Shloka 5
खरसेनासङ्ग्रामः
The Battle with Khara’s Host at the Hermitage
स तेषां यातुधानानां मध्ये रथगतः खरः।बभूव मध्ये ताराणां लोहिताङ्ग इवोदितः।।।।
sa teṣāṃ yātudhānānāṃ madhye rathagataḥ kharaḥ |
babhūva madhye tārāṇāṃ lohitāṅga ivoditaḥ ||
พญาขรนั่งอยู่บนรถศึกท่ามกลางเหล่ารากษส โดดเด่นประดุจดาวอังคารสีแดงฉานที่ลอยเด่นอยู่ท่ามกลางหมู่ดารา
Slain thus by Rama's arrows, the ground was littered with (bodies of) demons with limbs dismembered, headdresses and shoulders cut off, arms, thighs and knees decked with various ornaments amputated, chariots, horses, best of elephants, fans made of the tail of chamari deer (used as an insignia of royalty), umbrellas, several flags, and weapons like spears, swords, darts, battle-axes and stones crushed into pieces and arrows splintered and scattered all over. The ground looked frightening.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē araṇyakāṇḍē pañcaviṅśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the twentyfifth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.
FAQs
The verse highlights how power and prominence can dazzle like a celestial body; Dharma requires discernment—recognizing that outward brilliance (martial display) is not the same as righteousness.
Khara is positioned at the center of the rākṣasa host, visually dominating the battlefield scene as the confrontation with Rāma intensifies.
Not a virtue of Khara, but the narrative stresses commanding presence and martial confidence—qualities that, without Dharma, become instruments of adharma.