid-air, Rāma cut into many pieces with his arrows.
Words: tām — that; āpatantīṃ — hurtling on, falling; jvalitāṃ — blazing; mṛtyupāśopamāṃ — like the noose of death; gadā — the mace; antarikṣagatāṃ — gone into mid-air; rāmaś — Rāma; ciccheda — cut; bahudhā — into many (pieces); śaraiḥ — with arrows
3.28.28
sā viśīrṇā śarair bhinnā papāta dharaṇītale
gadāmantrauṣadhibalair vyālīva vinipātitā
Shattered and split by the arrows, it fell to the surface of the earth, like a she-serpent brought down by the power of anti-venom charms, spells, and herbs.
Words: sā — it, that; viśīrṇā — shattered; śarair — by the arrows; bhinnā — split; papāta — fell; dharaṇītale — on the surface of the earth; gadāmantrauṣadhibalair — by the power of anti-venom charms, spells, and herbs; vyālīva — like a she-serpent; vinipātitā — brought down, felled
← 3.27 Rāma takes up Viṣṇu’s bow · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.29 Rāma kills Khara with Indra’s arrow →
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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