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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 29: Rāma kills Khara with Indra’s arrow

Summary. He shatters Khara’s thrown tree, kills him and hears the ṛṣis’ plan, Sītā returns to embrace him

Sequence

  1. Rāma tells Khara that the shattered mace has exposed the emptiness of his threats (3.29.1–5)
  2. he predicts Khara's death and the freedom it will bring to munis who have lived in fear of Janasthāna (3.29.6–12)
  3. Khara angrily accuses him of arrogance, looks around for another weapon, and uproots a sāla tree (3.29.13–17)
  4. he throws it, but Rāma cuts it apart and strikes him with a thousand arrows (3.29.18–21)
  5. bleeding heavily, Khara rushes straight at Rāma → Rāma steps back and takes a blazing arrow, identified here as a gift of Indra (3.29.22–25)
  6. he shoots it into Khara's chest, and Khara falls dead (3.29.26–28)
  7. the assembled munis rejoice and explain that Indra's earlier visit to Śarabhaṅga and their own arrangements were intended to bring Rāma here to destroy these attackers → they say the tapasvins can now practice safely (3.29.29–32)
  8. Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā leave the cave and return to the hermitage → Rāma joins them, and Sītā joyfully embraces him. (3.29.33–35)

Verses 3.29.1–35

3.29.1

bhittvā tu tāṃ gadāṃ bāṇai rāghavo dharmavatsalaḥ
smayamānaḥ kharaṃ vākyaṃ saṃrabdham idam abravīt

Having shattered that mace with his arrows, Rāghava, devoted to dharma, smiling, spoke to Khara these vehement words:

Words: bhittvā — having shattered; tu — and; tāṃ — that; gadāṃ — mace; bāṇai — with arrows; rāghavo — Rāghava; dharmavatsalaḥ — devoted to dharma; smayamānaḥ — smiling; kharaṃ — to Khara; vākyaṃ — words; saṃrabdham — vehement, passionate; idam — this; abravīt — spoke

3.29.2

etat te balasarvasvaṃ darśitaṃ rākṣasādhama
śaktihīnataro matto vṛthā tvam upagarjitam

This whole sum of your strength has now been displayed, O basest of rākṣasas; weaker than I, you have roared in vain.

Words: etat — this; te — your; balasarvasvaṃ — the whole sum of strength; darśitaṃ — displayed, shown; rākṣasādhama — O basest of rākṣasas; śaktihīnataro — weaker in power; matto — than me; vṛthā — in vain; tvam — you; upagarjitam — have roared, blustered

3.29.3

eṣā bāṇavinirbhinnā gadā bhūmitalaṃ gatā
abhidhānapragalbhasya tava pratyayaghātinī

This mace, split apart by my arrows, has fallen to the ground, destroying the self-assurance of you who are so bold in speech.

Words: eṣā — this; bāṇavinirbhinnā — split apart by arrows; gadā — mace; bhūmitalaṃ — to the surface of the earth; gatā — gone; abhidhānapragalbhasya — of (you) bold in speech; tava — your; pratyayaghātinī — destroying (your) confidence

3.29.4

yat tvayoktaṃ vinaṣṭānām idam aśrupramārjanam
rākṣasānāṃ karomīti mithyā tad api te vacaḥ

And what you said — 'I shall perform this wiping-away of the tears shed for the slain rākṣasas' — that word of yours too is false.

Words: yat — which, that; tvayoktaṃ — said by you; vinaṣṭānām — of the destroyed, slain; idam — this; aśrupramārjanam — wiping away of tears; rākṣasānāṃ — of the rākṣasas; karomīti — 'I do', thus; mithyā — false; tad — that; api — too; te — your; vacaḥ — word

3.29.5

nīcasya kṣudraśīlasya mithyāvṛttasya rakṣasaḥ
prāṇān apahariṣyāmi garutmān amṛtaṃ yathā

I shall carry off the life of you, a base rākṣasa of mean character and false conduct, as Garuḍa carried off the nectar.

Words: nīcasya — of the base; kṣudraśīlasya — of mean character; mithyāvṛttasya — of false conduct; rakṣasaḥ — of the rākṣasa; prāṇān — the life; apahariṣyāmi — I shall carry off; garutmān — Garuḍa; amṛtaṃ — the nectar; yathā — as

3.29.6

adya te bhinnakaṇṭhasya phenabudbudabhūṣitam
vidāritasya madbāṇair mahī pāsyati śoṇitam

Today the earth shall drink the blood — adorned with foam and bubbles — of you whose throat is cut and body torn open by my arrows.

