प्रहरस्व यथाकामं कुरु यत्नं कुलाधम। अद्य ते पातयिष्यामि शिरस्तालफलं यथा
Strike as you wish, make every effort, O disgrace of your lineage; today I will bring down your head as easily as a palm fruit.
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण क्रुद्धः संरक्तलोचनः। प्रत्युवाच ततो रामं प्रहसन् क्रोधमूर्च्छितः
Thus addressed by Rama, Khara, his eyes red with anger, replied to Rama, laughing though overcome by rage.
प्राकृतान् राक्षसान् हत्वा युद्धे दशरथात्मज। आत्मना कथमात्मानमप्रशस्यं प्रशंससि
Having slain ordinary rakshasas in battle, O son of Dasharatha, how do you praise yourself for a deed unworthy of praise?
विक्रान्ता बलवन्तो वा ये भवन्ति नरर्षभाः। कथयन्ति न ते किंचित् तेजसा चातिगर्विताः
Those who are truly valiant and powerful, the foremost among men, do not boast at all, even if they are exceedingly proud of their might.
प्राकृतास्त्वकृतात्मानो लोके क्षत्रियपांसनाः। निरर्थकं विकत्थन्ते यथा राम विकत्थसे
But ordinary, undisciplined men, the disgrace of the warrior class, boast meaninglessly in the world, just as you boast, Rama.
कुलं व्यपदिशन् वीरः समरे कोऽभिधास्यति। मृत्युकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते स्वयमप्रस्तवे स्तवम्
What hero, declaring his lineage, will praise himself in battle, especially at the approach of death and without being asked?
सर्वथा तु लघुत्वं ते कत्थनेन विदर्शितम्। सुवर्णप्रतिरूपेण तप्तेनेव कुशाग्निना
In any case, your boasting has shown your pettiness, like gold merely plated over, or kusa grass heated by fire.
न तु मामिह तिष्ठन्तं पश्यसि त्वं गदाधरम्। धराधरमिवाकम्प्यं पर्वतं धातुभिश्चितम्
But you do not see me standing here, mace in hand, unshakable like a mountain, covered with ores.
पर्याप्तोऽहं गदापाणिर्हन्तुं प्राणान् रणे तव। त्रयाणामपि लोकानां पाशहस्त इवान्तकः
With my mace in hand, I am fully capable of taking your life in battle, like Death himself with his noose, ready to destroy even the three worlds.
कामं बह्वपि वक्तव्यं त्वयि वक्ष्यामि न त्वहम्। अस्तं प्राप्नोति सविता युद्धविघ्नस्ततो भवेत्
Indeed, there is much I could say to you, but I will not; the sun is setting, and delay would hinder the battle.
चतुर्दश सहस्राणि राक्षसानां हतानि ते। त्वद्विनाशात् करोम्यद्य तेषामश्रुप्रमार्जनम्
Fourteen thousand rakshasas have been slain by you; today, by your destruction, I will wipe away their tears.
इत्युक्त्वा परमक्रुद्धः स गदां परमाङ्गदाम्। खरश्चिक्षेप रामाय प्रदीप्तामशनिं यथा
Having spoken thus in great anger, Khara hurled his mighty, best mace at Rama, blazing like a thunderbolt.
खरबाहुप्रमुक्ता सा प्रदीप्ता महती गदा। भस्म वृक्षांश्च गुल्मांश्च कृत्वागात् तत्समीपतः
That great, blazing mace, released by Khara's arm, reduced trees and bushes to ashes as it sped toward Rama.
तामापतन्तीं महतीं मृत्युपाशोपमां गदाम्। अन्तरिक्षगतां रामश्चिच्छेद बहुधा शरैः
Rama, seeing that great mace rushing down like the noose of death, shattered it in the air into many pieces with his arrows.
सा विशीर्णा शरैर्भिन्ना पपात धरणीतले। गदा मन्त्रौषधिबलैर्व्यालीव विनिपातिता
That mace, broken and pierced by arrows, fell to the earth, like a serpent struck down by the power of spells and herbs.
thumb|त्रिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे त्रिंशः सर्गः ॥३-
Listen now to the thirtieth sarga in the glorious Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kanda.
