The Slaying of Trishira

Shloka 1 (aranya.27.1)

खरं तु रामाभिमुखं प्रयान्तं वाहिनीपतिः। राक्षसस्त्रिशिरा नाम संनिपत्येदमब्रवीत् ॥ 27.1 ॥

kharaṃ tu rāmābhimukhaṃ prayāntaṃ vāhinīpatiḥ | rākṣasastriśirā nāma saṃnipatyedamabravīt || 27.1 ||

But as Khara was about to advance to the forefront against Rama, the demon commander named Trishira drew near him and spoke thus -

Shloka 2 (aranya.27.2)

मां नियोजय विक्रान्तं त्वं निवर्तस्व साहसात्। पश्य रामं महाबाहुं संयुगे विनिपातितम् ॥ 27.2 ॥

māṃ niyojaya vikrāntaṃ tvaṃ nivartasva sāhasāt | paśya rāmaṃ mahābāhuṃ saṃyuge vinipātitam || 27.2 ||

"Hold back from this venture, and set me, the valiant one, upon this task. Now behold - I shall fell the mighty-armed Rama in combat.

Shloka 3 (aranya.27.3)

प्रतिजानामि ते सत्यमायुधं चाहमालभे। यथा रामं वधिष्यामि वधार्हं सर्वरक्षसाम् ॥ 27.3 ॥

pratijānāmi te satyamāyudhaṃ cāhamālabhe | yathā rāmaṃ vadhiṣyāmi vadhārhaṃ sarvarakṣasām || 27.3 ||

Taking oath upon my weapon, I promise you truly - I shall slay this Rama, who deserves death at the hands of all rakshasas.

Shloka 4 (aranya.27.4)

अहं वास्य रणे मृत्युरेष वा समरे मम। विनिवर्त्य रणोत्साहं मुहूर्तं प्राश्निको भव ॥ 27.4 ॥

ahaṃ vāsya raṇe mṛtyureṣa vā samare mama | vinivartya raṇotsāhaṃ muhūrtaṃ prāśniko bhava || 27.4 ||

Restrain your eagerness for battle, and for a while become the witness - either I shall be his death in this combat, or he shall be mine.

Shloka 5 (aranya.27.5)

प्रहृष्टो वा हते रामे जनस्थानं प्रयास्यसि। मयि वा निहते रामं संयुगाय प्रयास्यसि ॥ 27.5 ॥

prahṛṣṭo vā hate rāme janasthānaṃ prayāsyasi | mayi vā nihate rāmaṃ saṃyugāya prayāsyasi || 27.5 ||

"If Rama is killed, you may gladly return to Janasthana; but if I am slain, then you may come forward yourself to fight him." Thus Trishira spoke to Khara.

Shloka 6 (aranya.27.6)

खरस्त्रिशिरसा तेन मृत्युलोभात् प्रसादितः। गच्छ युध्येत्यनुज्ञातो राघवाभिमुखो ययौ ॥ 27.6 ॥

kharastriśirasā tena mṛtyulobhāt prasāditaḥ | gaccha yudhyetyanujñāto rāghavābhimukho yayau || 27.6 ||

Persuaded by that death-eager Trishira, Khara said, "Go, then, and fight," and having been thus permitted, Trishira advanced towards Raghava.

Shloka 7 (aranya.27.7)

त्रिशिरास्तु रथेनैव वाजियुक्तेन भास्वता। अभ्यद्रवद् रणे रामं त्रिशृङ्ग इव पर्वतः ॥ 27.7 ॥

triśirāstu rathenaiva vājiyuktena bhāsvatā | abhyadravad raṇe rāmaṃ triśṛṅga iva parvataḥ || 27.7 ||

Trishira, mounted on his lustrous horse-yoked chariot, rushed towards Rama in that war like a triple-peaked mountain advancing.

Shloka 8 (aranya.27.8)

शरधारासमूहान् स महामेघ इवोत्सृजन्। व्यसृजत् सदृशं नादं जलार्द्रस्येव दुन्दुभेः ॥ 27.8 ॥

śaradhārāsamūhān sa mahāmegha ivotsṛjan | vyasṛjat sadṛśaṃ nādaṃ jalārdrasyeva dundubheḥ || 27.8 ||

Discharging streams of arrows like a great rain-cloud, he sent forth a sound resembling the muffled beat of a water-soaked war-drum.

Shloka 9 (aranya.27.9)

आगच्छन्तं त्रिशिरसं राक्षसं प्रेक्ष्य राघवः। धनुषा प्रतिजग्राह विधुन्वन् सायकान् शितान् ॥ 27.9 ॥

āgacchantaṃ triśirasaṃ rākṣasaṃ prekṣya rāghavaḥ | dhanuṣā pratijagrāha vidhunvan sāyakān śitān || 27.9 ||

Seeing the demon Trishira advancing, Raghava took up his bow and, swiftly loosing sharp arrows, welcomed him in kind.

Shloka 10 (aranya.27.10)

स सम्प्रहारस्तुमुलो रामत्रिशिरसोस्तदा। सम्बभूवातिबलिनोः सिंहकुञ्जरयोरिव ॥ 27.10 ॥

sa samprahārastumulo rāmatriśirasostadā | sambabhūvātibalinoḥ siṃhakuñjarayoriva || 27.10 ||

Then that tumultuous encounter between Rama and Trishira became as fierce as one between a mighty lion and an elephant.

