Introduction
Maareecha continues his good word to Ravana and he dissuades him from abducting Seetha. His advice is that the dalliance with other’s wives is the greatest sin, more so, with Rama’s wife as Rama’s valour is irrefutable. Maareecha narrates how Rama hurt him while safeguarding Vishwamitra’s Vedic-ritual, when Rama was still a young boy.
कदाचित् अपि अहम् वीर्यात् पर्यटन् पृथिवीम् इमाम् |
बलम् नाग सहस्रस्य धारयन् पर्वतोपमः || ३-३८-१
नील जीमूत संकाशः तप्त कांचन कुण्डलः |
भयम् लोकस्य जनयन् किरीटी परिघ आयुधः || ३-३८-२
व्यचरम् दण्डक अरण्यम् ऋषि मांसानि भक्षयन् |
balam naaga sahasrasya dhaarayan parvatopamaH || 3-38-1
niila jiimuuta saMkaashaH tapta kaa.ncana kuNDalaH |
bhayam lokasya janayan kiriiTii parigha aayudhaH || 3-38-2
vyacaram daNDaka araNyam R^iShi maaMsaani bhakShayan |
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.1, 3.38.2, 3.38.3a
“At one time even I was on the rove around this earth, taking pride in my valour, bearing the strength of a thousand elephants, mountainous in my size and black-cloudlike in my sheen, wearing ear-knobs and a crown made out of refined gold, with a bludgeon as my weapon, and such as I was, I rambled Dandaka forest causing terror to the world, and eating the fleshes of sages.” Thus Maareecha started to narrate his experience with Rama. [3-38-1, 2, 3a] .
विश्वामित्रो अथ धर्मात्मा मत् वित्रस्तो महामुनिः || ३-३८-३
स्वयम् गत्वा दशरथम् नरेन्द्रम् इदम् अब्रवीत् |
svayam gatvaa dasharatham narendram idam abraviit |
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.3b, 3.38.4a
“The virtue-souled great-saint Vishvamitra who was highly scared of me, then on going to Dasharatha in person that great-saint spoke this to that lord of people. [3-38-3b, 4a] .
अयम् रक्षतु माम् रामः पर्व काले समाहितः || ३-३८-४
मारीचात् मे भयम् घोरम् समुत्पन्नम् नरेश्वर |
maariicaat me bhayam ghoram samutpannam nareshvara |
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.4b, 3.38.5a
” ‘An awesome dismay has befallen owing to this Maareecha, oh, lord of people Dasharatha, let Rama safeguard me becoming alert at the opportune time of the Vedic-ritual. [3-38-4b 5a] .
इति एवम् उक्तो धर्मात्मा राजा दशरथः तदा || ३-३८-५
प्रत्युवाच महाभागम् विश्वामित्रम् महामुनिम् |
pratyuvaaca mahaabhaagam vishvaamitram mahaamunim |
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.5b, 3.38.6a
“When he is spoken in that way, then that virtue-souled king Dasharatha replied that great-fortunate and great-saint Vishvamitra in this way. [3-38-5b, 6a] .
ऊन द्वादश वर्षो अयम् अकृत अस्त्रः च राघवः || ३-३८-६
कामम् तु मम यत् सैन्यम् मया सह गमिष्यति |
kaamam tu mama yat sainyam mayaa saha gamiShyati |
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.6b, 3.38.7a
” ‘This boy Rama is less than twelve years in his age, unproficient in the use of weapons, and if need be, whatever army of mine is there it will march on along with me instead of Rama. [3-38-6b, 7a]
In Bala Kanda the age of Rama as said by Dasharatha to Vishvamitra is uuna SoDasa varSaH ‘ ‘less than sixteen years.’ Here Maareecha is saying that Rama is less than twelve. Maheshvara Tiirtha says that Maareecha lessened the age of Rama only to intimidate Ravana.
बलेन चतुरंगेण स्वयम् एत्य निशाचरम् || ३-३८-७
वधिष्यामि मुनिश्रेष्ठ शत्रुम् तव यथा ईप्सितम् |
vadhiShyaami munishreShTha shatrum tava yathaa iipsitam |
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.7b, 3.38.8a
” ‘And having come in person with fourfold forces, oh eminent sage, I myself will eradicate that nightwalker whomever you indicate as an enemy of yours.” So said Dasharatga to Vishvamitra. [3-38-7b, 8a]
In the fourfold army the four categories of army units are chariots, elephants, cavalry, and foot-soldiers.
एवम् उक्तः स तु मुनी राजानम् इदम् अब्रवीत् || ३-३८-८
रामात् न अन्यत् बलम् लोके पर्याप्तम् तस्य रक्षसः |
raamaat na anyat balam loke paryaaptam tasya rakShasaH |
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.8b, 3.38.9a
“When the sage Vishvamitra is spoken thus, then he said to the king, ‘No other force in the world than Rama can counterbalance that demon. [3-38-8b, 9a] .
