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Aranya Kaanda - Sarga 28
In this Sarga, with everyone including Dūshaṇa and Triṡira dead, the fight between Rāma and Khara becomes personal, each gauging the other and each determined to kill the other.
Each of them rains showers of arrows covering the sky without a gap. Khara showing his skill and displaying his dexterity, gains upper hand to begin with, by breaking the bow of Rāma.
Rāma then becomes furious and takes the bow of Vishṇu given to him by Agastya. With thirteen arrows, like child's play, he strikes Khara's chariot, kills the horses, the charioteer and then hits Khara on the chest.
Khara jumps out of the broken chariot with a club in his hand. Dēvas and Ṛshis applaud Rāma's unimaginable feat, with their palms joined in reverence.
3.28.1 நிஹதம் தூஷணம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா
ரணே த்ரிஸிரஸா ஸஹ ।
கரஸ்யாப்யபவத்த்ராஸோ
த்ருஷ்ட்வா ராமஸ்ய விக்ரமம் ॥
nihataṃ dūṣaṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā
raṇē triṡirasā saha ।
kharasyāpyabhavattrāsō
dṛṣṭvā rāmasya vikramam ॥
Seeing Dūshaṇa and also Triṡira slain in the fight
and seeing the valor of Rāma, Khara became fearful.
3.28.2-3 ஸ த்ருஷ்ட்வா ராக்ஷஸம் ஸைந்யம்
அவிஷஹ்யம் மஹாபல: ।
ஹதமேகேந ராமேண
த்ரிஸிரோதூஷணாவபி ॥
தத்பலம் ஹதபூயிஷ்டம்
விமநா: ப்ரேக்ஷ்ய ராக்ஷஸ: ।
ஆஸஸாத கரோ ராமம்
நமுசிர்வாஸவம் யதா ॥
sa dṛṣṭvā rākṣasaṃ sainyam
aviṣahyaṃ mahābalaḥ ।
hatamēkēna rāmēṇa
triṡirōdūṣaṇāvapi ॥
tadbalaṃ hatabhūyiṣṭhaṃ
vimanāḥ prēkṣya rākṣasaḥ ।
āsasāda kharō rāmaṃ
namucirvāsavaṃ yathā ॥
Seeing that immense army,
including Triṡira and Dūshaṇa,
which none could withstand,
destroyed by Rama all alone,
and his forces practically wiped out,
the Rākshasa Khara lost his mind
and attacked Rāma like Namuci attacking Vāsava.
3.28.4 விக்ருஷ்ய பலவச்சாபம்
நாராசாந்ரக்தபோஜநாந் ।
கரஸ்சிக்ஷேப ராமாய
க்ருத்தாநாஸீவிஷாநிவ ॥
vikṛṣya balavaccāpaṃ
nārācānraktabhōjanān ।
kharaṡcikṣēpa rāmāya
kruddhānāṡīviṣāniva ॥
Drawing (the string of his) bow
with all his strength, Khara shot at Rāma
blood-thirsty Nārācās that resembled angry vipers.
Nārācā is a type of arrow.
3.28.5 ஜ்யாம் விதூந்வந்ஸுபஹுஸ:
ஸிக்ஷயாஸ்த்ராணி தர்ஸயந் ।
சசார ஸமரே மார்காந்
ஸரை ரதகத: கர: ॥
jyāṃ vidhūnvansubahuṡaḥ
ṡikṣayāstrāṇi darṡayan ।
cacāra samarē mārgān
ṡarai rathagataḥ kharaḥ ॥
Khara, on his chariot,
wrought many a path in that fight.
He pulled the string (of his bow)
in different styles
displaying his skill with Astras.
3.28.6 ஸ ஸர்வாஸ்ச திஸோ பாணை:
ப்ரதிஸஸ்ச மஹாரத: ।
பூரயாமாஸ தம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா
ராமோऽபி ஸுமஹத்தநு: ॥
sa sarvāṡca diṡō bāṇaiḥ
pradiṡaṡca mahārathaḥ ।
pūrayāmāsa taṃ dṛṣṭvā
rāmō'pi sumahaddhanuḥ ॥
That great charioter filled all the quarters
and in between with his arrows.
