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. Come to the asylum, Khara in company with those that went before him, saw that slayer of foes, the enraged Rama, holding his bow. And seeing him, Khara possessing a shrill voice, raising his bow, commanded unto the charioteer io drive towards Rama,—‘“Drive on!’ At Khara’s command, the charioteer drove the steeds to where the mighty-armed Rama stood alone, holding his bow. And seeing him (Khara) entered the field, all those rangers of the night—the counsellers—uttering mighty shouts, environed him round. And Khara stationed on his car in the midst of Rakshasas appeared like red bodied one risen in the midst of the stars. Then in battle Khara, afflicting Rama of incomparable energy with a thousand shafts, uttered a tremendous roar. Then all the rangers of the night, waxing exceeding wroth, showered various weapons on that terrible bowman, the invincible Rima. And wrought up with rage, the R&kshasas in battle assailed him with iron clubs, and darts, and prdsas, and swords, and axes. And resembling clouds (in hue), the exceedingly strong Réakshasas, having huge bodies, darted towards Kakutstha by means of steeds and cars. And mounted on elephants resembling * Another reading is :—The sylvan deities fled away.—T. 71

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-mountain-peaks, numbers of Rakshasas, intent upon s Rama in battle, showered arrows on him, as mighty cl spour down showers on the monarch of mountains. R&ma was hemmed in by all those fierce-looking Raksh ‘even as in the evening Mahadeva is surrounded by courtiers. And as the ocean resisteth the tide of a ri Raghava by means of arrows resisted the weapons dis ‘charged by the Yatudhanas. As.a mighty mountain, assailed by the thunderbolt, doth not feel pain, Rama, having his person pierced by terrible flaming weapons, did not fed ypain. And pierced, and with his person covered with blood, Rama, the descendant of Raghu, resembled the sun e veloped in evening clouds. And seeing him single, sur rounded by many thousands, the Gods, Gandharbas Siddhas, and supreme saints became sorrowful. Then Rima getting enraged, bringing his bow to a circle, discharged sharpened shafts by hundreds and by thousands. And asif in sport, R&ma in the conflict shot irrisistible (shafts) furnished with Kanka feathers, and decked with gold, irrisistible, capable of inflicting extreme pain, and resembk -ing the noose of Death. And sportively discharged by Rams, those arrows deprived the Rakshasas of their lives, like the noose forged by death. And piercing the persons of the Rakshasas, those arrows, soaked in blood, going up to the sky, appeared with the splendour of flaming fire. And inne merable shafts, exceedingly fierce, capable of depriving the -Rikshasas of their lives, were let go from the circle of his bow. And with those Rama severed bows, in battle by hundreds and by thousands and flag ends, and shields, and mail, and many arms with embellished hands, resembling the trunks of elephants. And the arrows of Rama discharged from the string pierced and cut off steeds mailed in gold, yoked unto cars, together with the charioteer ; and elephants with their riders; and horsemen with horses. And slaying foot-soldiers, he despatched them to the abode of Yama.

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i And cut off with nd/tkas and, ndrdchas, and sharp-pointed! : otkirnas, the rangers of the night uttered dreadful howls of "7" wt OD kh PM ow Yh distress. And like a withered’ wood’ afflicted by fire, that host harassed by the various marrow-piercing* shafts shot by Rama, did not attain ease. And some heroic rangers of the night possessed of great strength, waxing furious, threwt at Rama frasas, and darts and axes. Thereupon: resisting by means of shafts those weapons of theirs, the mighty-armed Rama endeued with prowess, took their lives in the conflict,. and cut off the heads (of warriors). And having their heads, and shields and bow-strings, severed, they fell as fall on the earth trees thrown down by blasts from the wings of Suparna.t Those rangers of the night that remained there, wounded by arrows, and losing heart, fled with speed to Khara, to seek his protection. Thereat, encouraging them, Dushana, taking his: bow, ran furiously im high rage against Rama, like the enraged Destroyer himself. And rallied again (by Dushana) and, their fear dispelled through their having found refuge with him, they armed with sé/as, télas, and crags, darted against Rama. And bearing in their hands darts, and clubs, and nooses, those exceedingly strong ones showered in battle shafts and weapons. And the Rakshasas discharged vollies of trees and crags. And capable of making: one’s hair stand on end, tliat battle was dreadful and furious. and now on the side of Rama and now again on that of the Rakshasas. And waxing exceedingly wroth, they bore on him hard from all sides. Then finding all directions. entirely covered with Rakshasas, and showers of shafts, that one gifted with mighty strength, sending up a terriffc shout, fixed (on the bow-string) the exceedingly effulgent Gandharba weapon (for discharging it) among the Rakshasas. Then thousands of shafts went forth from the circle of his bow; * Another reading is, sharpened.—T. + Another reading: remaining before Rama, threw powerful weapons.—T. $ Lit.—Of fair feathers. A name of Garura.

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and all directions were covered with thronging arrows. 1 those Rakshasas, afflicted with arrows could not see Ri how he took out his dread shafts, nor how he dischar. those excellent shafts; they only saw him drawing his b And the darkness spread by the arrows enveloped the with the sun. And Rama stationed there continued pour in shafts. And the earth was covered with shafts shot, ; alighting, and alighted simultaneously. And at places w seen Riakshasas by thousands slain, falling, enfeebled, t and riven. And cut off by Rama with arrows, d. and Patticas in that battle the fearful field was scat ed, heads with turbans, arms with finger-fences; torn thi and arms, and various ornaments, horses, excellent elepha and cars, shattered in numbers, chouris, fans, and umbrel and pennons of various descriptions. Beholding all th Stain, the (remaining) Rakshasas, sore distressed, could (again) advance before that captor of hostile capitals Ran