Shloka 3.27.16
त्रिशिरोवधः (The Slaying of Triśiras) — Araṇyakāṇḍa, Sarga 27
ततो हतरथात्तस्मादुत्पतन्तं निशाचरम्।।3.27.16।।बिभेद रामस्तं बाणैर्हृदये सोऽभवज्जडः।
pratijānāmi te satyam āyudhaṁ cāham ālabhe | yathā rāmaṁ vadhiṣyāmi vadhārhaṁ sarvarakṣasām || 3.27.3 ||
“I swear to you in truth—touching my weapon in pledge—that I will kill Rāma, who has become the slayer fit to be slain by all rākṣasas.”
Rama then hit the demon with arrows on his chest while he was running away from the broken chariot. The demon became numb.
Satya (truthfulness) is invoked through an oath; the Ramayana repeatedly treats vows as morally binding—though here the vow is misdirected toward adharma.
The rākṣasa commander makes a solemn pledge to Khara, ritually affirming it by touching his weapon, promising to kill Rāma.
Resolve and commitment to one’s word (vow-keeping) is foregrounded, even as the narrative context implies the vow serves an unrighteous cause.