Rāma also, seeing him (do that),
became ready with his bow.
3.28.7 ஸ ஸாயகைர்துர்விஷஹை:
ஸுஸ்புலிங்கைரிவாக்நிபி: ।
நபஸ்சகாராவிவரம்
பர்ஜந்ய இவ வ்ருஷ்டிபி: ॥
sa sāyakairdurviṣahaiḥ
susphuliṅgairivāgnibhiḥ ।
nabhaṡcakārāvivaraṃ
parjanya iva vṛṣṭibhiḥ ॥
He filled the sky without a gap
like a cloud would with a downpour,
with arrows that were unbearable
like fire that crackled and spewed sparks.
3.28.8 தத்பபூவ ஸிதைர்பாணை:
கரராமவிஸர்ஜிதை: ।
பர்யாகாஸமநாகாஸம்
ஸர்வதஸ்ஸரஸங்குலம் ॥
tadbabhūva ṡitairbāṇaiḥ
khararāmavisarjitaiḥ ।
paryākāṡamanākāṡaṃ
sarvataṡṡarasaṅkulam ॥
In every direction, the sky was
filled without a gap with the sharp arrows
that were let off by Khara and Rāma.
3.28.9 ஸரஜாலாவ்ருதஸ்ஸூர்யோ
ந ததா ஸ்ம ப்ரகாஸதே ।
அந்யோந்யவதஸம்ரம்பாத்
உபயோஸ்ஸம்ப்ரயுத்யதோ: ॥
ṡarajālāvṛtassūryō
na tadā sma prakāṡatē ।
anyōnyavadhasaṃrambhāt
ubhayōssaṃprayudhyatōḥ ॥
With both of them fighting thus,
determined to slay each other,
the sun did not shine,
clouded by the torrents of arrows.
3.28.10 ததோ நாலீகநாராசை:
தீக்ஷ்ணாக்ரைஸ்ச விகர்ணிபி: ।
ஆஜகாந கரோ ராமம்
தோத்ரைரிவ மஹாத்விபம் ॥
tatō nālīkanārācaiḥ
tīkṣṇāgraiṡca vikarṇibhiḥ ।
ājaghāna kharō rāmaṃ
tōtrairiva mahādvipam ॥
Khara then struck Rāma with Nārācās, Vikarṇis,
pipe-shaft arrows and sharp-nosed arrows
like a tusker with a goad.
3.28.11 தம் ரதஸ்தம் தநுஷ்பாணிம்
ராக்ஷஸம் பர்யவஸ்திதம் ।
தத்ருஸுஸ்ஸர்வபூதாநி
பாஸஹஸ்தமிவாந்தகம் ॥
taṃ rathasthaṃ dhanuṣpāṇiṃ
rākṣasaṃ paryavasthitam ।
dadṛṡussarvabhūtāni
pāṡahastamivāntakam ॥
All creatures felt that
that Rākshasa firmly standing
on the chariot and holding a bow
was like death with a noose in his hand.
3.28.12 ஹந்தாரம் ஸர்வஸைந்யஸ்ய
பௌருஷே பர்யவஸ்திதம் ।
பரிஸ்ராந்தம் மஹாஸத்வம்
மேநே ராமம் கரஸ்ததா ॥
hantāraṃ sarvasainyasya
pauruṣē paryavasthitam ।
pariṡrāntaṃ mahāsatvaṃ
mēnē rāmaṃ kharastadā ॥
Khara imagined that the mighty strong Rāma
was exhausted in killing the entire army,
though he was standing his ground firmly and boldly.