भित्त्वा तु तां गदां बाणै राघवो धर्मवत्सलः। स्मयमान इदं वाक्यं संरब्धमिदमब्रवीत्
Rāghava, devoted to righteousness, having shattered that mace with his arrows, smiled and spoke these heated words:
एतत् ते बलसर्वस्वं दर्शितं राक्षसाधम। शक्तिहीनतरो मत्तो वृथा त्वमुपगर्जसि
This, O vile Rākṣasa, is the full extent of your strength, now revealed; you are weaker than I, yet you roar in vain.
एषा बाणविनिर्भिन्ना गदा भूमितलं गता। अभिधानप्रगल्भस्य तव प्रत्ययघातिनी
This mace, pierced by arrows, has fallen to the ground—destroying your boastful confidence.
यत् त्वयोक्तं विनष्टानामिदमश्रुप्रमार्जनम्। राक्षसानां करोमीति मिथ्या तदपि ते वचः
What you said about wiping the tears of the slain Rākṣasas, claiming you would do so, is also a falsehood.
नीचस्य क्षुद्रशीलस्य मिथ्यावृत्तस्य रक्षसः। प्राणानपहरिष्यामि गरुत्मानमृतं यथा
I will take the life of you, a base, low-minded, deceitful Rākṣasa, just as Garuḍa takes the nectar.
अद्य ते भिन्नकण्ठस्य फेनबुद्बुदभूषितम्। विदारितस्य मद्बाणैर्मही पास्यति शोणितम्
Today, the earth will drink your blood, foaming and bubbling, as your throat is torn by my arrows.
पांसुरूषितसर्वाङ्गः स्रस्तन्यस्तभुजद्वयः। स्वप्स्यसे गां समाश्लिष्य दुर्लभां प्रमदामिव
Covered in dust, your arms fallen limp, you will sleep on the ground, embracing it as one would a beloved woman hard to attain.
प्रवृद्धनिद्रे शयिते त्वयि राक्षसपांसने। भविष्यन्ति शरण्यानां शरण्या दण्डका इमे
When you, O defiler of Rākṣasas, lie in deep sleep, these Daṇḍaka forests will become a refuge for those seeking shelter.
जनस्थाने हतस्थाने तव राक्षस मच्छरैः। निर्भया विचरिष्यन्ति सर्वतो मुनयो वने
When you, Rākṣasa, are slain by my arrows at Janasthāna, the sages will roam the forest everywhere, free from fear.
अद्य विप्रसरिष्यन्ति राक्षस्यो हतबान्धवाः। बाष्पार्द्रवदना दीना भयादन्यभयावहाः
Today, the Rākṣasīs, their faces wet with tears, bereft of kin, miserable and fearful, will flee in terror.
अद्य शोकरसज्ञास्ता भविष्यन्ति निरर्थिकाः। अनुरूपकुलाः पत्न्यो यासां त्वं पतिरीदृशः
Today, those wives, of worthy families, whose husband you are, will become acquainted with the taste of grief and be left without purpose.
नृशंसशील क्षुद्रात्मन् नित्यं ब्राह्मणकण्टक। त्वत्कृते शङ्कितैरग्नौ मुनिभिः पात्यते हविः
O cruel-natured, base-souled, constant thorn to the Brāhmaṇas, because of you, the sages, in fear, offer oblations into the fire with suspicion.
तमेवमभिसंरब्धं ब्रुवाणं राघवं वने। खरो निर्भर्त्सयामास रोषात् खरतरस्वरः
As Rāghava spoke thus, enraged in the forest, Khara rebuked him with a voice harsh from anger.
दृढं खल्ववलिप्तोऽसि भयेष्वपि च निर्भयः। वाच्यावाच्यं ततो हि त्वं मृत्योर्वश्यो न बुध्यसे
Indeed, you are deeply arrogant and fearless even in danger; thus you speak what should and should not be spoken, unaware that you are in the grip of death.