batch.motif.hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg-l29225-l29359
---
record_id: batch.motif.hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg-l29225-l29359
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
passage_locator:
label: Canto XVIII. The Mutilation. / Canto XIX. The Rousing Of Khara. / Canto XXI.
The Rousing Of Khara. / Canto XXIII. The Omens.; lines 29225-29359
start: '29225'
end: '29359'
translation: The Ramayan of Valmiki
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: As Khara's giant army goes out, a series of ominous disturbances appears
in sky, weather, animals, waters, trees, and earth. Khara recognizes bad omens
but rejects fear and boasts that he will kill Rama and Lakshmana. Celestial beings
assemble to watch and express the hope that Raghu's offspring will slay the night-roaming
sons of Pulastya. The giant host advances toward the princes.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A huge ferocious armament sets out, accompanied by a dark cloud that thunders
and pours water mixed with blood.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Khara's steeds stumble and fall on a flower-strewn royal way.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The sky is darkened, reddened, and obscured by clouds and dust so that directions
cannot be seen.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: A vulture perches on the golden flagstaff, and birds, beasts of prey, jackals,
and spirit voices cry out around the host.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:5
text: An untimely eclipse, a mace-like comet, wind, daylight stars, meteors, and
an earthquake occur as the army moves.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:6
text: Lilies droop, brooks dry, fish and water-birds die, and trees are stripped
of flowers and fruit.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:7
text: Khara's left arm throbs; he recognizes the omen, grows distressed, but does
not turn back.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:8
text: Khara boasts to his giant legions that he scorns the signs and can overpower
celestial and deathly forces.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:9
text: Khara vows not to return home until his arrows have slain Raghu's son and
Lakshmana, and says his sister will drink their lifeblood.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:10
text: Gods, Gandharvas, sages, saints, and pure beings gather in the air to watch
the fight.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:11
text: The celestial witnesses express hope that Raghu's offspring will slay the
night-roaming sons of Pulastya.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:12
text: The giant host advances with Khara in front, Dushan nearby, twelve giant peers,
and four other chiefs.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Khara
description: A giant chieftain or monarch who rides out in a chariot, recognizes
omens, boasts, and leads the host.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Giant host
description: Khara's giant legions and warriors, described as cruel, dark, dread,
eager for battle, and death-doomed.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Raghu's son
description: The prince whom Khara vows to slay; the celestial beings hope he will
slay Pulastya's sons.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Lakshmana
description: The brother beside Raghu's son whom Khara also vows to slay.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Khara's sister
description: Khara's sister, for whose sake he says the sons of Raghu will meet
doom and who is promised the lifeblood of slain foes.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Gods, Gandharvas, sages, saints, and pure beings
description: Celestial and holy witnesses who assemble in the air, ride in cars,
watch the coming fight, and speak hopes for the defeat of the giants.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Dushan and giant chiefs
description: Dushan, twelve giant peers, and four other chiefs who accompany Khara's
advance.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
roles:
- id: role:1
label: boasting war leader
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Khara leads the host, addresses his legions, rejects the omens, and vows
victory.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: role:2
label: attacking giant army
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:7
basis: The giant warriors advance toward the place where the two princes dwell.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:3
label: intended victims and opponents
assigned_to:
- fig:3
- fig:4
basis: Khara says he will not return home until his arrows have slain Raghu's son
and Lakshmana.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:4
label: celestial witnesses favoring Raghu's offspring
assigned_to:
- fig:3
- fig:6
basis: The heavenly assembly watches and voices hope that Raghu's offspring will
slay Pulastya's sons.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:5
label: kinswoman named as cause and beneficiary of vengeance
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Khara says the sons of Raghu meet doom for his sister and that she will drink
their lifeblood.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:6
label: death-marked combatants
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:2
basis: The host is described as entangled in Fate and as a death-doomed multitude
under ominous signs.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: blood-mixed rainwater
literal_form: water mixed with blood falling from a dark thundercloud
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: ill-omened birds and predators
literal_form: vulture on the flagstaff, cranes, jackals, beasts of prey, and harsh
bird-cries
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: eclipse and comet
