Mareecha's Second Warning

Shloka 1 (aranya.39.1)

एवम् अस्मि तदा मुक्तः कथंचित् तेन संयुगे । इदानीम् अपि यत् वृत्तम् तत् शृउणुष्व यत् उत्तरम् ॥ 39.1 ॥

evam asmi tadā muktaḥ kathaṃcit tena saṃyuge | idānīm api yat vṛttam tat śṛuṇuṣva yat uttaram || 39.1 ||

"Thus I somehow escaped from him in that encounter. Now hear also what happened after that."

Shloka 2 (aranya.39.2)

राक्षाभ्याम् अहम् द्वाभ्याम् अनिर्विण्णः तथा कृतः । सहितो मृग रूपाभ्याम् प्रविष्टो दँडका वने ॥ 39.2 ॥

rākṣābhyām aham dvābhyām anirviṇṇaḥ tathā kṛtaḥ | sahito mṛga rūpābhyām praviṣṭo da~ḍakā vane || 39.2 ||

Even after being so treated, unabashed, I entered the Dandaka forest together with two other demons who had likewise taken the form of deer.

Shloka 3 (aranya.39.3)

दीप्त जिह्वो महादंष्ट्रः तीक्ष्ण शृंगो महाबलः । व्यचरन् दँडाकारण्यम् मांस भक्षो महामृगः ॥ 39.3 ॥

dīpta jihvo mahādaṃṣṭraḥ tīkṣṇa śṛṃgo mahābalaḥ | vyacaran da~ḍākāraṇyam māṃsa bhakṣo mahāmṛgaḥ || 39.3 ||

Becoming a gigantic flesh-eating beast with a blazing tongue, huge fangs, sharp horns, and immense strength, I roamed the Dandaka forest.

Shloka 4 (aranya.39.4)

अग्निहोत्रेषु तीर्थेषु चैत्य वृक्षेषु रावण । अत्यन्त घोरो व्यचरन् तापसान् संप्रधर्षयन् ॥ 39.4 ॥

agnihotreṣu tīrtheṣu caitya vṛkṣeṣu rāvaṇa | atyanta ghoro vyacaran tāpasān saṃpradharṣayan || 39.4 ||

O Ravana, in a most dreadful form I ranged about the fire-altars, sacred fords, and holy trees, terrorising the ascetics there.

Shloka 5 (aranya.39.5)

निहत्य दँडकारण्ये तापसान् धर्मचरिणः । रुधिराणि पिबन्तः तेषाम् तन् मांसानि च भक्षयन् ॥ 39.5 ॥

nihatya da~ḍakāraṇye tāpasān dharmacariṇaḥ | rudhirāṇi pibantaḥ teṣām tan māṃsāni ca bhakṣayan || 39.5 ||

Slaying the righteous ascetics in Dandaka forest, drinking their blood, and feasting on their flesh,

Shloka 6 (aranya.39.6)

ऋषि माअंस अशनः क्रूरः त्रासयन् वनगोचरान् । तदा रुधिर मत्तो अहम् व्यचरन् दँडका वनम् ॥ 39.6 ॥

ṛṣi māaṃsa aśanaḥ krūraḥ trāsayan vanagocarān | tadā rudhira matto aham vyacaran da~ḍakā vanam || 39.6 ||

cruel and feeding on the flesh of sages, terrifying the dwellers of the forest, besotted with blood, I ranged through the Dandaka forest.

Shloka 7 (aranya.39.7)

तदा अहम् दँडकारण्ये विचरन् धर्म दूषकः । आसादयम् तदा रामम् तापसम् धर्मम् आश्रितम् ॥ 39.7 ॥

tadā aham da~ḍakāraṇye vicaran dharma dūṣakaḥ | āsādayam tadā rāmam tāpasam dharmam āśritam || 39.7 ||

Thus, corrupting righteousness, as I wandered through Dandaka forest, I came upon Rama, who was then living the life of an ascetic devoted to righteousness,

Shloka 8 (aranya.39.8)

वैदेहि च महाभागाम् लक्ष्मणम् च महरथम् । तापसम् नियत आहारम् सर्व बूत हिते रतम् ॥ 39.8 ॥

vaidehi ca mahābhāgām lakṣmaṇam ca maharatham | tāpasam niyata āhāram sarva būta hite ratam || 39.8 ||

and along with him, the most fortunate Vaidehi and the great chariot-warrior Lakshmana — that Rama, ascetic in his regulated diet, ever devoted to the welfare of all beings.

