jyaam vidhunvan subahushah shiksayaa astraani darshayan |

cacaara samare maargaan sharai ratha gatah kharah || 4-28-5

Fidgeting with bowstring in many a way, brandishing missiles with many a skill, Khara moved about the battleground in many a manner, seated on chariot and showing his expertise with arrows. [4-28-5]

sa sarvaah ca disho baanaih pradishah ca mahaarathah |

puurayaamaasa tam dristvaa raamo api sumahat dhanuh || 4-28-6

sa saayakaih dur.hvisahaih sa sphulingaih iva agnibhih |

nabhah cakaara avivaram parjanya iva vristibhih || 4-28-7

That great chariot-fighter Khara then started to fill all the stretches and inter-stretches with arrows, seeing that even Rama reciprocally started to take aim with his bow Rama, and then filled and made the sky less of leeway with verily unendurable arrows that are like tongues of fire emitting sparks, as with Rain-god chocking the sky with torrents, less of latitude. [4-28-6, 7]

tad babhuuva shitaih baanaih khara raama visar.hjitaih |

pari aakaasham anaakaasham sarvatah shara sa.nkulam || 4-28-8

No empty space is left out in the space around since it has become riotous with the sharp arrows discharged by Rama and Khara from everywhere. [4-28-8]

shara jaala aavritah suuryo na tadaa sma prakaashate |

anyonya vadha sa.mrambhaat ubhayoh sa.mprayudhyatoh || 4-28-9

While both of them are warring with excitement to slay one another, then the sun obscured with the mesh of arrows has not shined. [4-28-9]

tato naaliika naaraacaih tiiksna agraih ca vikar.hnibhih |

aajaghaana rane raamam totrair iva mahaa dvipam || 4-28-10

Then with acutely edged tubular, iron, and crescent-edged arrows Khara swatted Rama in that combat, as a great elephant will be swatted with a goad. [4-28-10]

tam rathastham dhanus paanim raaksasam paryavasthitam |

dadrishuh sarva bhuutaani paasha hastam iva a.ntakam || 4-28-11

When charioted Khara came to the presence of Rama with bow in hand and ready for a close combat, that demon appeared to all beings as the Terminator handling his noose. [4-28-11]

hantaaram sarva sainyasya pauruse paryavasthitam |

parishrantam mahaasattvam mene raamam kharah tadaa || 4-28-12

Khara presumed that greatly indefatigable Rama is wholly fatigued by now, though he has shown his mettle of boldness in eliminating all of the demonic forces, all the while. [4-28-12]

tam simham iva vikraantam si.mha vikraanta gaaminam |

dristvaa na udvijate raamah si.mhah ksudra mrigam yathaa || 4-28-13

On seeing Khara who is prancing like a lion with a gait of a lion, Rama is unruffled like a lion that sees a least beast. [4-28-13]

tatah suurya nikaashena rathena mahataa kharah |

aasasaada atha tam raamam pata.nga iva paavakam || 4-28-14

In a chariot that equals the sun in its radiance then Khara reached Rama as a moth reaches fire. [4-28-14]

tato asya sasharam caapam musti deshe mahaatmanah |

kharah ciccheda raamasya darshayan hasta laaghavam || 4-28-15

Showing sleight of hand Khara then broke the handgrip of the bow of that great-souled Rama along with an arrow fitted on it. [4-28-15]

sa punah tu aparaan sapta sharaan aadaaya varmani |

nijaghaana rane kruddhah shakra ashani sama prabhaan || 4-28-16

Still infuriated Khara has drawn seven more arrows that equal the radiance of Indra's thunderbolts and hit Rama's amour in that war. [4-28-16]

tatah shara sahasrena raamam apratima ojasam |

ar.hdayitvaa mahaanaadam nanaada samere kharah || 4-28-17

Then, on distressing Rama of unequalled vitality with a thousand arrows in that combat Khara blared a loud blare. [4-28-17]

tatah tat prahatam baanaih khara muktaih supar.hvabhih |

papaata kavacam bhuumau raamasya aaditya varcasah || 4-28-18

With the arrows released by Khara that have a great egress, then that armour of Rama that has a sun-like resplendence is completely destroyed and fell on the field. [4-28-18]

sa sharaih arpitah kruddhah sarva gaatresu raaghavah |

raraaja samare raamo vidhuumo agnir iva jvalan || 4-28-19

When all his limbs are hit with arrows Rama is enraged and in that war Rama flared up like a fumeless flaring fire. [4-28-19]

tato gambhiira nirhraadam raamah shatru nibarhanah |

cakaara antaaya sa ripoh sajyam anyan mahat dhanuh || 4-28-20

Then Rama, the blaster of enemies, strung bowstring to another thunderously blasting bow, to end the enemy. [4-28-20]