Shloka 11 (aranya.27.11)

ततस्त्रिशिरसा बाणैर्ललाटे ताडितस्त्रिभिः। अमर्षी कुपितो रामः संरब्ध इदमब्रवीत् ॥ 27.11 ॥

tatastriśirasā bāṇairlalāṭe tāḍitastribhiḥ | amarṣī kupito rāmaḥ saṃrabdha idamabravīt || 27.11 ||

Then, struck on the forehead by three of Trishira's arrows, Rama's already-kindled anger flared further, and, agitated, he spoke thus -

Shloka 12 (aranya.27.12)

अहो विक्रमशूरस्य राक्षसस्येदृशं बलम्। पुष्पैरिव शरैर्योऽहं ललाटेऽस्मि परिक्षतः ॥ 27.12 ॥

aho vikramaśūrasya rākṣasasyedṛśaṃ balam | puṣpairiva śarairyo'haṃ lalāṭe'smi parikṣataḥ || 27.12 ||

"Oh! Behold the might of this valiant rakshasa - whose arrows merely graze my forehead as lightly as flowers!

Shloka 13 (aranya.27.13)

ममापि प्रतिगृह्णीष्व शरांश्चापगुणाच्च्युतान्। एवमुक्त्वा सुसंरब्धः शरानाशीविषोपमान् ॥ 27.13 ॥

mamāpi pratigṛhṇīṣva śarāṃścāpaguṇāccyutān | evamuktvā susaṃrabdhaḥ śarānāśīviṣopamān || 27.13 ||

Now withstand these arrows too, loosed from the string of my bow." So saying, the greatly agitated Rama struck Trishira's chest with fourteen arrows resembling venomous serpents,

Shloka 14 (aranya.27.14)

त्रिशिरोवक्षसि क्रुद्धो निजघान चतुर्दश। चतुर्भिस्तुरगानस्य शरैः संनतपर्वभिः ॥ 27.14 ॥

triśirovakṣasi kruddho nijaghāna caturdaśa | caturbhisturagānasya śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ || 27.14 ||

striking Trishira's chest in fury with those fourteen arrows, and with four curve-headed shafts felled the four horses of his chariot as well.

Shloka 15 (aranya.27.15)

न्यपातयत तेजस्वी चतुरस्तस्य वाजिनः। अष्टभिः सायकैः सूतं रथोपस्थे न्यपातयत् ॥ 27.15 ॥

nyapātayata tejasvī caturastasya vājinaḥ | aṣṭabhiḥ sāyakaiḥ sūtaṃ rathopasthe nyapātayat || 27.15 ||

The resplendent Rama felled his four horses, and with eight arrows struck the charioteer down from his seat on the chariot.

Shloka 16 (aranya.27.16)

रामश्चिच्छेद बाणेन ध्वजं चास्य समुच्छ्रितम्। ततो हतरथात् तस्मादुत्पतन्तं निशाचरम् ॥ 27.16 ॥

rāmaściccheda bāṇena dhvajaṃ cāsya samucchritam | tato hatarathāt tasmādutpatantaṃ niśācaram || 27.16 ||

With a single arrow Rama also cut down his high-flying banner. Then, as that night-ranger leapt from his shattered chariot,

Shloka 17 (aranya.27.17)

चिच्छेद रामस्तं बाणैर्हृदये सोऽभवज्जडः। सायकैश्चाप्रमेयात्मा सामर्षस्तस्य रक्षसः ॥ 27.17 ॥

ciccheda rāmastaṃ bāṇairhṛdaye so'bhavajjaḍaḥ | sāyakaiścāprameyātmā sāmarṣastasya rakṣasaḥ || 27.17 ||

Rama pierced his heart through with arrows, so that he grew inert. Thereupon Rama, of measureless prowess, enraged at that rakshasa,

Shloka 18 (aranya.27.18)

शिरांस्यपातयत् त्रीणि वेगवद्भिस्त्रिभिः शरैः। स धूमशोणितोद्गारी रामबाणाभिपीडितः ॥ 27.18 ॥

śirāṃsyapātayat trīṇi vegavadbhistribhiḥ śaraiḥ | sa dhūmaśoṇitodgārī rāmabāṇābhipīḍitaḥ || 27.18 ||

with three swift and sharp arrows made his three heads fall away. That night-ranger, sorely tormented by Rama's arrows,

Shloka 19 (aranya.27.19)

न्यपतत् पतितैः पूर्वं समरस्थो निशाचरः। हतशेषास्ततो भग्ना राक्षसाः खरसंश्रयाः ॥ 27.19 ॥

nyapatat patitaiḥ pūrvaṃ samarastho niśācaraḥ | hataśeṣāstato bhagnā rākṣasāḥ kharasaṃśrayāḥ || 27.19 ||

spewing blood mixed with smoke, collapsed on the battlefield among his own heads that had just fallen. Thereafter the remaining rakshasas under Khara's protection, their courage shattered,

Shloka 20 (aranya.27.20)

द्रवन्ति स्म न तिष्ठन्ति व्याघ्रत्रस्ता मृगा इव। तान् खरो द्रवतो दृष्ट्वा निवर्त्य रुषितस्त्वरन्। राममेवाभिदुद्राव राहुश्चन्द्रमसं यथा ॥ 27.20 ॥

dravanti sma na tiṣṭhanti vyāghratrastā mṛgā iva | tān kharo dravato dṛṣṭvā nivartya ruṣitastvaran | rāmamevābhidudrāva rāhuścandramasaṃ yathā || 27.20 ||

began fleeing like deer terrified by a tiger, refusing to stand their ground. Seeing them fleeing, the enraged Khara turned them back and hurried them on, then himself charged straight at Rama, as Rahu charges at the moon.