देवतानाम् अपि भवान् समरेषु अभिपालकः || ३-३८-९
आसीत् तव कृते कर्म त्रिलोक विदितम् नृप |
aasiit tava kR^ite karma triloka viditam nR^ipa |
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.9b, 3.38.10a
” ‘No doubt, you are a defender of gods in wars, and oh, king, the exploits you have undertaken on behalf of gods are well-known in the triad of worlds. [3-38-9b, 10a] .
कामम् अस्ति महत् सैन्यम् तिष्टतु इह परंतप || ३-३८-१०
बालो अपि एष महातेजाः समर्थः तस्य निग्रहे |
गमिष्ये रामम् आदाय स्वस्ति ते अस्तु परंतपः || ३-३८-११
baalo api eSha mahaatejaaH samarthaH tasya nigrahe |
gamiShye raamam aadaaya svasti te astu para.ntapaH || 3-38-11
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.10b, 3.38.11
” ‘Maybe your army is a remarkable one, oh, enemy-inflamer, let it sit tight here alone, and even if this great resplendent one is still a boy he alone is competent to forestall that Maareecha, hence oh, enemy-subjugator, let good betide you, I wish to take him alone along with me.’ [3-38-10b, 11] .
इति एवम् उक्त्वा स मुनिः तम् आदाय नृपात्मजम् |
जगाम परम प्रीतो विश्वामित्रः स्वम् आश्रमम् || ३-३८-१२
jagaama parama priito vishvaamitraH svam aashramam || 3-38-12
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.12
“Thus that way on saying he that sage Vishvamitra returned to his own hermitage highly gladdening to take the prince Rama along with him. [3-38-12] .
तम् तदा दण्डकारण्ये यज्ञम् उद्दिश्य दीक्षितम् |
बभूव उपस्थितो रामः चित्रम् विस्फारयन् धनुः || ३-३८-१३
babhuuva upasthito raamaH citram visphaarayan dhanuH || 3-38-13
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.13
“Then in Dandaka forest Rama twingeing his amazing bow stayed nearby the sage Vishvamitra who entered the vow of Vedic-ritual. [3-38-13]
There is a difference in mentioning the forest as Dandaka. Bala Kanda says that Vishvamitra performed ritual in north and Maareecha is now saying that as Dandaka forest.
अजात व्यंजनः श्रीमान् बालः श्यामः शुभेक्षणः |
एक वस्त्र धरो धन्वी शिखी कनक मालया || ३-३८-१४
शोभयन् दण्डकारण्यम् दीप्तेन स्वेन तेजसा |
अदृश्यत तदा रामो बाल चन्द्र इव उदितः || ३-३८-१५
eka vastra dharo dhanvii shikhii kanaka maalayaa || 3-38-14
shobhayan daNDakaaraNyam diiptena svena tejasaa |
adR^ishyata tadaa raamo baala candra iva uditaH || 3-38-15
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.14, 3.38.15
“At that time, yet unborn are the identities of adulthood like moustache on his face, and that providential one was magnificent in looks with a peacock-blue complexion, wearing a single cloth, locks of hair, and golden locket, and wielding a bow, and he was irradiating the Dandaka forest with a radiating radiance of his own, and then he appeared like the just risen baby-moon. [3-38-14, 15]
The identities of adulthood are the discardable things like moustaches, beard, etc. These are natural to humans or to birthed beings. But the mythological entities do not have them. As a young scholar, the boys are supposed to wear simply, hence ‘one-piece-clothing’ is said to be the dress of Rama. This suggests that he is not wearing any shield or armour to keep him safe. In Bala Kanda, at the outset of the journey of Rama and Lakshmana with Vishvamitra, it is said that they are wearing finger-covers made of certain lizard skin, which means to say that their fingers are very tender in using arrows. His mothers delicately arranged the locks of hair, because he is still ‘boyish’ to her. More so, he is with a ‘boyish’ ornament, say a single pendant, not verily embellished with princely jewellery. He appeared like some providential ‘boy’ hitherto unseen, with the height of a peacock, with the complexion of peacock-neck-blue, and moving about like a noble peacock. This boyish-Rama peacock is not screaming, yet his bow is twanging; leave alone the screeching and screaming.
The ‘new-moon’ metaphor to Rama suggests that he has only waxing and no waning in him, uttarottara abhivR^iddhi and also that he is by birth an antagonist of tamas ‘the darkness,’ or darkish activities, like the moon whose activity is only to illumine the night. Further, he has a likeable persona to any, even to the present demon Maareecha, and even to Ravana. When Ravana sees Rama for the first time in war, Ravana praisefully acknowledges Rama’s personality. Besides, Rama’s gleam is like that of a baby-moon, against the backdrop of a thickish, darkish, blackish sky, called the forest.
