Aranya Kanda, Sarga 41

Meaning

Commanded in the foregoing words by Rāvaṇa like a king to do a thing which was repugnant to him, Mārīca fearlessly spoke the following harsh words to Rāvaṇa, the suzerain lord of ogres : (1)

Meaning

“What man of sinful deeds has advised you this course of action, which spells your doom alongwith that of your sons, kingdom and ministers, O night-stalker? (2)

Meaning

“Who is that man of sinful deeds, who does not rejoice with you while you are enjoying happiness, O king? By whom has this door to death been directed to you in the guise of an expedient, O king? (3)

Meaning

“Obviously enough, O ranger of the night, your enemies of meagre strength wish to see you besieged by a stronger power and meeting with your doom in consequence. (4)

Meaning

“By what mean fellow of noxious designs has this course of action been urged on you? He wishes you to perish as a result of your own deeds, O prowler of the night ! (5)

Meaning

“Worthy of execution indeed are your ministers, O Rāvaṇa, who do not hold you back by every means even though seeing you having set your foot on a wrong path; yet they are not put to death by you. (6)

Meaning

“A licentious king, who has taken to evil ways, surely deserves to be checked in everyway by virtuous ministers. Though deserving to be so checked, you have, however, not been checked. (7)

Meaning

“By the grace of their lord, O ranger of the night, ministers acquire religious merit, wealth and sensuous enjoyment as well as fame, O jewel among the victorious ! (8)

Meaning

“In the reverse case, however, everything becomes useless, O Rāvaṇa ! Other people meet with adversity through the fault of a master. (9)

Meaning

“Virtue as well as fame have their root in a king, O jewel among the victorious ! Hence the rulers of men deserve to be protected under all circumstances. (10)

Meaning

“No state can be ruled by a king who is severe, nor by him who is most adversely disposed to the people, nor again by him who is boorish in his manners, O night-stalker ! (11)

Meaning

“Ministers who counsel violent measures surely reap suffering alongwith the counselled even as chariots driven by a dull-witted charioteer, coursing swiftly on uneven roads perish with the chariot. (12)

Meaning

“Many righteous souls in the world who have practised virtue enjoined on them have perished with their followers through the offence of others. (13)

Meaning

“Being protected by a violent and adversely disposed master, O Rāvaṇa, people do not prosper any more than the rams protected by a jackal. (14)

Meaning

“The ogres, O Rāvaṇa, whose ruler are you, cruel, evil-minded and a slave to senses will all surely perish. (15)

Meaning

“Although this terrible and unforeseen calamity in the form of death at your hands has been met with by me, nevertheless on this score you alone deserve to be pitied and not I, inasmuch as you are going to meet your doom with your army. (16)

Meaning

“Having killed me, the aforesaid Rāma for his part will dispose you of before long. I shall, however, feel accomplished of purpose through such death; for I would fain give up the ghost when killed by an enemy rather than be killed by you, my king. (17)

Meaning

“Take me as killed at the very sight of Rāma and deem yourself as killed with your kith and kin as soon as you bear away Sītā. (18)

Meaning

“If, accompanied by me, you fetch Sītā from the hermitage, under no circumstance will you survive, nor I, nor even Laṅkā, your capital, nor the ogres. (19)

Meaning

“You do not heed this counsel of mine, though being checked by me, your well-wisher, O ranger of the night ! For men whose span of life has come to an end and who are on the verge of death do not accept the salutary advice tendered by their selfless friends. (20)