Words: adya — today; te — your; bhinnakaṇṭhasya — of (you) with throat cut; phenabudbudabhūṣitam — adorned with foam and bubbles; vidāritasya — of (you) torn open; madbāṇair — by my arrows; mahī — the earth; pāsyati — will drink; śoṇitam — blood

3.29.7

pāṃsurūṣitasarvāṅgaḥ srastanyastabhujadvayaḥ
svapsyase gāṃ samāśliṣya durlabhāṃ pramadām iva

With all your limbs smeared with dust and both arms flung down limp, you shall sleep clasping the earth as one clasps a hard-won mistress.

Words: pāṃsurūṣitasarvāṅgaḥ — all limbs smeared with dust; srastanyastabhujadvayaḥ — both arms fallen slack; svapsyase — you will sleep; gāṃ — the earth; samāśliṣya — having clasped, embraced; durlabhāṃ — hard to win; pramadām — a young woman, mistress; iva — like

3.29.8

pravṛddhanidre śayite tvayi rākṣasapāṃsane
bhaviṣyanty aśaraṇyānāṃ śaraṇyā daṇḍakā ime

When you, disgrace of the rākṣasas, lie in deep sleep, these Daṇḍaka forests shall become a refuge for those who had none.

Words: pravṛddhanidre — in deep sleep; śayite — lying; tvayi — you; rākṣasapāṃsane — O disgrace of the rākṣasas; bhaviṣyanty — will become; aśaraṇyānāṃ — for the refugeless; śaraṇyā — a refuge; daṇḍakā — the Daṇḍaka forests; ime — these

3.29.9

janasthāne hatasthāne tava rākṣasamaccharaiḥ
nirbhayā vicariṣyanti sarvato munayo vane

With your seat at Janasthāna destroyed by my arrows, O rākṣasa, the sages will roam everywhere in the forest without fear.

Words: janasthāne — at Janasthāna; hatasthāne — its station destroyed; tava — your; rākṣasamaccharaiḥ — O rākṣasa, by my arrows; nirbhayā — fearless; vicariṣyanti — will roam; sarvato — everywhere; munayo — the sages; vane — in the forest

3.29.10

adya viprasariṣyanti rākṣasyo hatabāndhavāḥ
bāṣpārdravadanā dīnā bhayād anyabhayāvahāḥ

Today the rākṣasa women, their kinsmen slain, faces wet with tears and wretched — they who once brought terror to others — shall flee in fear.

Words: adya — today; viprasariṣyanti — will scatter, flee; rākṣasyo — the rākṣasa women; hatabāndhavāḥ — their kinsmen slain; bāṣpārdravadanā — faces wet with tears; dīnā — wretched; bhayād — out of fear; anyabhayāvahāḥ — who brought fear to others

3.29.11

adya śokarasajñās tā bhaviṣyanti niśācara
anurūpakulāḥ patnyo yāsāṃ tvaṃ patir īdṛśaḥ

Today, O night-roamer, those wives of befitting family, whose husband is one such as you, shall come to know the taste of grief.

Words: adya — today; śokarasajñās — knowing the taste of grief; tā — those; bhaviṣyanti — will become; niśācara — O night-roamer; anurūpakulāḥ — of befitting family; patnyo — wives; yāsāṃ — of whom; tvaṃ — you; patir — husband; īdṛśaḥ — such (as this)

3.29.12

nṛśaṃsaśīla kṣudrātman nityaṃ brāhmaṇakaṇṭaka
tvatkṛte śaṅkitair agnau munibhiḥ pātyate haviḥ

O cruel-natured, mean-souled one, ever a thorn in the brahmins' side — because of you the sages, in dread, cast their oblation into the fire.

Words: nṛśaṃsaśīla — O cruel-natured one; kṣudrātman — O mean-souled one; nityaṃ — ever, always; brāhmaṇakaṇṭaka — O thorn to the brahmins; tvatkṛte — on your account; śaṅkitair — by the fearful, apprehensive; agnau — into the fire; munibhiḥ — by the sages; pātyate — is cast, made to fall; haviḥ — the oblation

3.29.13

tam evam abhisaṃrabdhaṃ bruvāṇaṃ rāghavaṃ raṇe
kharo nirbhartsayām āsa roṣāt kharatara svanaḥ

As Rāghava spoke thus, deeply roused, in the battle, Khara — his voice grown harsher out of rage — reviled him.

