Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 27: Rāma Kills Triśirā
Text 3.27.12
अहो विक्रमशूरस्य राक्षसस्येदृशं बलम्।
पुष्पैरिव शरैर्यस्य ललाटेऽस्मि परिक्षतः॥
aho vikrama-śūrasya rākṣasasyedṛśaṁ balam
puṣpair iva śarair yasya lalāṭe ’smi parikṣataḥ
aho = oh; vikrama-śūrasya = of an overpowering and heroic; rākṣasasya = rākṣasa; īdṛśam = such; balam = is the strength; puṣpaiḥ = flowers; iva = that resemble; śaraiḥ = arrows; yasya = by his; lalāṭe = on My forehead; asmi = [that] I am; parikṣataḥ = wounded.
“Oh, such is the strength of an overpowering and heroic rākṣasa [that] I am wounded on My forehead by his arrows that resemble flowers!”
1 Rāmāyaṇa-bhāva-dīpa: parikṣataḥ varjita-kṣataḥ. “apa-parī varjane” iti vacanāt puṣpair iti sulagnam.
This is a sarcastic statement.
An injury on one’s forehead slightly obstructs one [in fighting]. Śrī Rāma compares [Triśirā’s arrows] with flowers to indicate that He was not even slightly obstructed.
GLOSS. Parikṣataḥ indicates that Lord Śrī Rāma was free from injury because of [Triśirā’s arrows that resembled] flowers.1