Shloka 9 (aranya.39.9)

सः अहम् वन गतम् रामम् परिभूय महाबलम् । तापसो अयम् इति ज्ञात्वा पूर्व वैरम् अनुस्मरन् ॥ 39.9 ॥

saḥ aham vana gatam rāmam paribhūya mahābalam | tāpaso ayam iti jñātvā pūrva vairam anusmaran || 39.9 ||

Disdaining that mighty Rama, dwelling there in the forest, taking him for a mere ascetic, and recalling my old grudge against him,

Shloka 10 (aranya.39.10)

अभ्यधावम् सुसंक्रुद्धः तीक्ष्ण शृंगो मृग आकृतिः । जिघांसुः अकृतप्रज्ञः तम् प्रहारम् अनुस्मरन् ॥ 39.10 ॥

abhyadhāvam susaṃkruddhaḥ tīkṣṇa śṛṃgo mṛga ākṛtiḥ | jighāṃsuḥ akṛtaprajñaḥ tam prahāram anusmaran || 39.10 ||

in the shape of a sharp-horned deer, in a towering rage, indiscriminate and reckless, still remembering that old blow, I rushed at him, intent on killing him.

Shloka 11 (aranya.39.11)

तेन त्यक्ताः त्रयो बाणाः शिताः शत्रु निबर्हणाः । विकृष्य सुमहत् चापम् सुपर्ण अनिल तुल्य गाः ॥ 39.11 ॥

tena tyaktāḥ trayo bāṇāḥ śitāḥ śatru nibarhaṇāḥ | vikṛṣya sumahat cāpam suparṇa anila tulya gāḥ || 39.11 ||

Then, drawing his mighty bow, he loosed three sharp, enemy-destroying arrows, swift in their flight as Garuda and the wind.

Shloka 12 (aranya.39.12)

ते बाणा वज्र संकाशाः सुघोरा रक्त भोजनाः । आजग्मुः सहिताः सर्वे त्रयः संनतपर्वणः ॥ 39.12 ॥

te bāṇā vajra saṃkāśāḥ sughorā rakta bhojanāḥ | ājagmuḥ sahitāḥ sarve trayaḥ saṃnataparvaṇaḥ || 39.12 ||

Those three arrows, like thunderbolts, most terrible, feeding on blood, their joints curved and taut, all came together at the three of us.

Shloka 13 (aranya.39.13)

पराक्रमज्ञो रामस्य शठो दृष्ट भयः पुरा । समुत्क्रांतः ततः मुक्तः तौ उभौ राक्षसौ हतौ ॥ 39.13 ॥

parākramajño rāmasya śaṭho dṛṣṭa bhayaḥ purā | samutkrāṃtaḥ tataḥ muktaḥ tau ubhau rākṣasau hatau || 39.13 ||

Knowing Rama's valour and having already witnessed the terror of his arrow, I craftily slipped away and escaped, but those other two demons were slain.

Shloka 14 (aranya.39.14)

शरेण मुक्तो रामस्य कथंचित् प्राप्यजीवितम् । इह प्रव्राजितो युक्तः तापसो अहम् समाहितः ॥ 39.14 ॥

śareṇa mukto rāmasya kathaṃcit prāpyajīvitam | iha pravrājito yuktaḥ tāpaso aham samāhitaḥ || 39.14 ||

Somehow escaping alive from Rama's arrow, I was thereafter sent forth to live here, disciplined and self-collected, as an ascetic.

Shloka 15 (aranya.39.15)

वृक्षे वृक्षे हि पश्यामि चीर कृष्ण अजिन अंबरम् । गृहीत धनुषम् रामम् पाश हस्तम् इव अंतकम् ॥ 39.15 ॥

vṛkṣe vṛkṣe hi paśyāmi cīra kṛṣṇa ajina aṃbaram | gṛhīta dhanuṣam rāmam pāśa hastam iva aṃtakam || 39.15 ||

At every tree I seem to see Rama, clad in bark and black deerskin, bow in hand, like Death itself holding a noose.

Shloka 16 (aranya.39.16)

अपि राम सहस्राणि भीतः पश्यामि रावण । राम भूतम् इदम् सर्वम् अरण्यम् प्रतिभाति मे ॥ 39.16 ॥

api rāma sahasrāṇi bhītaḥ paśyāmi rāvaṇa | rāma bhūtam idam sarvam araṇyam pratibhāti me || 39.16 ||

O Ravana, in my fright I see even a thousand Ramas; this whole forest appears to me as if it had become one single Rama.

Shloka 17 (aranya.39.17)

रामम् एव हि पश्यामि रहिते राक्षसेश्वर । दृष्ट्वा स्वप्न गतम् रामम् उद् भ्रमामि विचेतनः ॥ 39.17 ॥

rāmam eva hi paśyāmi rahite rākṣaseśvara | dṛṣṭvā svapna gatam rāmam ud bhramāmi vicetanaḥ || 39.17 ||

O lord of the demons, even in a solitary place I see Rama alone, and seeing Rama even in my dreams, I start up, bewildered and senseless.

