Shloka 21

खररामयुद्धम् — The Battle of Khara and Rama

Aranya Kanda, Sarga 28

Devanagari script

सुमहद्वैष्णवं यत्तदतिसृष्टं महर्षिणा।वरं तद्धनुरुद्यम्य खरं समभिधावत।।।।

Transliteration

sumahad vaiṣṇavaṃ yat tad atisṛṣṭaṃ maharṣiṇā |

varaṃ tad dhanuḥ udyamya kharaṃ samabhidhāvata ||

Translation

رافعاً ذلك القوس الفايشنفي الأسمى، الذي وهبه له رِشيٌّ عظيم، اندفع راما مباشرةً نحو خَرَ.

Word by Word

• sumahat: very great
• sumahat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय-उपसर्ग/उपपद) + mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; intensifier su- (सु) as prefix-like element

• vaiṣṇavam: Vaishnava (of Viṣṇu)
• vaiṣṇavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; adjective to dhanuḥ (understood)

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napumsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun

• tat: that
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napumsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; correlative pronoun

• atisṛṣṭam: granted
• atisṛṣṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati-√sṛj (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Napumsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; passive sense 'bestowed/granted'

• maharṣiṇā: by the great sage
• maharṣiṇā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maharṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया), Ekavacana; instrumental of agent (कर्तृकरण)

• varam: excellent
• varam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; superlative sense 'excellent'

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; refers to bow

• dhanuḥ: bow
• dhanuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• udyamya: having raised/aimed
• udyamya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ud-√yam (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त), avyaya usage; 'having lifted/aimed'

• kharam: Khara
• kharam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• samabhidhāvata: rushed/advanced toward
• samabhidhāvata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-abhi-√dhāv (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

Context

Thereafter Rama advanced, aiming at Khara the superior Vaishnava bow given by sage Agastya.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Khara
• Vaiṣṇava bow
• Maharṣi (Agastya, per wider episode/tradition)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Divine gifts serve dharma, not ego: sacred weapons are to be used to restore moral order, and Rama employs the Vaiṣṇava bow to end a destructive aggressor.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama takes up the famed Vaiṣṇava bow (given by a sage in the broader narrative) and charges Khara to bring the battle to a conclusion.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Purposeful courage: Rama advances with confidence grounded in righteous duty rather than mere aggression.