Shloka 20

खरवधः — The Slaying of Khara

Janasthana Battle Climax

Devanagari script

जातस्वेदस्ततो रामो रोषाद्रक्तान्तलोचनः।निर्भिभेद सहस्रेण बाणानां समरे खरम्।।।।

Transliteration

jātasvedas tato rāmo roṣād raktāntalocanaḥ | nirbhibheda sahasreṇa bāṇānāṃ samarē kharam ||

Translation

حينئذٍ كان راما يتصبّب عرقًا، وقد احمرّت أطراف عينيه من الغضب، فشقَّ خَرَ في المعركة بألفِ سهم.

Word by Word

• jātasvedaḥ: sweating (with sweat arisen)
• jātasvedaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jāta + sveda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound: jātaḥ svedaḥ yasya (बहुव्रीहि sense, but form treated as adjective); commonly analyzed as karmadhāraya/tatpurusha in usage; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying 'rāmaḥ'

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla/Anubandha (काल/अनुबन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of sequence

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• roṣāt: from anger, out of rage
• roṣāt: Hetu (हेतु; cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: roṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• raktāntalocanaḥ: red-cornered-eyed
• raktāntalocanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta + anta + locana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Bahuvrīhi: raktaḥ antaḥ (koṇaḥ) yasya locane (whose eye-corners are red); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying 'rāmaḥ'

• nirbhibheda: he pierced/split
• nirbhibheda: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√bhid (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• sahasreṇa: with a thousand
• sahasreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• bāṇānām: of arrows
• bāṇānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• samare: in battle
• samare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• kharam: Khara
• kharam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Context

Full of sweat and with the corners of his eyes turned red, Rama hit Khara with a thousand arrows in the encounter.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Khara
• arrows (bāṇāḥ)

FAQs

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

Even when anger arises, dharma demands effectiveness and restraint in purpose: Rama’s wrath is not mere emotion but is directed toward stopping a destructive aggressor, consistent with protective duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama intensifies his counterattack, showering Khara with a massive volley of arrows.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s martial prowess and endurance under pressure.