दुर्जयः करवीराक्षः परुषः कालकार्मुकः। हेममाली महामाली सर्पास्यो रुधिराशनः
Unconquerable Karavīrākṣa, harsh Paruṣa, Kālakārmuka, Hemamālī, Mahāmālī, Sarpāsya, and Rudhirāśana—
द्वादशैते महावीर्या बलाध्यक्षाः ससैनिकाः। राममेवाभ्यधावन्त विसृजन्तः शरोत्तमान्
These twelve of great valor, commanders of troops with their forces, charged at Rāma, releasing excellent arrows.
ततः पावकसंकाशैर्हेमवज्रविभूषितैः। जघान शेषं तेजस्वी तस्य सैन्यस्य सायकैः
Then the radiant one struck down the rest of that army with arrows shining like fire, adorned with gold and diamond.
ते रुक्मपुङ्खा विशिखाः सधूमा इव पावकाः। निजघ्नुस्तानि रक्षांसि वज्रा इव महाद्रुमान्
Those arrows, with golden feathers, blazed like smoky flames, and struck down the rākṣasas as thunderbolts would fell great trees.
रक्षसां तु शतं रामः शतेनैकेन किर्णना। सहस्रं तु सहस्रेण जघान रणमूर्धनि
Rāma struck down a hundred rākṣasas with a hundred arrows, and a thousand with a thousand, on the battlefield.
तैर्भिन्नवर्माभरणाश्छिन्नभिन्नशरासनाः। निपेतुः शोणितादिग्धा धरण्यां रजनीचराः
Their armor and ornaments shattered, their bows broken and splintered, the night-wandering demons, stained with blood, fell to the earth.
तैर्मुक्तकेशैः समरे पतितैः शोणितोक्षितैः। विस्तीर्णा वसुधा कृत्स्ना महावेदिः कुशैरिव
The earth was entirely covered, as with sacred grass in a great altar, by those fallen in battle—hair unbound, drenched in blood.
तत्क्षणे तु महाघोरं वनं निहतराक्षसम्। बभूव निरयप्रख्यं मांसशोणितकर्दमम्
In that moment, the forest, filled with slain rākṣasas, became exceedingly dreadful, resembling hell, muddied with flesh and blood.
चतुर्दशसहस्राणि रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम्। हतान्येकेन रामेण मानुषेण पदातिना
Fourteen thousand rākṣasas of terrible deeds were slain by Rāma alone, a man fighting on foot.
तस्य सैन्यस्य सर्वस्य खरः शेषो महारथः। राक्षसस्त्रिशिराश्चैव रामश्च रिपुसूदनः
Of that entire army, only Khara, the mighty chariot-warrior, Triśiras the rākṣasa, and Rāma, the destroyer of foes, remained.
शेषा हता महावीर्या राक्षसा रणमूर्धनि। घोरा दुर्विषहाः सर्वे लक्ष्मणस्याग्रजेन ते
The rest, all of great valor, fierce and formidable, were slain in the midst of battle by Rāma, elder brother of Lakṣmaṇa.
ततस्तु तद्भीमबलं महाहवे समीक्ष्य रामेण हतं बलीयसा। रथेन रामं महता खरस्ततः समाससादेन्द्र इवोद्यताशनिः
Then, seeing his formidable force destroyed by the mighty Rāma in the great conflict, Khara approached Rāma in his grand chariot, like Indra with raised thunderbolt.
thumb|सप्तविंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे सप्तविंशः सर्गः ॥३-
Hear now the twenty-seventh chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇyakāṇḍa.
खरं तु रामाभिमुखं प्रयान्तं वाहिनीपतिः। राक्षसस्त्रिशिरा नाम संनिपत्येदमब्रवीत्
As Khara advanced toward Rāma, the commander Triśiras, a rākṣasa by name, confronted him and spoke thus.
मां नियोजय विक्रान्तं त्वं निवर्तस्व साहसात्। पश्य रामं महाबाहुं संयुगे विनिपातितम्
Appoint me, who am valiant, and you withdraw from this rashness; behold Rāma, mighty-armed, struck down in battle.