literal_form: untimely eclipse of the sun and a mace-like comet near it
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: flame and meteors
literal_form: hissing and flaming mouths of omens, and meteors with flash and flame
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: sym:5
label: stripped trees
literal_form: trees stripped bare of flower and fruit
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:6
label: noose of Fate
literal_form: the giant host described as entangled in the noose of Fate
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:7
label: darkness and dust covering the sky
literal_form: thick darkness and clouds of dust obscuring the sky and directions
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Army departs under omens
summary: Khara's army goes forth while blood-mixed rain, darkness, stumbling horses,
predatory birds, ill-omened cries, and obscured skies accompany its march.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Cosmic and natural disruption intensifies
summary: The sun is eclipsed, a comet appears, stars show in daylight, waters dry,
living creatures die, trees are stripped, meteors fall, and earth shakes as Khara
rides out.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:5
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Khara rejects the warning signs
summary: Khara recognizes the ominous throbbing of his arm and is shaken, yet he
laughs at the signs, boasts of his power, and vows to kill Raghu's son and Lakshmana.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Heavenly witnesses and doomed advance
summary: Celestial beings gather to watch and hope for the giants' defeat, while
Khara, Dushan, chiefs, and the giant host advance toward the princes.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:6
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: omens before a doomed battle
taxonomy_refs:
- chaos
basis: The passage piles up abnormal weather, blood-rain, eclipse, comet, animal
cries, dried waters, meteors, and earthquake before the battle, and presents the
army as death-doomed.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The available taxonomy has no specific omen category; 'chaos' is an approximate
family for the disordering signs.
- id: motif:2
label: proud warrior ignores ominous warnings
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Khara understands the bad omen of his throbbing left arm and sees frightening
signs, but laughs them off and continues toward battle while boasting.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: No available taxonomy reference directly matches this narrative pattern.
- id: motif:3
label: celestial sanction for destruction of hostile beings
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: Gods, Gandharvas, sages, saints, and pure beings assemble and voice the hope
that Raghu's offspring will slay the night-roaming sons of Pulastya.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage presents approval and expectation by heavenly witnesses, not
a formal decree or explicit judgment scene.
- id: motif:4
label: fate-noose around a doomed army
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The giant host rejoices in pride while being described as entangled in the
noose of Fate and as a death-doomed multitude.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: This is a strong internal image but has no exact supplied taxonomy reference.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: 'The passage functions like a broad pre-battle doom-omen pattern: natural,
celestial, animal, and bodily signs announce disaster before combat.'
claim_level: same_function
target: pre-battle doom-omen narrative pattern
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:5
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: No external parallel, historical contact, or inheritance claim is supplied
by the passage; the claim is limited to narrative function.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 29225-29256
quote_or_summary: Khara's army sets out amid thunderclouds, blood-mixed water, stumbling
horses, darkness, red sky, a vulture on the banner, predatory animals, and ominous
voices.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 29257-29288
quote_or_summary: Further omens include eclipse, comet, wind, daylight stars, drooping
lilies, dried brooks, dead fish and birds, stripped trees, dust-darkened sky,
meteors, and earthquake.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 29289-29323
quote_or_summary: Khara rides out, recognizes the omen of his throbbing left arm
and is troubled, but laughs at the signs, boasts, and vows to kill Raghu's son
and Lakshmana so his sister may drink their lifeblood.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 29324-29349
quote_or_summary: The giant host rejoices in pride and is described as caught in
Fate's noose. Gods, Gandharvas, sages, saints, and pure beings assemble in the
air and hope Raghu's offspring will slay Pulastya's sons.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 29350-29359
quote_or_summary: The celestial viewers see the giants' death-doomed multitude,
Khara's car before the host, Dushan and other chiefs nearby, and the giant warriors
advancing toward the princely two.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary used.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: The passage is explicit about omens, Khara's reaction, celestial witnesses,
and the army's advance. Motif taxonomy matches are partly approximate because
no specific omen taxonomy was supplied.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Only the supplied passage and metadata were used.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:hindu-ramayana-griffith-gutenberg__l29225-l29359
passage_sha256=fd929858eb557fdff16814e77fa21ae0fc107c6ddc4ffeb2a932783fec07d346