Summary
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 valor is irrefutable. Maareecha narrates how Rama hurt him while safeguarding Vishvamitra’s Vedic-ritual, when Rama was still a young boy.
Chapter [Sarga] 38 in Detail
kadaacit api aham viiryaat paryatan prithiviim imaam |
balam naaga sahasrasya dhaarayan parvatopamah || 3-38-1
niila jiimuuta sa.mkaashah tapta kaa.ncana kundalah |
bhayam lokasya janayan kiriitii parigha aayudhah || 3-38-2
vyacaram dandaka aranyam risi maa.msaani bhaksayan |
"At one time even I was on the rove around this earth, taking pride in my valor, 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]
vishvaamitro atha dharmaatmaa mat vitrasto mahaamunih || 3-38-3
svayam gatvaa dasharatham narendram idam abraviit |
"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]
ayam raksatu maam raamah parva kaale samaahitah || 3-38-4
maariicaat me bhayam ghoram samutpannam nareshvara |
“‘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]
iti evam ukto dharmaatmaa raajaa dasharathah tadaa || 3-38-5
pratyuvaaca mahaabhaagam vishvaamitram mahaamunim |
"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]
uuna dvaadasha varso ayam akrita astrah ca raaghavah || 3-38-6
kaamam tu mama yat sainyam mayaa saha gamisyati |
“‘This boy Rama is less than twelve years in his age, not proficient 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]
balena catura.ngena svayam etya nishaacaram || 3-38-7
vadhisyaami munishrestha shatrum tava yathaa iipsitam |
“‘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]
evam uktah sa tu munii raajaanam idam abraviit || 3-38-8
raamaat na anyat balam loke paryaaptam tasya raksasah |
"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]
devataanaam api bhavaan samaresu abhipaalakah || 3-38-9
aasiit tava krite karma triloka viditam nripa |
“‘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]
kaamam asti mahat sainyam tistatu iha para.mtapa || 3-38-10
baalo api esa mahaatejaah samarthah tasya nigrahe |
gamisye raamam aadaaya svasti te astu para.ntapah || 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]
iti evam uktvaa sa munih tam aadaaya nripaatmajam |
jagaama parama priito vishvaamitrah svam aashramam || 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]
tam tadaa dandakaaranye yajnam uddishya diiksitam |
babhuuva upasthito raamah citram visphaarayan dhanuh || 3-38-13
"Then in Dandaka forest Rama twingeing [plucking] his amazing bow stayed nearby the sage Vishvamitra who entered the vow of Vedic-ritual. [3-38-13]
ajaata vya.njanah shriimaan baalah shyaamah shubheksanah |
eka vastra dharo dhanvii shikhii kanaka maalayaa || 3-38-14
shobhayan dandakaaranyam diiptena svena tejasaa |
adrishyata tadaa raamo baala candra iva uditah || 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]
tato aham megha samkaashah tapta kaa.ncana kundalah |
balii datta varo darpaat aajagaama aashrama a.ntaram || 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 pride fully entered into the interior of Vishvamitra’s hermitage. [3-38-16]
tena dristah pravisto aham sahasaa eva udyata aayudhah |
maam tu dristvaa dhanuh sajyam asambhraantah cakaara ha || 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]
avajaanan aham mohaat baalo ayam iti raaghavam |
vishvaamitrasya taam vedim abhyadhaavam krita tvarah || 3-38-18
"Unmindfully trivializing him as, 'this Raghava is just a boy,' I made haste and ran towards that Fire-altar of Vishvamitra. [3-38-18]
tena muktah tato baanah shitah shatru nibarhanah |
tena aham taaditah ksiptah samudre shata yojane || 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]
na icchataa taata maam hantum tadaa viirena rakshitah |
raamasya shara vegena nirasto bhraanta cetanah || 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]
paatito aham tadaa tena ga.mbhiire saagara a.mbhasi |
praapya sa.njnaam ciraat taata la.nkaam prati gatah puriim || 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]
evam asmi tadaa muktah sahaayaah te - shaayaastu - nipaatitaah |
akrita astrena raamena baalena aklista karmanaa || 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]
tat mayaa vaaryamaanah tvam yadi raamena vigraham |
karisyasi aapadam ghoraam ksipram praapya na shisyasi || 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]
kriidaa rati vidhijnaanaam samaaja utsava shaalinaam |
raksasaam caiva sa.ntaapam anartham ca aaharisyasi || 3-38-24
"The demons are methodical in sporting and flirting, thus by their own conduct they are also socializing and frolicking, and to them you derive distress and disaster. [3-38-24]
harmya praasaada sa.mbaadhaam naanaa ratna vibhuuusitaam |
draksyasi tvam puriim la.nkaam vinastaam maithilii krite || 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]
akurvanto api paapaani shucayah paapa sa.mshrayaat |
para paapaih vinashyanti matsyaa naaga hrade yathaa || 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]
divyaca.ndanadigdhaa.ngaandivyaaabharanabhuusitaan -yadvaa-
divya ca.ndana digdha a.ngaan divya aabharana bhuusitaan |
draksyasi abhihataan bhuumau tava dosaat tu raaksasaan || 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]
hrita daaraan sa daaraan ca dasha vidravato dishah |
hata shesaan asharanaan draksyasi tvam nishaacaraan || 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]
shara jaala pariksiptaam agni jvaalaa samaavritaam |
pradagdha bhavanaam la.nkaam draksyasi tvam asa.mshayam || 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]
para daara abhimarshaat tu na anayat paapa taram mahat |
pramadaanaam sahasraani tava raajan parigrahe || 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]
bhava sva daara niratah sva kulam raksa raaksasa |
maanam vriddhim ca raajyam ca jiivitam ca istam aatmanah || 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]
kalatraani ca saumyaani mitra vargam tathaiva ca |
yadi icchasi ciram bhoktum maa krithaa raama vipriyam || 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]
nivaaryamaanah suhridaa mayaa bhrisham
prasahya siitaam yadi dhar.hsayisyasi |
gamisyasi ksiina balah sa baandhavo
yama ksayam raama shara aatta jiivitah || 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]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye aranya kaande astaa tri.mshah sargah
Thus, this is the 38th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate