Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 29: Rāma Breaks Khara’s Mace
Text 3.29.1
खरं तु विरथं रामो गदापाणिमवस्थितम्।
मृदुपूर्वं महातेजाः परुषं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
kharaṁ tu virathaṁ rāmo gadā-pāṇim avasthitam
mṛdu-pūrvaṁ mahā-tejāḥ paruṣaṁ vākyam abravīt
kharam tu = to Khara; viratham rāmaḥ = Rāma; gadā-pāṇim = with a club in his hand; avasthitam = who stood; mṛdu-pūrvam = which were gentle at first; mahā-tejāḥ = of great prowess; paruṣam = and harsh later on; vākyam = words; abravīt = spoke.
Rāma, the possessor of great prowess, spoke words, which were gentle in the beginning and harsh later on, to Khara who stood with a club in his hand.
I take shelter of Śrī Rāma who shines after piercing Khara’s club that resembles the manifest potency of degrading false ego.1
Considering that Khara might become favorable [now that] he had no means [of victory] at his disposal, Rāma spoke [the following words] to examine his mind.
Rāma’s words were gentle because they were based on logic and righteousness.2 Those words were harsh since they revealed His intentions.
GLOSS. Mṛdu-pūrvam and paruṣam indicate that [Lord Rāma’s] words [were gentle while] His intentions [were harsh].