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Sreinc Dushana slain in fight along with Trigira, Khara, witnessing Rama’s prowess, was filled with fear. And seeing that irrisistible Rakshasa host—even Dushana and Trigira—slain by the mighty Rama alone, and seeing the great courage that was made in the army, that Rakshasa, Khara, was seized with despondency. Then as Namuchi advances against Vdsava, Khara stretching his powerful bow, advanced , against Rama. And Khara hurled at Rama ndrdchas reveling in blood, resembling infuriated venomous snakes. And repeatedly twanging his bow, Khara, mounted on his car, began to range the field, displaying his weapons through his

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‘acquired skill. And that mighty car-warrior covered all Hone sides with his shafts. And seeing this, Rama of a tremendeus bow with shafts incapable of being borne, and resembling tongues of flaming fire, entirely enveloped the welkin, even as acloud poureth down showers. And with the sharpened : shafts shot by Khara and Rama, the entire firmament on all "ow sides was thronged. And as each enraged was engaged in coping with the other, the sun, enveloped in a net-work of shafts, did not appear. And asa mighty elephant is struck with the goad, R&ma in the conflict attacked (his opponent) with nd/ikas and xdrdéchas and sharp-pointed wikirna. And as that Rakshasa sat on his car, bow in hand, all creatures saw him, as if he were the very Destroyer with the noose in his hand. And at this.time Khara thought that Destroyer of all his forces, established in his manliness, the exceedingly powerful Rama to be overcome with fatigue. And seeing that one powerful like the lion, and gifted with the vigorous gait of the lion, Rama was not moved, as a lion seeing a puny deer (is not moved). And then as an insect falls into a flame, Khara mounting a mighty car, resembling the sun, approached Rama. And, displaying his lightness of hand, Khara severed the bow of the magnanimous Rama, with the arrow (fixed on it) at the place where it is grasped. Then taking up seven other shafts, resplendent like the thunderbolt of Sakra, Khara, enraged, sent them into (R&ma’s) main-joints, and then afflicting Rama of unparalleled energy with a thousand shafts, Khara sent up in that conflict a loud shout. And riven by the shafts discharged by Khara, Rama’s mail resembling the sun fell to the ground. And pierced with those arrows, all over his body, and inflamed with rage, Raghava appeared in the field, like a smokeless flaming fire. Then that destroyer of foes, Rama, for compassing the end of his cnemy, stringed another mighty bow, sending forth solemn sounds,—the redoubtable Vaishnava bow that had been conferred on him by the 72

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Maharshi. And uplifting that superior bow, Rama ru against Khara. Then with shafts having bent knots and gc feathers, Rima, wrought up with rage, severed in battle Kh standard. And on that exceedingly graceful golden stan being hewn down it seemed as if the sun dropped t earth at the behest of the celestials. And thereat KI understanding the import of things, fired with wrath, pie R4ma’s breast with five arrows, like one striking an elep with a goad. And Rama on being pierced with a good n shafts discharged frem Khara’s bow, and having his | bathed in blood, was highly wroth. Thereupon that fore: of bowmen, aad weilder of a mighty bow, taking six sh let them go, after aiming at them. And with one sha pierced Khara’s head, with two his arms; and witht arrows headed like half-meons, Rama woundsd Khara ir chest. Then that highly energetic one, influenced by ar assailed the Rakshasa with thirteen ndrdchas whette stone and with one that exceedingly powerful one, cu yoke of the car, with four the four steeds, with sixth the head of Khara’s charioteer, with three the : érivenu of the car, with two the wheel, and with the tw: severing as if in sport Khara’s bow with his ha with the thirteenth, resembling the thunder-bolt pie Khara ia the encounter. Then with his bow shatte deprived of his car, (Khara) having his horses slain as as his charioteer killed, taking a mace in his hand le: to the ground, and stood there. And the celestials Maharshis exceedingly rejoiced, assembled in the welk. a body, and with joined hands extolled that feat of mighty car-warrior Rama. * Another text reads: with the arrew set.—T.