Shloka 18 (aranya.39.18)

र कार अदीनि नामानि राम त्रस्तस्य रवण । रत्नानि च रथाः च एव वित्रासम् जनयन्ति मे ॥ 39.18 ॥

ra kāra adīni nāmāni rāma trastasya ravaṇa | ratnāni ca rathāḥ ca eva vitrāsam janayanti me || 39.18 ||

O Ravana, so terrified am I of Rama that even words beginning with the syllable 'ra' — like ratna, a gem, or ratha, a chariot — fill me with dread.

Shloka 19 (aranya.39.19)

अहम् तस्य प्रभावज्ञो न युद्धम् तेन ते क्षमम् । बलिम् वा नमुचिं वा अपि हन्यद्धि रघुन्ंअंदन ॥ 39.19 ॥

aham tasya prabhāvajño na yuddham tena te kṣamam | balim vā namuciṃ vā api hanyaddhi raghunṃaṃdana || 39.19 ||

I know well his true power; a war with him is not proper for you. That descendant of Raghu could well slay even a Bali or a Namuchi.

Shloka 20 (aranya.39.20)

रणे रामेण युद्ध्स्व क्षमाम् वा कुरु रावण । न ते राम कथा कार्या यदि माम् द्रष्टुम् इच्छसि ॥ 39.20 ॥

raṇe rāmeṇa yuddhsva kṣamām vā kuru rāvaṇa | na te rāma kathā kāryā yadi mām draṣṭum icchasi || 39.20 ||

Either fight Rama in battle, Ravana, or else let the matter go; but if you wish to see me alive, do not so much as raise the subject of Rama before me.

Shloka 21 (aranya.39.21)

बहवः साधवो लोके युक्ता धर्मम् अनुष्टिताः । परेषाम् अपराधेन विनष्टाः स परिच्छदाः ॥ 39.21 ॥

bahavaḥ sādhavo loke yuktā dharmam anuṣṭitāḥ | pareṣām aparādhena vinaṣṭāḥ sa paricchadāḥ || 39.21 ||

Many righteous and worthy people in this world, though themselves devoted to virtue, have perished along with their households on account of another's crime.

Shloka 22 (aranya.39.22)

सः अहम् पर अपराधेन विनाशेयम् निशाचर । कुरु यत् ते क्षमम् तत् त्वम् अहम् त्वाम् न अनुयामि वै ॥ 39.22 ॥

saḥ aham para aparādhena vināśeyam niśācara | kuru yat te kṣamam tat tvam aham tvām na anuyāmi vai || 39.22 ||

O night-ranger, I too might well be destroyed for another's crime. So do whatever seems fitting to you, but I, for my part, will not go along with you in this.

Shloka 23 (aranya.39.23)

रामः च हि महातेजा महासत्त्वो महाबलः । अपि राक्षस लोकस्य भवेत् अन्तकरो अपि हि ॥ 39.23 ॥

rāmaḥ ca hi mahātejā mahāsattvo mahābalaḥ | api rākṣasa lokasya bhavet antakaro api hi || 39.23 ||

For Rama is of exceeding splendour, of great courage, and immense strength; he could well bring about the end of the entire race of demons.

Shloka 24 (aranya.39.24)

यदि शूर्पणखा हेतोः जनस्थान गत खरः । अति वृत्तो हतः पूर्वम् रामेण अक्लिष्ट कर्मणा । अत्र ब्रूहि यथावत् त्वम् को रामस्य व्यतिक्रमः ॥ 39.24 ॥

yadi śūrpaṇakhā hetoḥ janasthāna gata kharaḥ | ati vṛtto hataḥ pūrvam rāmeṇa akliṣṭa karmaṇā | atra brūhi yathāvat tvam ko rāmasya vyatikramaḥ || 39.24 ||

If Khara, stationed in Janasthana, first overstepped his bounds on account of Shurpanakha and was slain by Rama, whose deeds come to him effortlessly, then tell me truly — where in this lies Rama's transgression?

Shloka 25 (aranya.39.25)

इदम् वचो बन्धु हित अर्थिना मया यथा उच्यमानम् यदि न अभिपत्स्यसे । स बान्धवः त्यक्ष्यसि जीवितम् रणे हतो अद्य रामेण शरैः जिह्मगैः ॥ 39.25 ॥

idam vaco bandhu hita arthinā mayā yathā ucyamānam yadi na abhipatsyase | sa bāndhavaḥ tyakṣyasi jīvitam raṇe hato adya rāmeṇa śaraiḥ jihmagaiḥ || 39.25 ||

If you do not accept these words, spoken by me out of concern for the welfare of my kinsmen, then, struck down this very day in battle by Rama's unerring arrows, you will give up your life along with your kinsmen." Thus Mareecha cautioned Ravana.