Shloka 22
खरस्य सैन्योद्योगः
Khara Mobilizes the Janasthana Host
मुद्गरैः पट्टिसैश्शूलैस्सुतीक्ष्णैश्च परश्वधैः।खङ्गैश्चक्रैश्च हस्तस्थैर्भ्राजमानैश्च तोमरैः।।3.22.20।।शक्तिभिः परिघैर्घोरैरतिमात्रैश्च कार्मुकैः।गदासिमुसलैर्वज्रैर्गृहीतैर्भीमदर्शनैः।।3.22.21।।राक्षसानां सुघोराणां सहस्राणि चतुर्दश।निर्यातानि जनस्थानात्खरचित्तानुवर्तिनाम्।।3.22.22।।
rākṣasānāṃ sughorāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi caturdaśa |
niryātāni janasthānāt kharacittānuvartinām ||
Vierzehntausend überaus grimmige Rākṣasas, dem Willen Kharas folgend, zogen aus Janasthāna hinaus.
Knowing the mind of Khara, the charioteer hastened the horses of the colourful chariot decorated with pure gold.
FAQs
It contrasts blind obedience to a wrongful leader with dharmic discernment. Following a superior’s ‘will’ is not virtuous when that will is rooted in adharma.
Khara’s forces—numbering fourteen thousand—leave Janasthāna to attack, marking the escalation toward the major confrontation with Rama.
The verse foregrounds loyalty as a force; the Ramayana’s ethical lens later tests whether loyalty is aligned with dharma or merely with power.