प्रतिजानामि ते सत्यमायुधं चाहमालभे। यथा रामं वधिष्यामि वधार्हं सर्वरक्षसाम्
I pledge to you the truth, and I take up arms: I shall slay Rāma, who deserves death among all the rākṣasas.
अहं वास्य रणे मृत्युरेष वा समरे मम। विनिवर्त्य रणोत्साहं मुहूर्तं प्राश्निको भव
Either I shall be death to him in battle, or he to me; restrain your eagerness for combat for a moment and be a witness.
प्रहृष्टो वा हते रामे जनस्थानं प्रयास्यसि। मयि वा निहते रामं संयुगाय प्रयास्यसि
If Rāma is slain, you will joyfully return to Janasthāna; or, if I am killed, you will go forth to fight Rāma.
खरस्त्रिशिरसा तेन मृत्युलोभात् प्रसादितः। गच्छ युध्येत्यनुज्ञातो राघवाभिमुखो ययौ
Khara, persuaded by Triśiras out of desire for death, granted permission, saying, 'Go, fight,' and Triśiras advanced toward Rāma.
त्रिशिरास्तु रथेनैव वाजियुक्तेन भास्वता। अभ्यद्रवद् रणे रामं त्रिशृङ्ग इव पर्वतः
Triśiras, riding a radiant chariot yoked with horses, rushed at Rāma in battle like a three-peaked mountain.
शरधारासमूहान् स महामेघ इवोत्सृजन्। व्यसृजत् सदृशं नादं जलार्द्रस्येव दुन्दुभेः
He released streams of arrows like a great cloud, producing a sound like a drum wetted by water.
आगच्छन्तं त्रिशिरसं राक्षसं प्रेक्ष्य राघवः। धनुषा प्रतिजग्राह विधुन्वन् सायकान् शितान्
Seeing Triśiras, the rākṣasa, approaching, Rāma readied his bow and received him, shaking sharp arrows.
स सम्प्रहारस्तुमुलो रामत्रिशिरसोस्तदा। सम्बभूवातिबलिनोः सिंहकुञ्जरयोरिव
Then a tumultuous clash arose between Rāma and Triśiras, both exceedingly strong, like that of a lion and an elephant.
ततस्त्रिशिरसा बाणैर्ललाटे ताडितस्त्रिभिः। अमर्षी कुपितो रामः संरब्ध इदमब्रवीत्
Then, struck on the forehead by three arrows from Triśiras, Rāma, enraged and indignant, spoke these words in fury.
अहो विक्रमशूरस्य राक्षसस्येदृशं बलम्। पुष्पैरिव शरैर्योऽहं ललाटेऽस्मि परिक्षतः
Ah, what strength this valorous Rākṣasa possesses! I have been wounded on my forehead by his arrows, as if by flowers.
ममापि प्रतिगृह्णीष्व शरांश्चापगुणाच्च्युतान्। एवमुक्त्वा सुसंरब्धः शरानाशीविषोपमान्
Now accept from me too these arrows loosed from my bowstring; so saying, greatly enraged, he took up arrows like deadly serpents.
त्रिशिरोवक्षसि क्रुद्धो निजघान चतुर्दश। चतुर्भिस्तुरगानस्य शरैः संनतपर्वभिः
In his fury, he struck Triśiras on the chest with fourteen arrows, and with four more, sharp and well-feathered, he struck his horses.
न्यपातयत तेजस्वी चतुरस्तस्य वाजिनः। अष्टभिः सायकैः सूतं रथोपस्थे न्यपातयत्
The mighty one brought down all four of his steeds, and with eight arrows, he struck down the charioteer onto the floor of the chariot.
रामश्चिच्छेद बाणेन ध्वजं चास्य समुच्छ्रितम्। ततो हतरथात् तस्मादुत्पतन्तं निशाचरम्
Rāma then cut down his raised banner with an arrow; and as the night-stalker leapt from his ruined chariot—
चिच्छेद रामस्तं बाणैर्हृदये सोऽभवज्जडः। सायकैश्चाप्रमेयात्मा सामर्षस्तस्य रक्षसः
Rāma struck him in the heart with arrows, making him senseless; and, his spirit immeasurable, he furiously pierced that Rākṣasa with more shafts.