# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 27 — Rāma takes up Viṣṇu’s bow *Khara breaks his bow and shoots away his armour, Rāma uses Agastya’s gift to destroy Khara’s chariot and bow* Portion: Khara’s march and the battle at Janasthāna · Verses: 30 · Ref format: 3.27. ## Sequence - Seeing Dūṣaṇa, Triśiras, and most of his army dead, Khara feels fear but advances (27.1–3) - the two exchange such dense volleys that their arrows hide the sky and sun (27.4–9) - Khara wounds Rāma while maneuvering his chariot, but Rāma remains undaunted (27.10–13) - Khara cuts Rāma's bow at the grip and strikes his armor with seven arrows, making it fall away (27.14–16) - bloodied and angry, Rāma takes up the bow of Viṣṇu received from Agastya (27.17–19) - he cuts down Khara's standard (27.20–21) - Khara wounds him again, and Rāma replies with six arrows to Khara's head, arms, and chest (27.22–25) - 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 (27.26–28) - Khara jumps down holding a mace → the Devas and munis applaud Rāma's feat (27.29–30). ## Verses **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. **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 — **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). **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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.