Words: tam — him; evam — thus; abhisaṃrabdhaṃ — deeply roused, agitated; bruvāṇaṃ — speaking; rāghavaṃ — Rāghava; raṇe — in battle; kharo — Khara; nirbhartsayām āsa — reviled, threatened; roṣāt — out of rage; kharatara — harsher (a pun on Khara's name); svanaḥ — (of) voice, sound

3.29.14

dṛḍhaṃ khalv avalipto 'si bhayeṣv api ca nirbhayaḥ
vācyāvācyaṃ tato hi tvaṃ mṛtyuvaśyo na budhyase

Truly you are exceedingly arrogant, fearless even amid perils; therefore, in death's grip, you do not discern what should and should not be said.

Words: dṛḍhaṃ — firmly, exceedingly; khalv — indeed; avalipto — arrogant; 'si — you are; bhayeṣv — amid perils; api — even; ca — and; nirbhayaḥ — fearless; vācyāvācyaṃ — what should and should not be said; tato — therefore; hi — indeed; tvaṃ — you; mṛtyuvaśyo — subject to death; na — not; budhyase — you discern

3.29.15

kālapāśaparikṣiptā bhavanti puruṣā hi ye
kāryākāryaṃ na jānanti te nirastaṣaḍindriyāḥ

For those men who are caught in the noose of Time do not know what should and should not be done, their six senses undone.

Words: kālapāśaparikṣiptā — caught in the noose of Time; bhavanti — are, become; puruṣā — men; hi — for; ye — who; kāryākāryaṃ — what should and should not be done; na — not; jānanti — know; te — they; nirastaṣaḍindriyāḥ — their six senses cast out

3.29.16

evam uktvā tato rāmaṃ saṃrudhya bhṛkuṭiṃ tataḥ
sa dadarśa mahāsālam avidūre niśācaraḥ

Having spoken thus to Rāma, and knitting his brow, the night-roamer then caught sight of a great sāla tree not far off.

Words: evam — thus; uktvā — having spoken; tato — then; rāmaṃ — to Rāma; saṃrudhya — having knitted, contracted; bhṛkuṭiṃ — the brow; tataḥ — then; sa — he; dadarśa — saw; mahāsālam — a great sāla tree; avidūre — not far off; niśācaraḥ — the night-roamer

3.29.17

raṇe praharaṇasyārthe sarvato hy avalokayan
sa tam utpāṭayām āsa saṃdṛśya daśanacchadam

Looking all around for a weapon in the fight, he uprooted it, biting his lip. [saṃdṛśya: source reading; sense as saṃdaśya, 'biting'.]

Words: raṇe — in the battle; praharaṇasyārthe — for the sake of a weapon; sarvato — all around; hy — indeed; avalokayan — looking; sa — he; tam — it; utpāṭayām āsa — uprooted, tore up; saṃdṛśya — biting (lit. pressing on); daśanacchadam — his lip (tooth-cover)

3.29.18

taṃ samutkṣipya bāhubhyāṃ vinarditvā mahābalaḥ
rāmam uddiśya cikṣepa hatas tvam iti cābravīt

Lifting it up with both arms and roaring, the mighty one hurled it at Rāma and cried, 'You are slain!'

Words: taṃ — it; samutkṣipya — having lifted up; bāhubhyāṃ — with both arms; vinarditvā — having roared; mahābalaḥ — the mighty one; rāmam — Rāma; uddiśya — aiming at; cikṣepa — hurled; hatas — slain; tvam — you; iti — thus; cābravīt — and said

3.29.19

tam āpatantaṃ bāṇaughaiś chittvā rāmaḥ pratāpavān
roṣam āhārayat tīvraṃ nihantuṃ samare kharam

Cutting it apart with floods of arrows as it flew at him, the mighty Rāma worked up fierce anger to slay Khara in battle.

Words: tam — it; āpatantaṃ — flying at, falling; bāṇaughaiś — with floods of arrows; chittvā — having cut apart; rāmaḥ — Rāma; pratāpavān — the mighty, valorous; roṣam — anger; āhārayat — summoned, worked up; tīvraṃ — fierce; nihantuṃ — to slay; samare — in battle; kharam — Khara

3.29.20

jātasvedas tato rāmo roṣād raktāntalocanaḥ
nirbibheda sahasreṇa bāṇānāṃ samare kharam

Then Rāma, breaking into sweat, the corners of his eyes reddened with rage, pierced Khara in battle with a thousand arrows.

Words: jātasvedas — breaking into sweat; tato — then; rāmo — Rāma; roṣād — from rage; raktāntalocanaḥ — with reddened eye-corners; nirbibheda — pierced; sahasreṇa — with a thousand; bāṇānāṃ — of arrows; samare — in battle; kharam — Khara

3.29.21

tasya bāṇāntarād raktaṃ bahu susrāva phenilam
gireḥ prasravaṇasyeva toyadhārāparisravaḥ

From between his arrow-wounds much foaming blood streamed forth, like a gushing torrent of water from a mountain spring.

