Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 22: Khara and Others Depart to kill Rāma
Text 3.22.12

अग्रे निर्यातुमिच्छामि पौलस्त्यानां महात्मनाम्।
वधार्थं दुर्विनीतस्य रामस्य रणकोविदः॥

agre niryātum icchāmi paulastyānāṁ mahātmanām
vadhārthaṁ durvinītasya rāmasya raṇa-kovidaḥ

agre = in front; niryātum = to go; icchāmi = wish; paulastyānām = descendants of Pulastya; mahā-ātmanām = of the strong-bodied; vadha-artham = to kill; durvinītasya = whose conduct is bad; rāmasya = Rāma; raṇa-kovidaḥ = I, an expert in war.

I, an expert in war, wish to go in front of the strong-bodied descendants of Pulastya to kill Rāma whose conduct is bad.

The words paulastyānām vadhārtham [means “to kill the descendants of Pulastya”].1 By providence, this statement with such a meaning correctly predicts [the actual events that would take place in] the future.

GLOSS. [This verse can mean:] “I, an expert in war among the [strong-bodied] descendants of Pulastya, [want to go ahead to kill Rāma of bad conduct].”

1 The verse can also mean “I, an expert in war, want to go out in front of Rāma who is disciplined in His dealings with the wicked so that the rākṣasa descendants of Pulastya are killed.” The commentary refers to this meaning. Technical note: vastutas tu durvinītasya duṣṭeṣu vinītasya rāmasyāgre paulastyānāṁ rākṣasānāṁ vadhārthaṁ niryātum icchāmīti sambandhaḥ.