Aranya Kanda · Sarga 40 of 76 · 27 verses
Ravana Commands Maricha
Ravana does not accept Maricha’s fitting and proper words, as a man who wants to die refuses medicine. Driven by Time, the king of the rakshasas speaks harsh, improper words to Maricha, who has spoken wholesome good: “Low-born Maricha, these improper words spoken to me are utterly fruitless, like seed sown in salt ground. You cannot shake me by your words from battle with Rama, a fool, sinful by nature, and above all a man, who left his friends, his kingdom, his mother and father, and at a common woman’s word went to the forest in a single step. I must carry off Sita, dearer to him than his life, the killer of Khara, in your presence, in battle. This is the firm resolve in my heart, Maricha; it cannot be turned back even by the gods and asuras with Indra. You should speak of faults or merits, of dangers or means for deciding this task, if you are asked. A wise minister who wishes his own prosperity should speak when asked, palms raised to the king. Words that do not oppose, gentle first, good and wholesome, must be spoken to a lord of the earth with courtesy and fitness. A king who wants honour does not welcome words spoken with contempt, even if beneficial, without respect. Kings of boundless might bear five forms: those of Agni, Indra, Soma, Yama and Varuna; great-souled kings bear heat, valour, gentleness, punishment and grace, night-ranger. So in every state they must always be honoured and worshipped. But you, not understanding dharma, given wholly to delusion, speak harshly like this to a guest out of wickedness. I did not ask you about merits and faults, or about my own safety, rakshasa. I have said only this much to you, boundless in valour: in this task you must help me.
“Hear the task in which you must help at my word. Become a golden deer, bright with silver spots, and wander at Rama’s hermitage in front of Sita. Having tempted Vaidehi, you may go where you like. Seeing you made of illusion, golden, Maithili, amazed, will quickly tell Rama, ‘Bring it.’ When Kakutstha has gone off, cry out from far away, ‘Ha Sita! Lakshmana!’, imitating Rama’s voice. Hearing that, urged by Sita, Saumitri too, out of affection, will follow on Rama’s track in alarm. When Kakutstha and Lakshmana have gone, I will carry off Vaidehi at my ease, as the thousand-eyed one carried off Shachi. Having done this task, go where you like, rakshasa; I will give you half my kingdom, Maricha of good vows. Go, gentle one, on an auspicious road, for the success of this task. I will follow you with my chariot to the Dandaka forest. Having got Sita without a battle and deceived Raghava, I will go to Lanka with you, my task done. If you do not do this, Maricha, I will kill you today. You will do this task for me even by force; one who opposes the king never prospers. Going to him, your life is in doubt; opposing me, your death today is certain. Weighing this properly with your mind, do what is wholesome for you here.”
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मारीचस्य तु तद् वाक्यं क्षमं युक्तं च रावणः । उक्तो न प्रतिजग्राह मर्तुकाम इवौषधम् ॥ १ ॥
But Ravana, told those fitting and proper words of Maricha, did not accept them, like one wishing to die refusing medicine.
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Ravana Commands Maricha 1 min read.
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तं पथ्यहितवक्तारं मारीचं राक्षसाधिपः । अब्रवीत् परुषं वाक्यमयुक्तं कालचोदितः ॥ २ ॥
To that Maricha, speaker of wholesome good, the king of the rakshasas, driven by Time, spoke harsh, improper words:
दुष्कुलैतदयुक्तार्थं मारीच मयि कथ्यते । वाक्यं निष्फलमत्यर्थं बीजमुप्तमिवोषरे ॥ ३ ॥
“Low-born one, these words of improper meaning spoken to me, Maricha, are utterly fruitless, like seed sown in salt ground.
त्वद्वाक्यैर्न तु मां शक्यं भेत्तुं रामस्य संयुगे । मूर्खस्य पापशीलस्य मानुषस्य विशेषतः ॥ ४ ॥
“But I cannot be shaken by your words from battle with Rama, a fool, sinful by nature, and especially a man,
यस्त्यक्त्वा सुहृदो राज्यं मातरं पितरं तथा । स्त्रीवाक्यं प्राकृतं श्रुत्वा वनमेकपदे गतः ॥ ५ ॥
“who, abandoning his friends and kingdom, his mother and father too, having heard a common woman’s word, went to the forest in a single step.
अवश्यं तु मया तस्य संयुगे खरघातिनः । प्राणैः प्रियतरा सीता हर्तव्या तव संनिधौ ॥ ६ ॥
“Surely Sita, dearer than his life to that killer of Khara in battle, must be carried off by me in your presence.
एवं मे निश्चिता बुद्धिर्हृदि मारीच विद्यते । न व्यावर्तयितुं शक्या सेन्द्रैरपि सुरासुरैः ॥ ७ ॥
“So this resolve of mine is fixed in my heart, Maricha. It cannot be turned back even by gods and asuras with Indra.
दोषं गुणं वा सम्पृष्टस्त्वमेवं वक्तुमर्हसि । अपायं वा उपायं वा कार्यस्यास्य विनिश्चये ॥ ८ ॥
“When asked, you should speak so of fault or merit, of danger or means, in the deciding of this task.
सम्पृष्टेन तु वक्तव्यं सचिवेन विपश्चिता । उद्यताञ्जलिना राज्ञो य इच्छेद् भूतिमात्मनः ॥ ९ ॥
“But a wise minister who wishes his own prosperity should speak when asked, palms raised to the king.
