Shloka 2

खररामयुद्धम् — The Battle of Khara and Rama

Aranya Kanda, Sarga 28

Devanagari script

स दृष्ट्वा राक्षसं सैन्यमविसह्यं महाबलः।हतमेकेन रामेण त्रिशिरोदूषणावपि।।।।तद्बलं हतभूयिष्ठं विमनाः प्रेक्ष्य राक्षसः।आससाद खरो रामं नमुचिर्वासवं यथा।।।।

Transliteration

sa dṛṣṭvā rākṣasaṃ sainyam aviṣahyaṃ mahābalaḥ |

hatam ekena rāmeṇa triśiro-dūṣaṇāv api ||

tad balaṃ hata-bhūyiṣṭhaṃ vimanāḥ prekṣya rākṣasaḥ |

āsasāda kharo rāmaṃ namucir vāsavaṃ yathā ||

Translation

ครั้นเขาเห็นกองทัพยักษ์อันมหึมาและยากต้าน ถูกพระรามผู้เดียวปราบสิ้น แม้ตรีศิรัสและทูษณะก็มอดม้วย ขระเมื่อเห็นกำลังตนถูกทำลายเป็นอันมากก็ใจหาย แล้วเข้าประจัญพระราม—ดุจนมุจิเคยเข้าต่อกรพระอินทร์ (วาสวะ)

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; pronoun

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा)

• राक्षसम्: demonic
• राक्षसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (or Masculine used adjectivally), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying सैन्यम्

• सैन्यम्: army
• सैन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sainya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• अविसह्यम्: irresistible
• अविसह्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avisahya (सह् धातोः यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying सैन्यम्; ‘unendurable/irresistible’

• महाबलः: mighty/very strong
• महाबलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound: महत्/महā + बल; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifying सः

• हतम्: slain/destroyed
• हतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (हन् धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; predicative to सैन्यम् (understood)

• एकेन: by one (alone)
• एकेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; qualifying रामेण

• रामेण: by Rama
• रामेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• त्रिशिरः: Trishiras
• त्रिशिरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: triśiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (as member of dual sense with next)

• दूषणौ: (and) Dushana (the two)
• दूषणौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual (द्विवचन); with त्रिशिरः intended as dual pair (त्रिशिरोदूषणौ)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle ‘also’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying बलम्

• बलम्: force/army
• बलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• हतभूयिष्ठम्: with very many slain
• हतभूयिष्ठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata-bhūyiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound: हत (slain) + भूयिष्ठ (most/very many); Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying बलम्

• विमनाः: downcast/distressed
• विमनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimanas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifying राक्षसः/सः

• प्रेक्ष्य: having witnessed
• प्रेक्ष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√īkṣ (प्र+ईक्ष् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having looked at/witnessed’

• राक्षसः: the demon (Khara)
• राक्षसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• आससाद: approached/assailed
• आससाद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√sad (आ+सद् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada; ‘approached/attacked’

• खरः: Khara
• खरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; apposition to राक्षसः

• रामम्: Rama
• रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• नमुचिः: Namuchi
• नमुचिः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• वासवम्: Indra (Vasava)
• वासवम्: Upameya (उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Upamā-vācaka (उपमावाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable comparative particle

Context

Exhibiting his agility of the hand, Khara shattered the bow and the arrow in the grip of Rama ,the great soul.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Khara
• Rākṣasas
• Triśiras
• Dūṣaṇa
• Namuci
• Vāsava (Indra)

FAQs

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

The verse frames righteous resistance to adharma: Rama’s solitary defense against violent aggressors upholds protective duty (kṣatriya-dharma), showing that power is legitimate when used to restrain wrongdoing.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rama has killed many rākṣasas, including Triśiras and Dūṣaṇa, Khara—disturbed by the collapse of his forces—personally advances to confront Rama.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s steadfast valor and resolve: he stands unmoved as the aggressor’s commander comes forward, underscoring courage aligned with righteous purpose.