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Chapter 42: Marica Assumes the Form of a Golden Deer

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Maareecha Assumes the Form of a Golden Deer


On traveling by the aircraft like chariot Ravana and Maareecha enter Dandaka forest and arrive at the threshold of Rama's hermitage. Then at the insistence of Ravana Maareecha assumes the form of an amazing golden Deer, and Seetha catches a sight of that deer.

Chapter [Sarga] 42 in Detail

evam uktvaa tu parusam maariico raavanam tatah |

gacchaavah iti abraviit diino bhayaat raatrim cara prabhoh || 3-42-1

Maareecha though curtly said in that way, then afraid of the king of night-walkers he became self-pitying, and said to Ravana, 'let us go.' [3-42-1]

dristaah ca aham punah tena shara caapa asi dhaarinaa |

madvadho udyata shastrena vinastam jiivitam ca me || 3-42-2

"If he who wields a bow, arrows and a sword, and who brandishes a weapon to only kill me happens to see me again, deem my life is verily lost, without his shooting any arrow. [3-42-2]

na hi raamam paraakramya jiivan prati nivartate |

var.htate prati ruupo asau yama danda hatasya te || 3-42-3

"None can really make so bold at Rama to reappear with life, isn't it. What is appearing before you is the reflected image of mine, as I am already slain by the wand of Yama, the Terminator, the moment I conceded to your demand.

kim nu kartum mayaa shakyam evam tvayi duraatmani |

esa gacchaami aham taata svasti te astu nishaacarah || 3-42-4

"When you are spiteful, oh, boy, indeed what can I possibly do otherwise, oh, night-walker, thither I go, may good betide you." So said Maareecha to Ravana. [3-42-4]

prahristah tu abhavat tena vacanena sa raaksasah |

parisvajya susamshlistam idam vacanam abraviit || 3-42-5

By that word of Maareecha demon Ravana is very much gladdened and he spoke this sentence tightly hugging him. [3-42-5]

etat shaundiirya - chauttirya -nyuktam te mat ccha.nda vasha vartinah |

idaaniim asi maariicah puurvam anyo nishaacarah || 3-42-6

"This word of yours shows your obduracy for you are abiding under the control of my dictate, and though you were a different night-walker earlier, henceforth you are really the good old Maareecha. [3-42-6]

aaruhyataam shiighram khago ratna vibhuusitah |

mayaa saha ratho yuktah pishaaca vadanaih kharaih || 3-42-7

"Then you promptly emplane this sky-flying chariot which is yoked with ghost-faced mules and adorned with gems along with me. [3-42-7]

pralobhayitvaa vaidehiim yathaa istam gantum arhasi |

taam shuunye prasabham siitaam aanayisyaami maithiliim || 3-42-8

"On deluding Vaidehi it is apt of you to go as you please, and I will bring that Seetha of Mithila, however defiant it might be." Thus Ravana said to Maareecha. [3-42-8]

tathaa iti uvaaca enam raavanam taatakaa sutah |

tato raavana maariicau vimaanam iva tam ratham || 3-42-9

aaruhya yayatuh shiighram tasmaat aashrama mandalaat |

Tataka's son Maareecha said "All right" to Ravana, and then both Ravana and Maareecha mounted the chariot as they would emplane an aircraft and swiftly journeyed from the surroundings of Maareecha's hermitage. [3-42-9, 10a]

tathaiva tatra pashyantau pattanaani vanaani ca || 3-42-10

giriim ca saritaah sarvaa raastraani nagaraani ca |

While looking at the seaports and forests, also at all the mountains and rivers, even at the cities and provinces en route they proceeded. [3-42-10b, 11a]

sametya dandaka aranyam raaghavasya aashramam tatah || 3-42-11

dadarsha saha mariico raavano raaksasaadhipah |

On reaching Dandaka forest along with Maareecha the king of demons Ravana has then seen the hermitage of Raghava. [3-42-11b, 12a]