3.28.13 தம் ஸிம்ஹமிவ விக்ராந்தம்
ஸிம்ஹவிக்ராந்தகாமிநம் ।
த்ருஷ்ட்வா நோத்விஜதே ராம:
ஸிம்ஹ: க்ஷுத்ரம்ருகம் யதா ॥
taṃ siṃhamiva vikrāntaṃ
siṃhavikrāntagāminam ।
dṛṣṭvā nōdvijatē rāmaḥ
siṃhaḥ kṣudramṛgaṃ yathā ॥
Seeing him, who was mighty like a lion
with the gait of a mighty lion,
Rāma was no more agitated than
a lion would at the sight of a menial beast.
3.28.14 தத: ஸூர்யநிகாஸேந
ரதேந மஹதா கர: ।
ஆஸஸாத ரணே ராமம்
பதங்க இவ பாவகம் ॥
tataḥ sūryanikāṡēna
rathēna mahatā kharaḥ ।
āsasāda raṇē rāmaṃ
pataṅga iva pāvakam ॥
Khara, on his great chariot
that was (shining) like the sun,
advanced towards Rāma in that fight
like a moth rushing to a flame.
3.28.15 ததோऽஸ்ய ஸஸரம் சாபம்
முஷ்டிதேஸே மஹாத்மந: ।
கரஸ்சிச்சேத ராமஸ்ய
தர்ஸயந்பாணிலாகவம் ॥
tatō'sya saṡaraṃ cāpaṃ
muṣṭidēṡē mahātmanaḥ ।
kharaṡcicchēda rāmasya
darṡayanpāṇilāghavam ॥
Khara, showing his dexterity,
then cut Mahātma Rāma's bow,
on which an arrow was also mounted,
at the point where it was held by the fist.
3.28.16 ஸ புநஸ்த்வபராந்ஸப்த
ஸராநாதாய வர்மணி ।
நிஜகாந கர: க்ருத்த:
ஸக்ராஸநிஸமப்ரபாந் ॥
sa punastvaparānsapta
ṡarānādāya varmaṇi ।
nijaghāna kharaḥ kruddhaḥ
ṡakrāṡanisamaprabhān ॥
Then, in his wrath, Khara took seven more arrows
that resembled the thunderbolt of Ṡakra,
and hit the armor (of Rāma).
3.28.17 ததஸ்தத்ப்ரஹதம் பாணை:
கரமுக்தைஸ்ஸுபர்வபி: ।
பபாத கவசம் பூமௌ
ராமஸ்யாதித்யவர்சஸ: ॥
tatastatprahataṃ bāṇaiḥ
kharamuktaissuparvabhiḥ ।
papāta kavacaṃ bhūmau
rāmasyādityavarcasaḥ ॥
Hit by those arrows of smooth nodes
released by Khara, the armor of Rāma,
which was shining like the sun,
fell on the ground.
3.28.18 ததஸ்ஸரஸஹஸ்ரேண
ராமமப்ரதிமௌஜஸம் ।
அர்தயித்வா மஹாநாதம்
நநாத ஸமரே கர: ॥
tataṡṡarasahasrēṇa
rāmamapratimaujasam ।
ardayitvā mahānādaṃ
nanāda samarē kharaḥ ॥
Then hurting Rāma of incomparable valor
with a thousand arrows,
Khara let off a mighty war-whoop.
3.28.19 ஸ ஸரைரர்தித: க்ருத்த:
ஸர்வகாத்ரேஷு ராகவ: ।
ரராஜ ஸமரே ராமோ
விதூமோऽக்நிரிவ ஜ்வலந் ॥
sa ṡarairarditaḥ kruddhaḥ
sarvagātrēṣu rāghavaḥ ।
rarāja samarē rāmō
vidhūmō'gniriva jvalan ॥
With all the limbs hurt by those arrows,
Rāma, the scion of Raghus, became angry,
blazing like a smokeless flame in that battle-field.
3.28.20 ததோ கம்பீரநிர்ஹ்ராதம்
ராமஸ்ஸத்ருநிபர்ஹண: ।
சகாராந்தாய ஸ ரிபோ:
ஸஜ்யமந்யந்மஹத்தநு: ॥
tatō gambhīranirhrādaṃ
rāmaṡṡatrunibarhaṇaḥ ।
cakārāntāya sa ripōḥ
sajyamanyanmahaddhanuḥ ॥
Then Rāma, destroyer of foe,
took another great bow and strung it
making a deep rumbling noise,
to put an end to that foe.
