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.
कालपाशपरिक्षिप्ता भवन्ति पुरुषा हि ये। कार्याकार्यं न जानन्ति ते निरस्तषडिन्द्रियाः
Those men who are ensnared by the noose of Time lose their senses and cannot distinguish what should or should not be done.
एवमुक्त्वा ततो रामं संरुध्य भृकुटिं ततः। स ददर्श महासालमविदूरे निशाचरः
Having spoken thus to Rāma, furrowing his brow, the night-stalker then saw a great śāla tree nearby.
रणे प्रहरणस्यार्थे सर्वतो ह्यवलोकयन्। स तमुत्पाटयामास संदष्टदशनच्छदम्
Looking all around for a weapon in battle, he seized that tree, biting his lips in fury.
तं समुत्क्षिप्य बाहुभ्यां विनर्दित्वा महाबलः। राममुद्दिश्य चिक्षेप हतस्त्वमिति चाब्रवीत्
Uprooting it with both arms, roaring loudly, the mighty Khara hurled it at Rāma, shouting, 'You are slain!'
तमापतन्तं बाणौघैश्छित्त्वा रामः प्रतापवान्। रोषमाहारयत् तीव्रं निहन्तुं समरे खरम्
The valiant Rāma, cutting down the mass of arrows rushing toward him, summoned intense wrath to slay Khara in battle.
जातस्वेदस्ततो रामो रोषरक्तान्तलोचनः। निर्बिभेद सहस्रेण बाणानां समरे खरम्
Then Rāma, sweating and with eyes reddened by anger, pierced Khara in battle with a thousand arrows.
तस्य बाणान्तराद् रक्तं बहु सुस्राव फेनिलम्। गिरेः प्रस्रवणस्येव धाराणां च परिस्रवः
From between those arrows, much frothy blood flowed from him, like the streams pouring from a mountain's spring.
विकलः स कृतो बाणैः खरो रामेण संयुगे। मत्तो रुधिरगन्धेन तमेवाभ्यद्रवद् द्रुतम्
Stricken by Rāma's arrows in combat, Khara was made helpless; maddened by the scent of blood, he swiftly charged at him again.
तमापतन्तं संक्रुद्धं कृतास्त्रो रुधिराप्लुतम्। अपासर्पद् द्वित्रिपदं किंचित्त्वरितविक्रमः
As that furious, blood-soaked Khara rushed in, weapons readied, Rāma, quick and agile, stepped back two or three paces.
ततः पावकसंकाशं वधाय समरे शरम्। खरस्य रामो जग्राह ब्रह्मदण्डमिवापरम्
Then Rāma took up a blazing arrow, like a second Brahmā's staff, to slay Khara in battle.
स तद् दत्तं मघवता सुरराजेन धीमता। संदधे च स धर्मात्मा मुमोच च खरं प्रति
That arrow, given by the wise lord of the gods, Maghavan, was fitted to the bow by the righteous Rāma, and he released it at Khara.
स विमुक्तो महाबाणो निर्घातसमनिःस्वनः। रामेण धनुरायम्य खरस्योरसि चापतत्
That mighty arrow, released by Rāma with a thunderous sound, struck Khara in the chest as he drew his bow.
स पपात खरो भूमौ दह्यमानः शराग्निना। रुद्रेणेव विनिर्दग्धः श्वेतारण्ये यथान्धकः
Khara fell to the ground, burned by the fire of the arrow, as Andhaka was once consumed by Rudra in the white forest.
स वृत्र इव वज्रेण फेनेन नमुचिर्यथा। बलो वेन्द्राशनिहतो निपपात हतः खरः
Khara, slain, fell like Vṛtra by the thunderbolt, or like Namuci by the froth, or Bala struck down by Indra's bolt.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे देवाश्चारणैः सह संगताः। दुन्दुभींश्चाभिनिघ्नन्तः पुष्पवर्षं समन्ततः
At that moment, the gods gathered with the celestial sages, sounding their drums and showering flowers everywhere.
चतुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसां कामरूपिणाम्। खरदूषणमुख्यानां निहतानि महामृधे
Fourteen thousand rākṣasas, masters of illusion and led by Khara and Dūṣaṇa, were slain in that great battle.
अहो बत महत्कर्म रामस्य विदितात्मनः। अहो वीर्यमहो दार्ढ्यं विष्णोरिव हि दृश्यते
Oh, what a mighty deed by Rāma, who knows his true self! Oh, what strength, what firmness—truly, he appears like Viṣṇu.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा ते सर्वे ययुर्देवा यथागतम्। ततो राजर्षयः सर्वे संगताः परमर्षयः
Having spoken thus, all the gods departed as they had come; then all the royal sages and great seers assembled.
सभाज्य मुदिता रामं सागस्त्या इदमब्रुवन्। एतदर्थं महातेजा महेन्द्रः पाकशासनः
Honoring Rāma with joy, together with Agastya, they spoke these words: 'For this purpose, the mighty Indra, slayer of Vritra—'
शरभङ्गाश्रमं पुण्यमाजगाम पुरंदरः। आनीतस्त्वमिमं देशमुपायेन महर्षिभिः
—'came to the sacred hermitage of Śarabhaṅga; you were brought to this land by the great sages through their means.'