ततो अहम् मेघ संकाशः तप्त कांचन कुण्डलः |
बली दत्त वरो दर्पात् आजगाम आश्रम अंतरम् || ३-३८-१६
balii datta varo darpaat aajagaama aashrama a.ntaram || 3-38-16
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.16
“And I who was like a massive black-cloud, wearing golden ear-knobs, already a forceful one further reinforced with the boon of Brahma, I pridefully entered into the interior of Vishwamitra’s hermitage. [3-38-16]
The golden ear-knobs on the lobes of ears are either indicative of the knowledge one possess or the wealth factor. Maareecha refers to these ear ornaments more than once suggesting that ‘wealth or wisdom is nothing to Rama, but righteousness alone will work out.’ Because Ravana did not give an ear for the suggestions of Maareecha, his Lanka, built with refined gold, will be burnt to ashes in Sundara Kanda.
तेन दृष्टः प्रविष्टो अहम् सहसा एव उद्यत आयुधः |
माम् तु दृष्ट्वा धनुः सज्यम् असम्भ्रान्तः चकार ह || ३-३८-१७
maam tu dR^iShTvaa dhanuH sajyam asambhraantaH cakaara ha || 3-38-17
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.17
“Rama quickly noticed me on my very entry with an uplifted weapon, and on seeing me he unexcitedly strung bowstring to his bow. [3-38-17] .
अवजानन् अहम् मोहात् बालो अयम् इति राघवम् |
विश्वामित्रस्य ताम् वेदिम् अभ्यधावम् कृत त्वरः || ३-३८-१८
vishvaamitrasya taam vedim abhyadhaavam kR^ita tvaraH || 3-38-18
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.18
“Unmindfully trivialising him as, ‘this Raghava is just a boy,’ I made haste and ran towards that Fire-altar of Vishvamitra. [3-38-18] .
तेन मुक्तः ततो बाणः शितः शत्रु निबर्हणः |
तेन अहम् ताडितः क्षिप्तः समुद्रे शत योजने || ३-३८-१९
tena aham taaDitaH kShiptaH samudre shata yojane || 3-38-19
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.19
“He then released an acute arrow that eliminates the enemy, and hit by it I am plunged into the ocean which was a hundred yojana-s off. [3-38-19] .
न इच्छता तात माम् हन्तुम् तदा वीरेण रक्षितः |
रामस्य शर वेगेन निरस्तो भ्रान्त चेतनः || ३-३८-२०
raamasya shara vegena nirasto bhraanta cetanaH || 3-38-20
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.20
“That Rama did not wish to kill me then, and I am thus saved by that valiant one, oh, dear boy Ravana, but the thrust of Rama’s arrow bewildered my animation and I was on my last legs. [3-38-20] .
पातितो अहम् तदा तेन गंभीरे सागर अंभसि |
प्राप्य संज्ञाम् चिरात् तात लंकाम् प्रति गतः पुरीम् || ३-३८-२१
praapya sa.nGYaam ciraat taata la.nkaam prati gataH puriim || 3-38-21
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.21
“That way I who had been flung into the abyssal water of the ocean by him gained consciousness after a long time and proceeded towards the city of Lanka. [3-38-21] .
एवम् अस्मि तदा मुक्तः सहायाः ते – शायास्तु – निपातिताः |
अकृत अस्त्रेण रामेण बालेन अक्लिष्ट कर्मणा || ३-३८-२२
akR^ita astreNa raameNa baalena akliShTa karmaNaa || 3-38-22
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.22
“At that time, that one with elementary knowledge in the use of weaponry, but who can undertake deeds in an effortless manner, such a boy, such a Rama spared me, albeit killing them that were my helpmates in that escapade. [3-38-22] .
तत् मया वार्यमाणः त्वम् यदि रामेण विग्रहम् |
करिष्यसि आपदम् घोराम् क्षिप्रम् प्राप्य न शिष्यसि || ३-३८-२३
kariShyasi aapadam ghoraam kShipram praapya na shiShyasi || 3-38-23
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.23
“Thereby, if you wish to make for any confrontation with Rama, despite of my proscribing you, you will ruin yourself on getting a disastrous calamity. [3-38-23] .
क्रीडा रति विधिज्ञानाम् समाज उत्सव शालिनाम् |
रक्षसाम् चैव संतापम् अनर्थम् च आहरिष्यसि || ३-३८-२४
rakShasaam caiva sa.ntaapam anartham ca aahariShyasi || 3-38-24
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.24
“The demons are methodical in sporting and flirting, thus by their own conduct they are also socialising and frolicking, and to them you derive distress and disaster. [3-38-24] .
