Sages & Others
Khara
खर
Rakshasa of Janasthana
Who was Khara?
Khara (खर): Rakshasa of Janasthana, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. Twin of Surpanakha and half-brother of Ravana, born to the sage Visrava on the rakshasi Raka.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | खर |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | Rakshasa of Janasthana |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | fierce, skilled, predatory, loyal |
| Notable relationships | Half-brother: Ravana, Twin sister: Surpanakha, Father: Visrava, Slain by: Rama |
| Featured in | 1 story |
About Khara
Twin of Surpanakha and half-brother of Ravana, born to the sage Visrava on the rakshasi Raka. The epic marks him out as proficient in archery, hostile to brahmanas and living on flesh, and while his elder brothers stood through a thousand years of austerity on Gandhamadana it was Khara and his sister who kept watch over them. Posted afterwards in Janasthana with Dushana and a great host, he was destroyed with all of them by Rama, and that slaughter is what brought Ravana into the quarrel.
In Their Words
Janasthana is mine, and no exile with a bow will keep it from me.
Khara
Traits
- fierce
- skilled
- predatory
- loyal
Story Appearances
Character Arc
- The WatchGuards his brothers through a thousand years of austerity
- JanasthanaFalls with Dushana and the whole host before one bow
Key Relationships
- Half-brotherRavana
- Twin sisterSurpanakha
- FatherVisrava
- Slain byRama
Places in Khara's Story
Drawn from the story Khara appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.