Words: tasya — his; bāṇāntarād — from between the arrows (wounds); raktaṃ — blood; bahu — much; susrāva — streamed forth; phenilam — foaming; gireḥ — of a mountain; prasravaṇasyeva — as from a spring; toyadhārāparisravaḥ — a gushing stream of water

3.29.22

vihvalaḥ sa kṛto bāṇaiḥ kharo rāmeṇa saṃyuge
matto rudhiragandhena tam evābhyadravad drutam

Made faint by Rāma's arrows in the encounter, Khara, maddened by the smell of blood, rushed swiftly straight at him.

Words: vihvalaḥ — faint, overwhelmed; sa — he; kṛto — made; bāṇaiḥ — by arrows; kharo — Khara; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; saṃyuge — in the encounter; matto — maddened; rudhiragandhena — by the smell of blood; tam — him; evābhyadravad — rushed straight (at); drutam — swiftly

3.29.23

tam āpatantaṃ saṃrabdhaṃ kṛtāstro rudhirāplutam
apasarpat pratipadaṃ kiṃ cit tvaritavikramaḥ

As he rushed on furiously, drenched in blood, the master of weapons, swift in valor, drew back just a step.

Words: tam — him; āpatantaṃ — rushing on; saṃrabdhaṃ — furious; kṛtāstro — the master of weapons; rudhirāplutam — drenched in blood; apasarpat — drew back, retreated; pratipadaṃ — step by step; kiṃ — a; cit — little; tvaritavikramaḥ — of swift valor

3.29.24

tataḥ pāvakasaṃkāśaṃ badhāya samare śaram
kharasya rāmo jagrāha brahmadaṇḍam ivāparam

Then, to slay Khara in battle, Rāma took up an arrow bright as fire, like a second staff of Brahmā.

Words: tataḥ — then; pāvakasaṃkāśaṃ — bright as fire; badhāya — for the slaying; samare — in battle; śaram — an arrow; kharasya — of Khara; rāmo — Rāma; jagrāha — took up; brahmadaṇḍam — the staff of Brahmā; ivāparam — like another

3.29.25

sa tad dattaṃ maghavatā surarājena dhīmatā
saṃdadhe ca sa dharmātmā mumoca ca kharaṃ prati

That (arrow), given by the wise Maghavan, king of the gods — the righteous one fitted it to his bow and loosed it at Khara.

Words: sa — he; tad — that; dattaṃ — given; maghavatā — by Maghavan (Indra); surarājena — by the king of the gods; dhīmatā — by the wise; saṃdadhe — fitted (to the bow); ca — and; sa — he; dharmātmā — the righteous one; mumoca — released; ca — and; kharaṃ — Khara; prati — toward

3.29.26

sa vimukto mahābāṇo nirghātasamaniḥsvanaḥ
rāmeṇa dhanur udyamya kharasyorasi cāpatat

That great arrow, loosed by Rāma who raised his bow, with a sound like a thunderclap, fell upon Khara's chest.

Words: sa — that; vimukto — loosed; mahābāṇo — great arrow; nirghātasamaniḥsvanaḥ — sounding like a thunderclap; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; dhanur — the bow; udyamya — having raised; kharasyorasi — on Khara's chest; cāpatat — and fell

3.29.27

sa papāta kharo bhūmau dahyamānaḥ śarāgninā
rudreṇaiva vinirdagdhaḥ śvetāraṇye yathāndhakaḥ

Khara fell to the ground, burning in the fire of the arrow, like Andhaka consumed by Rudra himself in the Śveta forest.

Words: sa — he; papāta — fell; kharo — Khara; bhūmau — to the ground; dahyamānaḥ — burning; śarāgninā — by the fire of the arrow; rudreṇaiva — by Rudra himself; vinirdagdhaḥ — utterly burnt up; śvetāraṇye — in the Śveta forest; yathāndhakaḥ — like Andhaka

3.29.28

sa vṛtra iva vajreṇa phenena namucir yathāa
balo vendrāśanihato nipapāta hataḥ kharaḥ

As Vṛtra by the thunderbolt, as Namuci by the foam, or as Bala struck by Indra's bolt — so Khara, slain, fell down. [yathāa: source spelling for yathā.]

