Aranya Kanda, Sarga 36

Meaning

“Mārīca dear, listen to my words even as I speak. I feel distressed and undoubtedly you are my supreme resort, afflicted as I am. (1)

Meaning

“You know Janasthāna, where my brother, Khara, and the mighty-armed Dūṣaṇa as well as my sister Śūrpaṇakhā as also the mighty-armed Triśirā, the flesh eating ogre, and many other valiant night-stalking ogres, who received encouragement in the form of victory in warfare, made their abode at my command, molesting ascetics who practised virtue in the great forest of Daṇḍaka. (2—4)

Meaning

Fourteen thousand valiant ogres of terrible deeds, who received encouragement in warfare and followed the mind of Khara, lived there. (5)

Meaning

“Living in Janasthāna with Khara as their head, those exceptionally mighty ogres for their part, who were fully prepared, skilled as they were in the use of various weapons, came into a clash with Rāma on the battlefield. Without uttering any harsh word, the bow with arrows was made use of by Rāma, in whom anger had burst forth, in the van of the fight. Fourteen thousand ogres of terrific energy were made short work of by a human being, contending on foot, single-handed, with fiery arrows. Nay, Khara was slain by him on the battlefield and Dūṣaṇa too was killed; and, disposing of Triśirā too, the forest of Daṇḍaka was rendered secure for the habitation of ascetics. Exiled alongwith his wife by his enraged father, the aforesaid Rāma, whose life has been spent and who has brought disgrace to the Kṣatriyas, is the slayer of that army. Ill-behaved, hard-hearted, fiery, stupid, avaricious and having no control over his senses, he has abandoned virtue, his mind being set on unrighteousness, and is intent on doing harm to all created beings. By use of might I shall bring from Janasthāna Sītā, resembling a daughter of gods, the wife of Rāma, by whom, relying on his physical strength alone, was my sister, Śūrpaṇakhā, deformed in the forest by depriving her of her ears and nose without any show of hostility. Be my helper in the said undertaking. Indeed, with you as my associate standing by my side here and backed by my brothers (Kumbhakarṇa and others), O exceptionally mighty ogre, I do not care a fig for all the gods. Therefore, be you my helper since you are powerful enough to help me. (6—15)

Meaning

“Indeed, none is your equal in prowess, warfare and martial pride, an eminent hero as you are even in devising manoeuvres and an adept in major conjuring tricks. (16)

Meaning

“With this object alone have I sought your presence, O night-stalker ! Hear now about that role which has to be played by you by way of help to me at my instance. (17)

Meaning

“Assuming the form of a golden deer freckled with silvery spots, roam you at the hermitage of the said Rāma before Sītā. (18)

Meaning

“Beholding you in the form of a deer, Sītā for her part will undoubtedly say to her lord and Lakṣmaṇa, “Let it be captured.” When Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa go far away from their hermitage, then rid of all hindrance. I shall for my part bear Sītā away easily in solitude, as does Rāhu take away the splendour of the moon. (19-20)

Meaning

“After that, with my inner mind satisfied as a result of my object having been accomplished I shall with ease confidently strike at Rāma emaciated through the abduction of his wife.” (21)

Meaning

On hearing the mention of Śrī Rāma, the mouth of that high-minded Mārīca was parched and he got alarmed. (22)

Meaning

Licking his dry lips, Mārīca, for his part, who looked like one dead, afflicted as he was, stared at Rāvaṇa with unwinking eyes. (23)

Meaning

With a frightened and dejected mind and joined palms, Mārīca, who had come to know the prowess of Rāma in a great forest, addressed to Rāvaṇa the following truthful words, which were conducive to his good as well as to his own. (24)