Shloka 3.25.21
खरसेनासङ्ग्रामः — The Battle with Khara’s Host at the Hermitage
तैर्धनूंषि ध्वजाग्राणि वर्माणि च शिरांसि च।बाहून्सहस्ताभरणानूरून्करिकरोपमान्।।।।चिच्छेद रामस्समरे शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः।
tair dhanūṃṣi dhvajāgrāṇi varmāṇi ca śirāṃsi ca |
bāhūn sahastābharaṇān ūrūn karikaropamān ||
ciccheda rāmaḥ samare śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ |
With those arrows, in the thick of battle, Rama severed—by the hundreds and by the thousands—bows, the tips of banners, armor, and heads; and he cut down arms still wearing ornaments and thighs like elephants’ trunks.
In war Rama cut asunder the bows, flag tops, armour and heads of demons, their shoulders and thighs that were like the trunks of elephants, in their hundreds and thousands.
The verse presents the dharmic ideal of decisive restraint: ending violence swiftly through superior skill, preventing further harm to the innocent.
Rama’s arrows dismantle the enemy’s weapons, insignia, defenses, and fighters in massive numbers.
Strategic competence—Rama neutralizes the opposing force systematically, not randomly.