3.28.21 ஸுமஹத்வைஷ்ணவம் யத்தத்
அதிஸ்ருஷ்டம் மஹர்ஷிணா ।
வரம் தத்தநுருத்யம்ய
கரம் ஸமபிதாவத ॥
sumahadvaiṣṇavaṃ yattat
atisṛṣṭaṃ maharṣiṇā ।
varaṃ taddhanurudyamya
kharaṃ samabhidhāvata ॥
Raising aloft that best of bows of Vishṇu,
which was given by Maharshi (Agastya),
he dashed forth to face Khara.
3.28.22 தத: கநகபுங்கைஸ்து
ஸரைஸ்ஸந்நதபர்வபி: ।
பிபேத ராமஸ்ஸங்க்ருத்த:
கரஸ்ய ஸமரே த்வஜம் ॥
tataḥ kanakapuṅkhaistu
ṡaraissannataparvabhiḥ ।
bibhēda rāmassaṅkruddhaḥ
kharasya samarē dhvajam ॥
Rāma, in his rage, then broke the flag of Khara
with arrows that had gold girdles and furrowed nodes.
3.28.23 ஸ தர்ஸநீயோ பஹுதா
விகீர்ண: காஞ்சநத்வஜ: ।
ஜகாம தரணீம் ஸூர்யோ
தேவதாநாமிவாஜ்ஞயா ॥
sa darṡanīyō bahudhā
vikīrṇaḥ kāñcanadhvajaḥ ।
jagāma dharaṇīṃ sūryō
dēvatānāmivājñayā ॥
That eyeful flag with golden post,
torn into many pieces,
fell straight onto the ground,
as if it were the sun falling,
ordered by Dēvas (to appear on the earth).
3.28.24 தம் சதுர்பி: கர: க்ருத்தோ
ராமம் காத்ரேஷு மார்கணை: ।
விவ்யாத யுதி மர்மஜ்ஞோ
மாதங்கமிவ தோமரை: ॥
taṃ caturbhiḥ kharaḥ kruddhō
rāmaṃ gātrēṣu mārgaṇaiḥ ।
vivyādha yudhi marmajñō
mātaṅgamiva tōmaraiḥ ॥
Then, in that fight, the enraged Khara,
who knew the vulnerable points (of the human body),
struck Rāma's limbs with four arrows
like one would an elephant with spears.
3.28.25 ஸ ராமோ பஹுபிர்பாணை:
கரகார்முகநிஸ்ஸ்ருதை: ।
வித்தோ ருதிரஸிக்தாங்கோ
பபூவ ருஷிதோ ப்ருஸம் ॥
sa rāmō bahubhirbāṇaiḥ
kharakārmukanissṛtaiḥ ।
viddhō rudhirasiktāṅgō
babhūva ruṣitō bhṛṡam ॥
Hit by the many arrows that
sprung form the bow of Khara,
and with his limbs wet with blood,
Rāma became furious.
3.28.26 ஸ தநுர்தந்விநாம் ஸ்ரேஷ்ட:
ப்ரக்ருஹ்ய பரமாஹவே ।
முமோச பரமேஷ்வாஸ:
ஷட்சராநபிலக்ஷிதாந் ॥
sa dhanurdhanvināṃ ṡrēṣṭhaḥ
pragṛhya paramāhavē ।
mumōca paramēṣvāsaḥ
ṣaṭcharānabhilakṣitān ॥
He, the best of archers and
the possessor of the ultimate bow,
took the bow and with perfect aim,
released six arrows.
3.28.27 ஸிரஸ்யேகேந பாணேந
த்வாப்யாம் பஹ்வோரதார்தயத் ।
த்ரிபிஸ்சந்த்ரார்தவக்த்ரைஸ்ச
வக்ஷஸ்யபிஜகாந ஹ ॥
ṡirasyēkēna bāṇēna
dvābhyāṃ bahvōrathārdayat ।
tribhiṡcandrārdhavaktraiṡca
vakṣasyabhijaghāna ha ॥
He hit the head with one arrow,
harrowed the arms with two and
struck the chest with three of crescent head.