हर्म्य प्रासाद संबाधाम् नाना रत्न विभूउषिताम् |
द्रक्ष्यसि त्वम् पुरीम् लंकाम् विनष्टाम् मैथिली कृते || ३-३८-२५
drakShyasi tvam puriim la.nkaam vinaShTaam maithilii kR^ite || 3-38-25
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.25
“Dense with skyscrapers and palaces, and decorated with many a gemstone is that city Lanka, but you will see it completely shattered down, for the sake of that Maithili. [3-38-25] .
अकुर्वन्तो अपि पापानि शुचयः पाप संश्रयात् |
पर पापैः विनश्यन्ति मत्स्या नाग ह्रदे यथा || ३-३८-२६
para paapaiH vinashyanti matsyaa naaga hrade yathaa || 3-38-26
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.26
“Even if with uncommitted sins, the sinless will get ruined owing to their interdependence with other sinners, like the fish in a lake with snakes. [3-38-26] .
दिव्यचंदनदिग्धांगान्दिव्याअभरणभूषितान् -यद्वा-
दिव्य चंदन दिग्ध अंगान् दिव्य आभरण भूषितान् |
द्रक्ष्यसि अभिहतान् भूमौ तव दोषात् तु राक्षसान् || ३-३८-२७
divya ca.ndana digdha a.ngaan divya aabharaNa bhuuShitaan |
drakShyasi abhihataan bhuumau tava doShaat tu raakShasaan || 3-38-27
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.27
“Bedaubed with divine sandal-paste, beautified with divine ornaments are the limbs of the demons now, perchance you will be seeing them trampled out on ground for the blunder of yours. [3-38-27] .
हृत दारान् स दारान् च दश विद्रवतो दिशः |
हत शेषान् अशरणान् द्रक्ष्यसि त्वम् निशाचरान् || ३-३८-२८
hata sheShaan asharaNaan drakShyasi tvam nishaacaraan || 3-38-28
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.28
“Maybe, you will have to see the fleeing of the nightwalkers surviving after the carnage in all ten directions, some abandoning their wives and some along with their wives, only for lack of a protector. [3-38-28] .
शर जाल परिक्षिप्ताम् अग्नि ज्वाला समावृताम् |
प्रदग्ध भवनाम् लंकाम् द्रक्ष्यसि त्वम् असंशयम् || ३-३८-२९
pradagdha bhavanaam la.nkaam drakShyasi tvam asaMshayam || 3-38-29
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.29
“Without a doubt you will be seeing Lanka encircled with an enmesh of arrows, enfolded in the tongues of torches, while her buildings are utterly gutting down. [3-38-29] .
पर दार अभिमर्षात् तु न अनयत् पाप तरम् महत् |
प्रमदानाम् सहस्राणि तव राजन् परिग्रहे || ३-३८-३०
pramadaanaam sahasraaNi tava raajan parigrahe || 3-38-30
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.30
“Oh, king, there is no other sin that is outrageous and gravest than the dalliance with another’s wife and, besides, you already have a thousand wives, isn’t so! [3-38-30] .
भव स्व दार निरतः स्व कुलम् रक्ष राक्षस |
मानम् वृद्धिम् च राज्यम् च जीवितम् च इष्टम् आत्मनः || ३-३८-३१
maanam vR^iddhim ca raajyam ca jiivitam ca iShTam aatmanaH || 3-38-31
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.31
“Abide by your own wife and be delighted with her, oh, demon, safeguard your own ethnos, thus safeguard dignity, affluence, and kingdom of demons, thereby safeguard even your own dear life. [3-38-31] .
कलत्राणि च सौम्यानि मित्र वर्गम् तथैव च |
यदि इच्छसि चिरम् भोक्तुम् मा कृथा राम विप्रियम् || ३-३८-३२
yadi icchhasi ciram bhok{}tum maa kR^ithaa raama vipriyam || 3-38-32
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.32
“If you desire to take pleasure with your beautiful wives and with your friend’s circles for a long time, do not do anything undesirable to Rama. [3-38-32] .
निवार्यमाणः सुहृदा मया भृशम्
प्रसह्य सीताम् यदि धर्षयिष्यसि |
गमिष्यसि क्षीण बलः स बान्धवो
यम क्षयम् राम शर आत्त जीवितः || ३-३८-३३
prasahya siitaam yadi dhar.hShayiShyasi |
gamiShyasi kShiiNa balaH sa baandhavo
yama kShayam raama shara aatta jiivitaH || 3-38-33
ॐ
Show Description: Sloka 3.38.33
“If you wish to intimidate Seetha aggressively despite of my considerable preventing in all my good-heartedness towards you, then your army will fade away, and you with your kinsfolk will emigrate to the world of Yama, the Terminator, for your life will be taken away by the arrow of Rama.” Thus, Maareecha spoke to Ravana. [3-38-33] .
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