नेहतं दूषणं दृष्ट्वा रणे त्रिशिरसा सह। खरस्याप्यभवत् त्रासो दृष्ट्वा रामस्य विक्रमम्॥
Seeing Düşaņa slain in fight along with Trisiră, Khara, witnessing Rāma's prowess, was filled with fear.
स दृष्ट्वा राक्षसं सैन्यमविषह्यं महाबलम्। हतमेकेन रामेण दूषणस्त्रिशिरा अपि॥ तबलं हतभूयिष्ठं विमनाः प्रेक्ष्य राक्षसः। आससाद खरो रामं नमुचिर्वासवं यथा ॥
Seeing that irresistible Raksasa host-even Düşaņa and Triſirā-slain by the mighty Rāma alone, and seeing the great courage that was made in the army, that Raksasa, Khara, was seized with despondency. Then as Namuci advances against Väsava, Khara stretching his powerful bow, advanced against Răma.
विकृष्य बलवच्चापं नाराचान् रक्तभोजनान्। खरश्चिक्षेप रामाय क्रुद्धानाशीविषानिव॥
Khara hurled at Rāma nārācas revelling in blood, resembling infuriated venomous snakes.
ज्यां विधुन्वन् सुबहुशः शिक्षयास्त्राणि दर्शयन्। चचार समरे मार्गाशरैरथ गतः खरः॥
Repeatedly twanging his twanging his bow, Khara, mounted on his car, began to range the field, displaying his weapons through his acquired skill.
स सर्वाश्च दिशो बाणैः प्रदिशश्च महारथः। पूरयामास तं दृष्ट्वा रामोऽपि सुमहद् धनुः॥ स सायकैर्दुर्विषहैर्विस्फुलिङ्गैरिवाग्निभिः। नभश्चकाराविवरं पर्जन्य इव वृष्टिभिः॥
And that mighty car-warrior covered all sides with his shafts. And secing this, Rāma of a tremendous bow with shafts incapable of being borne, and resembling tongues of flaming fire, entirely enveloped the welkin, even as a cloud pour down showers.
तद् बभूव शितैर्बाणैः खररामविसर्जितैः। पर्याकाशमनाकाशं सर्वतः शरसंकुलम्॥
With the sharpened shafts shot by Khara and Rāma, the entire firmament on all sides was thronged.
शरजालावृतः सूर्यो न तदा स्म प्रकाशते। अन्योन्यवधसंरम्भादुभयोः सम्प्रयुध्यतोः॥
And as each enraged was engaged in coping with the other, the sun, enveloped in a net-work of shafts, did not appear.
ततो नालीकनाराचैस्तीक्ष्णाग्रैश्च विकर्णिभिः। आजघान रणे रामं तोत्रैरिव महाद्विपम्॥
As a mighty elephant is struck with the goad, Rāma in the conflict attacked (his opponent) with nalikas and nārācas and sharp-pointed vikarna.
तं रथस्थं धनुष्पाणिं राक्षसं पर्यवस्थितम्। ददृशुः सर्वभूतानि पाशहस्तमिवान्तकम्॥
And as that Rākşasa sat on his car, bow in hand, all creatures saw him, as if he were the very destroyer with the noose in his hand.
हन्तारं सर्वसैन्यस्य पौरुषे पर्यवस्थितम्। परिश्चान्तं महासत्त्वं मेने रामं खरस्तदा॥
At this time Khara thought that Destroyer of all his forces, established in his manliness, the exceedingly powerful Rāma to be overcome with fatigue.
तं सिंहमिव विक्रान्तं सिंहविक्रान्तगामिनम्। दृष्ट्वा नोद्विजते रामः सिंहः क्षुद्रमृगं यथा॥
Seeing that one powerful like the lion, and gifted with the vigorous gait of the lion, Rāma was not moved, as a lion seeing a puny deer (is not moved).
ततः सूर्यनिकाशेन रथेन महता खरः। आससादाथ तं रामं पतङ्ग इव पापकम्॥
And then as an insect falls into a flame, Khara mounting a mighty car, resembling the sun, approached Rāma.
ततोऽस्य सशरं चापं मुष्टिदेशे महात्मनः। खरश्चिच्छेद रामस्य दर्शयन् हस्तलाघवम्॥
And, displaying his lightness of hand, Khara severed the bow of the magnanimous Rāma, with the arrow (fixed on it) at the place where it is grasped.
स पुनस्त्वपरान् सप्त शरानादाय मर्मणि। निजघान रणे कुद्धः शक्राशनिसमप्रभान्॥ ततः शरसहस्रेण राममप्रतिमौजसम्। अर्दयित्वा महानादं ननाद समरे खरः॥
Then taking up seven other shafts, resplendent like the thunderbolt of Sakra, Khara, enraged, sent them into (Rāma's) main-joints, and then afflicting Rāma of unparalleled energy with a thousand shafts, Khara sent up in that conflict a loud shout.