sumahat vaisnavam yat tat atisristam maharsinaa |

varam tat dhanuh udyamya kharam samabhidhaavata || 4-28-21

That which is a very admirable bow of Vishnu and that which is awarded by great-sage Agastya, upraising that choicest bow Rama rushed towards Khara. [4-28-21]

tatah kanaka pu.nkhaih tu sharaih sa.mnata par.hvabhih |

ciccheda raamah sa.mkruddhah kharasya samare dhvajam || 4-28-22

With arrows that have golden fins and curved barbs that highly infuriated Rama then fragmented Khara's flagstaff with flag in that war. [4-28-22]

sa darshaniiyo bahudhaa vicchinnah kaa.ncano dhvajah |

jagaama dharaniim suuryo devataanaam iva aajnayaa || 4-28-23

That eye-pleasing golden flagstaff with flag is severally shattered and fell onto ground as if it is god-damned sun fallen on earth. [4-28-23]

tam caturbhih kharah kruddho raamam gaatresu maarganaih |

vivyaadha hridi marmajno maata.ngam iva tomaraih || 4-28-24

By that Khara is enraged, and as one who is aware of striking crucial parts/war tactics assaulted on the chest of Rama with four arrows, and even on other limbs, as one would prod an elephant with lancets. [4-28-24]

sa raamo bahubhih baanaih khara kaarmuka nihsritaih |

viddho rudhira siktaa.ngo babhuuva rusito bhrisham || 4-28-25

Impacted with various arrows unloosened from the bow of Khara, limbs of Rama are drenched in blood and he became highly indignant. [4-28-25]

sa dhanur dhanvinaam shresthah pragrihya parama aahave |

mumoca parama isvaasah sat sharaan abhilaksitaan || 4-28-26

On aiming his great bow that ablest one among archers, namely Rama, then in that war released six arrows targeting pointedly. [4-28-26]

shirasi ekena baanena dvaabhyaam baahvor atha aarpayat |

tribhih candra ardha vaktraih ca vaksasi abhijaghaana ha || 4-28-27

Rama indeed hit Khara's head with one arrow, with two his hands, and next with three crescent shaped arrows he hit his chest. [4-28-27]

tatah pashcaat mahaatejaa naaraacaan bhaaskara upamaan |

jaghaana raaksasam kruddhah trayodasha shilaa ashitaan || 4-28-28

Then afterwards that great-resplendent Rama wishing to eliminate the demon, infuriately launched thirteen iron arrows that are sharply whetted and similar to the dazzle of sun. [4-28-28]

rathasya yugam ekena caturbhih shabalaan hayaan |

sasthena ca shirah sa.mkhye ciccheda khara saaratheh || 4-28-29

tribhih trivenuun balavaan dvaabhyaam aksam mahaabalah |

dvaadashena tu baanena kharasya sa sharam dhanuh || 4-28-30

chittvaa vajra nikaashena raaghavah prahasan iva |

trayodashena indra samo bibheda samare kharam || 4-28-31

That mighty Raghava who equals Indra in combats, smiling at the warfare of Khara, smashed the yoke of the chariot with one arrow; with four, four of the dappled horses; with the sixth, the head of the charioteer of Khara; with three, the three-pronged shaft from yoke to the base of chariot; with two the axels, thus that chariot is fragmented. Then, on wrecking Khara's bow on which an arrow is placed with the twelfth, that mighty one Rama impaled Khara with the thirteenth arrow that is similar to a thunderbolt. [4-28-29, 30, 31]

prabhagna dhanvaa viratho hata ashvo hata saarathih |

gadaa paanih avaplutya tasthau bhuumau kharah tadaa || 4-28-32

With his bow utterly shattered, chariot fragmented, horses killed, and charioteer felled, that Khara then hopped down to ground from the dilapidated chariot wielding a mace, and stood fast. [4-28-32]

tat karma raamasya mahaarathasya

sametya devaah ca maharsayah ca |

apuujayan praa.njalayah prahristaah

tadaa vimaana agra gataah sametaah || 4-28-33

The gods as well as great-sages have then came together and assembled in heavens, and those assemblies that are aboard their aircrafts are highly gladdened at the exploit of the great chariot-fighter Rama, and they worshipped him with their adjoined palms. [4-28-33]

 iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye aranya kaande asta vimshah sargah

Thus, this is the 28th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate

References

Desiraju Hanumanta Rao. (1998). Aranya Kanda - Forest track.

Merriam-Webster. (2007). At http://www.m-w.com.

Reference.com. (2007). At http://www.reference.com.