वाक्यमप्रतिकूलं तु मृदुपूर्वं शुभं हितम् । उपचारेण वक्तव्यो युक्तं च वसुधाधिपः ॥ १० ॥
“Words not contrary, gentle first, auspicious and beneficial, must be spoken with courtesy and fitly to the lord of the earth.
सावमर्दं तु यद्वाक्यमथवा हितमुच्यते । नाभिनन्देत तद् राजा मानार्थी मानवर्जितम् ॥ ११ ॥
“But words spoken with contempt, even if beneficial, a king who wants honour would not welcome, being without honour.
पञ्च रूपाणि राजानो धारयन्त्यमितौजसः । अग्नेरिन्द्रस्य सोमस्य यमस्य वरुणस्य च ॥ १२ ॥
“Kings of boundless might bear five forms: of Agni, of Indra, of Soma, of Yama and of Varuna.
औष्ण्यं तथा विक्रमं च सौम्यं दण्डं प्रसन्नताम् । धारयन्ति महात्मानो राजानः क्षणदाचर ॥ १३ ॥
“Heat and valour, gentleness, punishment and grace: great-souled kings bear these, night-ranger.
तस्मात् सर्वास्ववस्थासु मान्याः पूज्याश्च नित्यदा । त्वं तु धर्ममविज्ञाय केवलं मोहमाश्रितः ॥ १४ ॥
“Therefore in all states they are always to be honoured and worshipped. But you, not understanding dharma, resorting only to delusion,
अभ्यागतं तु दौरात्म्यात् परुषं वदसीदृशम् । गुणदोषौ न पृच्छामि क्षेमं चात्मनि राक्षस ॥ १५ ॥
“out of wickedness speak harshly like this to one who has come. I do not ask about merit and fault, nor about my own safety, rakshasa.
मयोक्तमपि चैतावत् त्वां प्रत्यमितविक्रम । अस्मिंस्तु स भवान् कृत्ये साहाय्यं कर्तुमर्हसि ॥ १६ ॥
“And even this much has been said by me to you, boundless in valour: in this task you should give help.
शृणु तत्कर्म साहाय्ये यत्कार्यं वचनान्मम । सौवर्णस्त्वं मृगो भूत्वा चित्रो रजतबिन्दुभिः ॥ १७ ॥
“Hear that task in which help is to be given at my word. Becoming a golden deer, bright with silver spots,
आश्रमे तस्य रामस्य सीतायाः प्रमुखे चर । प्रलोभयित्वा वैदेहीं यथेष्टं गन्तुमर्हसि ॥ १८ ॥
“wander at that Rama’s hermitage in front of Sita. Having tempted Vaidehi, you may go as you wish.
त्वां हि मायामयं दृष्ट्वा काञ्चनं जातविस्मया । आनयैनमिति क्षिप्रं रामं वक्ष्यति मैथिली ॥ १९ ॥
“Seeing you, made of illusion, golden, Maithili, amazed, will quickly say to Rama: ‘Bring it.’
अपक्रान्ते च काकुत्स्थे दूरं गत्वाप्युदाहर । हा सीते लक्ष्मणेत्येवं रामवाक्यानुरूपकम् ॥ २० ॥
“And when Kakutstha has gone off, having gone far, cry out ‘Ha Sita! Lakshmana!’, imitating Rama’s words.
तच्छ्रुत्वा रामपदवीं सीतया च प्रचोदितः । अनुगच्छति सम्भ्रान्तः सौमित्रिरपि सौहृदात् ॥ २१ ॥
“Hearing that, urged by Sita, Saumitri too, out of affection, alarmed, will follow Rama’s track.
अपक्रान्ते च काकुत्स्थे लक्ष्मणे च यथासुखम् । आहरिष्यामि वैदेहीं सहस्राक्षः शचीमिव ॥ २२ ॥
“And when Kakutstha and Lakshmana have gone off, I will carry off Vaidehi at ease, as the thousand-eyed one carried off Shachi.
एवं कृत्वा त्विदं कार्यं यथेष्टं गच्छ राक्षस । राज्यस्यार्धं प्रदास्यामि मारीच तव सुव्रत ॥ २३ ॥
“Having done this task so, go as you wish, rakshasa. I will give you half the kingdom, Maricha of good vows.
गच्छ सौम्य शिवं मार्गं कार्यस्यास्य विवृद्धये । अहं त्वानुगमिष्यामि सरथो दण्डकावनम् ॥ २४ ॥
“Go, gentle one, on an auspicious road, for the success of this task. I will follow you with my chariot to the Dandaka forest.
प्राप्य सीतामयुद्धेन वञ्चयित्वा तु राघवम् । लङ्कां प्रति गमिष्यामि कृतकार्यः सह त्वया ॥ २५ ॥
“Having obtained Sita without battle and deceived Raghava, I will go to Lanka, my task done, with you.
नो चेत् करोषि मारीच हन्मि त्वामहमद्य वै । एतत् कार्यमवश्यं मे बलादपि करिष्यसि । राज्ञो विप्रतिकूलस्थो न जातु सुखमेधते ॥ २६ ॥
“If you do not do it, Maricha, I will kill you today. You will do this task of mine even by force. One standing against the king never prospers.
आसाद्य तं जीवितसंशयस्ते मृत्युर्ध्रुवो ह्यद्य मया विरुध्यतः । एतद् यथावत् परिगण्य बुद्ध्या यदत्र पथ्यं कुरु तत्तथा त्वम् ॥ २७ ॥
“Having gone to him, there is doubt of your life; opposing me, your death today is certain. Considering this properly with your mind, do here what is wholesome.”