3.28.28 தத: பஸ்சாந்மஹாதேஜா
நாராசாந்பாஸ்கரோபமாந் ।
ஜிகாம்ஸூ ராக்ஷஸங்க்ருத்த:
த்ரயோதஸ ஸமாததே ॥
tataḥ paṡcānmahātējā
nārācānbhāskarōpamān ।
jighāṃsū rākṣasaṅkṛddhaḥ
trayōdaṡa samādadē ॥
Then, in his fury,
resolved to kill the Rākshasa,
he, of immense power, took
thirteen sun-bright arrows.
3.28.29-31 ததோऽஸ்ய யுகமேகேந
சதுர்பிஸ்சதுரோ ஹயாந் ।
ஷஷ்டேந து ஸிரஸ்ஸங்க்யே
கரஸ்ய ரதஸாரதே: ॥
த்ரிபிஸ்த்ரிவேணும் பலவாந்
த்வாப்யாமக்ஷம் மஹாபல: ।
த்வாதஸேந து பாணேந
கரஸ்ய ஸஸரம் தநு: ॥
சித்வா வஜ்ரநிகாஸேந
ராகவ: ப்ரஹஸந்நிவ ।
த்ரயோதஸேநேந்த்ரஸமோ
பிபேத ஸமரே கரம் ॥
tatō'sya yugamēkēna
caturbhiṡcaturō hayān ।
ṣaṣṭhēna tu ṡirassaṅkhyē
kharasya rathasārathēḥ ॥
tribhistrivēṇuṃ balavān
dvābhyāmakṣaṃ mahābalaḥ ।
dvādaṡēna tu bāṇēna
kharasya saṡaraṃ dhanuḥ ॥
chitvā vajranikāṡēna
rāghavaḥ prahasanniva ।
trayōdaṡēnēndrasamō
bibhēda samarē kharam ॥
Rāghava, an equal in his immense strength to Indra,
in that fight, struck the
yoke of Khara's chariot with one arrow,
its four horses with four,
its driver's head with the sixth,
its axle with another three and
its axle-pole with two more.
Breaking the bow of Khara along with its arrow
with the twelfth, he hit
Khara himself with the thunderbolt-like
thirteenth arrow, laughing playfully.
3.28.32 ப்ரபக்நதந்வா விரதோ
ஹதாஸ்வோ ஹதஸாரதி: ।
கதாபாணிரவப்லுத்ய
தஸ்தௌ பூமௌ கரஸ்ததா ॥
prabhagnadhanvā virathō
hatāṡvō hatasārathiḥ ।
gadāpāṇiravaplutya
tasthau bhūmau kharastadā ॥
With the bow broken, with no chariot,
the horses killed, and the charioteer dead
Khara jumped down to the ground
taking a club in his hand.
3.28.33 தத்கர்ம ராமஸ்ய மஹாரதஸ்ய
ஸமேத்ய தேவாஸ்ச மஹர்ஷயஸ்ச ।
அபூஜயந்ப்ராஞ்ஜலய: ப்ரஹ்ருஷ்டா:
ததா விமாநாக்ரகதாஸ்ஸமேதா: ॥
tatkarma rāmasya mahārathasya
samētya dēvāṡca maharṣayaṡca ।
apūjayanprāñjalayaḥ prahṛṣṭāḥ
tadā vimānāgragatāssamētāḥ ॥
Then the Dēvas on the Vimānas rejoiced
along with the Maharshis (on the ground).
Joining their palms in reverence,
they lauded that great feat of
Rāma, the great charioter.
இத்யார்ஷே வால்மீகீயே
ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அரண்யகாண்டே அஷ்டாவிம்ஸஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē vālmīkīyē
ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē
araṇyakāṇḍē aṣṭāviṃṡassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the twenty eighth Sarga
in Araṇya Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Maharshi Vālmeeki.