Shri Ram’s exile had two reasons. One was to keep up his father’s promise and the other was to protect the good from the evil. However, the evil was not one, but huge in number in the form of demons spread all over the Dandak forest whereas Shri Ram and Lakshman were only two of them. Yet, they emerged successful in eliminating all the evil forces of the Dandak forest and the strength behind their victory was Dharma.
Shri Ram’s acts were phenomenal filled with courage wherein he destroyed each and every demon step by step and finally cleared the entire Dandak forest till the Janasthan without a single demon to be alive and harass the pious sages. Among these, the battle of Janasthan where Shri Ram fought the brothers Khar and Dushan stands as an exception. They were fourteeen thousand in number, and Shri Ram was the only one against them, yet the power which made him stand against those evil forces was his confidence, courage and belief in Dharma.
During their residency at Panchavati, Shri Ram encounters the lust of Shurpnakha which leads to Lakshman cutting of her nose and ears. Just as a greedy woman is one of reason of the destruction of the family, Ravan’s family is led to its doom by Shurpnakha and the first annihilation started with Khar and Dushan.
It was not in singles or hundreds that the demons had come to attack the brothers, but they were fourteen thousand. Yet, giving Lakshman the responsibility of safeguarding the Ashram and Mata Sita, Shri Ram goes to fight them singlehandedly. For a true warrior, numbers never matter and it is belief in truth and himself which matters.. Shri Ram totally believed in his Dharma and knew that he was doing the right thing hence like a mighty lion , he eliminated them all with his powerful arrows.
The demons were experts in sorcery and magic. They appeared and disappeared, but they couldn’t escape the wrath of Shri Ram’s arrows. This is because although it was a talent acquired through learning, it does not stand a chance when it is used against Dharma. Initially, the evil is always powerful, but the same power becomes arrogance which always leads to downfall. The army of Khar and Dushan underestimated Shri Ram and never thought that their own foolishness to listen to the words of a greedy woman and arrogance led to the failure of all their sorcery in front of Shri Ram. Even a single person is enough to stand for Dharma, whereas even a thousand evil ones succumb to it.
Neither sorcery helped the demons nor the numbers. Shri Ram destroyed all of the fourteen thousand demons in a mere 72 minutes. He did not have any chariot or any army to help him, the only strength he had was his belief for goodness and truth. Shri Ram gives mankind courage by this incident that it is courage, belief in Dharma and faith in the Almighty which helps one overcome any difficult situation, but not miracles or powers. This battle of Shri Ram is an exceptional lesson to all mankind that the evil might dominate the world, but it is because of the goodness of even few people, that Dharma survives and sustains and continues as life.