ततस्तत्प्रहतं बाणैः खरमुक्तैः सुपर्वभिः। पपात कवचं भूमौ रामस्यादित्यवर्चसम्॥
And riven by the shafts discharged by Khara, Rāma's mail resembling the sun fell to the ground.
स शरैरर्पितः क्रुद्धः सर्वगात्रेषु राघवः। रराज समरे रामो विधूमोऽग्रिरिव ज्वलन्॥
And pierced with those arrow, all over his body, and inflamed with rage, Rāghava appeared in the field, like a smokeless flaming fire.
ततो गम्भीरनिर्हादं रामः शत्रुनिबर्हणः। चकारान्ताय स रिपोः सज्यमन्यन्महद्धनुः॥ सुमहद् वैष्णवं यत् तदतिसृष्टं महर्षिणा। वरं तद् धनुरुद्यम्य खरं समभिधावत ॥
Then that destroyer of foes, Rāma, for compassing the end of his enemy, stringed another mighty bow, sending forth solemn sounds, the redoubtable Vaisnava bow that had been conferred on him by the Maharşi.
ततः कनकपुखैस्तु शरैः संनतपर्वभिः। चिच्छेद रामः संक्रुद्धः खरस्य समरे ध्वजम्॥
And uplifting that superior bow, Rāma rushed against Khara. Then with shafts having bent knots and golden feathers, Rāma, wrought up with rage, severed in battle Khara's standard.
स दर्शनीयो बहुधा विच्छिन्नः काञ्चनो ध्वजः। जगाम धरणीं सूर्यो देवतानामिवाज्ञया॥
And on that exceedingly graceful golden standard being hewn down it seemed as if the sun dropped to the earth at the behest of the celestials.
तं चतुर्भि खरः क्रुद्धो रामं गात्रेषु मार्गणैः। विव्याध हृदि मर्मज्ञौ मातङ्गमिव तोयरैः॥
And thereat Khara, understanding the import of things, fired with wrath, pierced Rāma's breast with five arrows, like one striking an elephant with a goad.
स रामो बहुभिर्बाणैः खरकार्मुकनिः सृतैः। विद्धो रुधिरनिक्ताङ्गो बभूव रुषितो भृशम्॥
Rāma on being pierced with a good many shafts discharged from Khara's bow, and having his body bathed in blood, was highly wroth.
स धनुर्धन्विनां श्रेष्ठः संगृह्य परमाहवे। मुमोच परमेष्वासः षट् शरानभिलक्षितान्॥
Thereupon that foremost of bowmen, and wielder of a mighty bow, taking six shafts, let them go, after aiming at them.
शिरस्येकेन बाणेन द्वाभ्यां बाह्वोरथार्पयत्। त्रिभिश्चन्द्रार्धवक्त्रैश्च वक्षस्यभिजघान ह॥
And with one shaft he pierced Khara's head, with two his arms, and with three arrows headed like half-moons, Rāma wounded Khara in the chest.
ततः पश्चान्महोतेजा नाराचान् भास्करोपमान्। जघान राक्षसं क्रुद्धस्त्रयोदश शिलाशितान्॥ रथस्य युगमेकेन चतुर्भिः शबलान् हयान्। षष्ठेन च शिरः संख्ये चिच्छेद खरसारथेः ॥ त्रिभिस्त्रिवेणून् बलवान् द्वाभ्यामक्षं महाबलः। द्वादशेन तु बाणेन खरस्य सकरं धनुः॥ छित्त्वा वज्रनिकाशेन राघवः प्रहसन्निव। त्रयोदशेनेन्द्रसमो बिभेद समरे खरम्॥
Then that highly energetic one, influenced by anger, assailed the Räkşasa with thirteen närācas whetted on stone and with one that exceedingly powerful one, cut the yoke of the car, with four the four steeds, with the sixth the head of Khara's charioteer, with three the stout trivenu of the car, with two the wheel, and with the twelfth, severing as if in sport Khara's bow with his hand*, with the thirteenth, resembling the thunder-bolt pierced Khara in the encounter. Another text reads: with the arrow set.
प्रभग्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः। गदापाणिरवप्लुत्य तस्थौ भूमौ खरस्तदा॥
Then with his bow shattered, deprived of his car, (Khara) having his horses slain as well as his charioteer killed, taking a mace in his hand leaped to the ground, and stood there.
तत् कर्म रामस्य महारथस्य समेत्य देवश्च महर्षयश्च। स्तदा विमानाग्रगताः समेताः॥
And the celestials and Maharsis exceedingly rejoiced, assembled in the welkin in a body, and with joined hands extolled that feat of that mighty car-warrior Rāma.