avatiirya rathaat tasmaat tatah kaa.ncana bhuusanaat || 3-42-12

haste grihiitvaa maariicam raavano vaakyam abraviit |

Alighting the chariot that is decorated with golden ornaments Ravana then spoke this sentence to Maareecha taking his hand into his. [3-42-12b, 13a]

etat raama aashrama padam drishyate kadalii vritam || 3-42-13

kriyataam tat sakhe shiighram yat artham vayam aagataah |

"This one which we are seeing and which is surrounded with banana plants is the threshold of Rama's hermitage, and ----oh, friend, the purpose for which we came here let it be effectuated promptly." Thus Ravana hastened Maareecha. [3-42-13b, 14a]

sa raavana vacah shrutvaa maariico raaksasah tadaa || 3-42-14

mrigo bhuutvaa aashrama dvaari raamasya vicacaara ha |

"And on hearing Ravana's words demon Maareecha then became a deer and indeed ambled freely in the frontage of Rama's hermitage. [3-42-14b, 15a]

sa tu ruupam samaasthaaya mahat adbhuta darshanam || 3-42-15

manipravara shri.ngaagrah sita asita mukhaakritih |


raktapadmotpala mukha indraniilotpala shravaah || 3-42-16

kimcit abhyunnata griiva indraniila nibha udarah |

One of its cheeks in the shade of a reddish-lotus while the other in the hue of a bluish-lotus, one of its ears is in the hue of bloomed blue-lotus while the other is in the shade of a sapphire, while the shine of its stomach is like that of a best blue-diamond, Indra-niila-maNi, and with a little upraised neck that deer has moved about there. [3-42-16b, 17a]

madhuuka nibha paarshvah ca ka.nja ki.njalka samnibhah || 3-42-17

vaiduurya sa.nkaasha khurah tanu ja.nghah susa.mhatah |

One flank is shining whitish like Madhuka flowers and the other is similar to the roseate fibrils of lotuses, while its hooves are similar to the gemstone lapis, calves thin, and thus with very well cohered limbs that deer moved about there. [3-42-17b, 18a]

indra aayudha savarnena pucchena uurdhvam viraajitah || 3-42-18

manohara snigdha varno ratnaih naanaa vidhaih vritah |

With an upraised tail that shone forth in a tinge equal to the weapon of Indra, namely Rainbow, and with a complexion that is lustrous and dappled with many diverse gemlike dapples, that deer moved thereabout with a heart-stealing aura. [3-42-18b, 19a]

ksanena raaksaso jaato mrigah parama shobhanah || 3-42-19

vanam prajvalayan ramyam raama aashrama padam ca tat |

Thus that demon Maareecha emerged like a highly splendorous and fascinating deer in a wink highly irradiating those woodlands, and the threshold of Rama's hermitage in particular. [3-42-19b, 20a]

manoharam darshaniiyam ruupam kritvaa sa raaksasah || 3-42-20

pralobhanaartham vaidehyaa naanaa dhaatu vicitritam |

vicaran gacchate samyak shaadvalaani sama.ntatah || 3-42-21

Adopting such an exquisite and heart-stealing form which is amazingly dappled with the colors of diverse ores, that demon ambled all over there freely with the bearing of a real deer in order that Vaidehi might be deluded, and he moved forward onto the pastures. [3-42-2b, 21]

ropyaih bindu shataih citro bhuutvaa ca priya darshanah |

vitapiinaam kisalayaan bhakshayan vicacaara ha || 3-42-22

And with hundreds of silvery stipples of body he became an astonishing deer with pleasant looks and indeed moved chewing new grass-blades of trees. [3-42-22]

kadalii grihakam gatvaa karnikaaraani tatah tatah |

samaashrayan ma.ndagatih siitaa sa.ndarshanam tatah || 3-42-23

That Golden Deer has gone into the boscages of banana plants, and moved here and there around Karnikara trees, and then resorted to a place which is within the eyeshot of Seetha. [3-42-23]

