Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 29: Rāma Breaks Khara’s Mace
Text 3.29.4
कर्म लोकविरुद्धं तु कुर्वाणं क्षणदाचर।
तीक्ष्णं सर्वजनो हन्ति सर्पं दुष्टमिवागतम्॥
karma loka-viruddhaṁ tu kurvāṇaṁ kṣaṇadācara
tīkṣṇaṁ sarva-jano hanti sarpaṁ duṣṭam ivāgatam
karma = acts; loka-viruddham tu = that are contrary to the world; kurvāṇam = the performer of; kṣaṇadācara = O night-ranger; tīkṣṇam = noxious; sarva-janaḥ = everyone; hanti = kills; sarpam = serpent; duṣṭam = he is an evil; iva = as if; āgatam = that has come [to one’s home].
O night-ranger, everyone kills the performer of noxious acts that are contrary to the world—as if he is an evil serpent that has come [to one’s home].
1 It also includes people who haven’t been harmed by that evil person.
“Everyone” implies that even compassionate persons [kill performers of such evil deeds].1
GLOSS. “Everyone” refers to those who have been hurt [by the performers of such noxious acts] and those who haven’t been hurt [by them].