Words: sa — he; vṛtra — Vṛtra; iva — like; vajreṇa — by the thunderbolt; phenena — by the foam; namucir — Namuci; yathāa — as, like (source: yathāa); balo — Bala; vendrāśanihato — or slain by Indra's bolt; nipapāta — fell down; hataḥ — slain; kharaḥ — Khara

3.29.29

tato rājarṣayaḥ sarve saṃgatāḥ paramarṣayaḥ
sabhājya muditā rāmam idaṃ vacanam abruvan

Then all the royal seers and the great seers, gathered together, joyfully honored Rāma and spoke these words:

Words: tato — then; rājarṣayaḥ — the royal seers; sarve — all; saṃgatāḥ — assembled; paramarṣayaḥ — the great seers; sabhājya — having honored, greeted; muditā — joyful; rāmam — Rāma; idaṃ — this; vacanam — word; abruvan — spoke

3.29.30

etadarthaṃ mahātejā mahendraḥ pākaśāsanaḥ
śarabhaṅgāśramaṃ puṇyam ājagāma puraṃdaraḥ

It was for this very purpose that the mighty Mahendra, chastiser of Pāka, the sacker of citadels, came to the holy hermitage of Śarabhaṅga.

Words: etadarthaṃ — for this purpose; mahātejā — the mighty; mahendraḥ — Mahendra; pākaśāsanaḥ — chastiser of Pāka; śarabhaṅgāśramaṃ — the hermitage of Śarabhaṅga; puṇyam — holy; ājagāma — came; puraṃdaraḥ — sacker of citadels

3.29.31

ānītas tvam imaṃ deśam upāyena maharṣibhiḥ
eṣāṃ vadhārthaṃ krūrāṇāṃ rakṣasāṃ pāpakarmaṇām

You were brought to this region by a device of the great seers, for the slaying of these cruel rākṣasas of evil deeds.

Words: ānītas — brought; tvam — you; imaṃ — this; deśam — region; upāyena — by a device, stratagem; maharṣibhiḥ — by the great seers; eṣāṃ — of these; vadhārthaṃ — for the slaying; krūrāṇāṃ — cruel; rakṣasāṃ — of the rākṣasas; pāpakarmaṇām — of evil deeds

3.29.32

tad idaṃ naḥ kṛtaṃ kāryaṃ tvayā daśarathātmaja
sukhaṃ dharmaṃ cariṣyanti daṇḍakeṣu maharṣayaḥ

This task of ours has been accomplished by you, O son of Daśaratha; now the great seers will practice dharma at ease in the Daṇḍaka forests.

Words: tad — that; idaṃ — this; naḥ — our; kṛtaṃ — done, accomplished; kāryaṃ — task; tvayā — by you; daśarathātmaja — O son of Daśaratha; sukhaṃ — happily, at ease; dharmaṃ — dharma; cariṣyanti — will practice; daṇḍakeṣu — in the Daṇḍaka forests; maharṣayaḥ — the great seers

3.29.33

etasminn antare vīro lakṣmaṇaḥ saha sītayā
giridurgād viniṣkramya saṃviveśāśramaṃ sukhī

Meanwhile the hero Lakṣmaṇa, together with Sītā, came out from the mountain stronghold and, contented, entered the hermitage.

Words: etasminn — in this; antare — interval, meanwhile; vīro — the hero; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa; saha — with; sītayā — Sītā; giridurgād — from the mountain stronghold; viniṣkramya — having come out; saṃviveśāśramaṃ — entered the hermitage; sukhī — contented, happy

3.29.34

tato rāmas tu vijayī pūjyamāno maharṣibhiḥ
praviveśāśramaṃ vīro lakṣmaṇenābhivāditaḥ

Then victorious Rāma, honored by the great seers and greeted by Lakṣmaṇa, the hero, entered the hermitage.

Words: tato — then; rāmas — Rāma; tu — and; vijayī — victorious; pūjyamāno — being honored; maharṣibhiḥ — by the great seers; praviveśāśramaṃ — entered the hermitage; vīro — the hero; lakṣmaṇenābhivāditaḥ — greeted by Lakṣmaṇa

3.29.35

taṃ dṛṣṭvā śatruhantāraṃ maharṣīṇāṃ sukhāvaham
babhūva hṛṣṭā vaidehī bhartāraṃ pariṣasvaje

Seeing him, the slayer of foes who brought comfort to the great seers, Vaidehī grew joyful and embraced her husband.

Words: taṃ — him; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; śatruhantāraṃ — the slayer of foes; maharṣīṇāṃ — to the great seers; sukhāvaham — bringing comfort; babhūva — became; hṛṣṭā — joyful, delighted; vaidehī — Vaidehī (Sītā); bhartāraṃ — her husband; pariṣasvaje — embraced

← 3.28 Khara’s mace destroyed · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.30 Śūrpaṇakhā reaches Rāvaṇa’s court →

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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