raajiiva citra pristhah sa viraraaja mahaamrigah |

raama aashrama pada abhyaashe vicacaara yathaa sukham || 3-42-24

With an odd lotus like hind-side that astounding deer is verily scintillating, and it milled around the surroundings in the threshold of Rama's hermitage according to its own delight. [3-42-24]

punar gatvaa nivrittah ca vicacaara mrigottamah |

gatvaa muhuurtam tvarayaa punah prati nivartate || 3-42-25

That excellent deer beats a retreat and again returns, and meanders thus time and again, and turns its tail for sometime only to return once again very playfully. [3-42-25]

vikriidan ca punar bhuumau punar eva nisiidati |

aashrama dvaaram aagamya mriga yuuthaani gacchati || 3-42-26

Again gamboling [skipping] everywhere it sits somewhere on the ground, then, on coming to the threshold of hermitage it goes towards herds of deer. [3-42-26]

mriga yuuthaih anugatah punar eva nivar.htate |

siitaa darshanam aakaa.nksan raaksaso mrigataam gatah || 3-42-27

paribhramati citraani mandalaani vinispatan |

That demon who has gone into the deer-hood has gone after some herd of deer. But he returned again though that herd followed him wanting to fraternize [to be friendly], in order that he shall remain perceptible to Seetha, and he whirl gigged in amusing circles while leaping and bounding to and from that herd of deer. [3-42-27, 28a]

samudviiksya ca sarve tam mrigaa ye anye vanecaraah || 3-42-28

upagamya samaaghraaya vidravanti disho dasha |

All the other animals are moving in that forest on seeing this demon-deer with their necks up have come close to it, and on smelling it well they are running away to all the ten directions noticing it as a demon turned into a deer. [3-42-28b, 29a]

raaksasah so api taan vanyaan mrigaan mrigavadhe ratah || 3-42-29

pracchaadanaartham bhaavasya na bhaksayati sa.msprishan |

Even that demon in the deer's semblance Maareecha, though indulged in killing those forest animals, and though the other animals are touching him, he is not killing and eating them indulgently, only for the reason of camouflaging his present nature of demon-hood. [3-42-29b, 30a]

tasmin eva tatah kaale vaidehii shubhalocanaa || 3-42-30

kusuma apacaye vyagraa paadapaan abhyavartata |

What is more, Vaidehi with her felicitous eyes came towards trees yearning for plucking the flowers in the same instant. [3-42-30b, 31a]

karnikaaraan ashokaan ca cuutaam ca madireksanaa || 3-42-31

kusumaani apacinvantii cacaara ruciraananaa |

And she with her inebriating glances and delightful visage moved there about while plucking flowers of Karnikaara, Ashoka, and of Mango trees. [3-42-31b, 32a]

anarhaa aranya vaasasya saa tam ratnamayam mrigam || 3-42-32

muktaa mani vicitra a.ngam dadarsha parama anganaa |

That select lady who is unmeet for forest life beheld that deer which is completely gemlike and whose limbs are surprising as though studded with pearls and gems. [3-42-32b, 33a]

tam vai rucira da.nta ostham ruupya dhaatu tanuu ruham || 3-42-33

vismayaat utphulla nayanaa sa sneham samudaiksata |

And she that Seetha goggled [stared at] the Golden Deer with a wide-eyed astonishment, which deer has pretty lips and teeth, hair resembling silver and copper ores, and she indeed gazed at it with an affinity for wildlife. [3-42-33b, 34a]

sa ca taam raama dayitaam pashyan maayaamayo mrigah || 3-42-34

vicacaara tatah tatra diipayan iva tat vanam |

On seeing Rama's wife Seetha that highly phantasmal deer too then moved there about as though to scintillate that woodland. [3-42-34b, 35a]

adrista puurvam dristvaa tam naanaa ratnamayam mrigam |

vismayam paramam siitaa jagaama janaka aatmajaa || 3-42-35

To see such a deer which is hitherto unseen, and which is as though studded with numerous gems, the daughter of Janaka, Seetha, went in to an intense wonderment. [3-42-35b, c]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye aranya kaande dvi catvaari.mshah sargah

Thus, this is the 42nd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate







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