← 3.34 Rāvaṇa’s abduction plan · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.36 Mārīca’s story of his first defeat →
Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 35: Mārīca’s warning
Summary. He corrects Rāvaṇa’s account of Rāma’s exile, praises Rāma’s character and urges consultation before a plan that could destroy Laṅkā
Sequence
- Mārīca says that pleasant advisers are easy to find, but people willing to speak or hear an unpleasant truth are rare (3.35.1–2)
- he warns that Rāvaṇa does not understand Rāma and may destroy Laṅkā and the entire rākṣasa people through his recklessness (3.35.3–7)
- he corrects Rāvaṇa's account: Rāma was not expelled for misconduct, but voluntarily honored the promise that Kaikeyī had extracted from Daśaratha (3.35.8–12)
- he praises Rāma's character and compares abducting Sītā to seizing the sun's radiance or entering a blazing fire (3.35.13–19)
- he warns that a confrontation would cost Rāvaṇa his life, Kingdom, and happiness (3.35.20)
- he urges consultation with Vibhīṣaṇa and the other ministers, and an honest comparison of their own strength with Rāma's → he begins further counsel based on personal experience. (3.35.21–23)
Verses 3.35.1–23
3.35.1
tac chrutvā rākṣasendrasya vākyaṃ vākyaviśāradaḥ
pratyuvāca mahāprājño mārīco rākṣaseśvaram
Having heard that speech of the lord of rākṣasas, the greatly wise Mārīca, skilled in speech, replied to the lord of rākṣasas:
Words: tac chrutvā — having heard that; rākṣasendrasya — of the lord of rākṣasas; vākyaṃ — speech, words; vākyaviśāradaḥ — skilled in speech; pratyuvāca — replied; mahāprājño — greatly wise; mārīco — Mārīca; rākṣaseśvaram — the lord of rākṣasas
3.35.2
sulabhāḥ puruṣā rājan satataṃ priyavādinaḥ
apriyasya ca pathyasya vaktā śrotā ca durlabhaḥ
Easily found, O king, are men who always speak what is pleasant; but rare is one who speaks—or one who hears—what is unpleasant yet wholesome.
Words: sulabhāḥ — easily found; puruṣā — men; rājan — O king; satataṃ — always, constantly; priyavādinaḥ — speakers of what is pleasant; apriyasya ca — and of the unpleasant; pathyasya — of the wholesome, salutary; vaktā — a speaker; śrotā ca — and a hearer; durlabhaḥ — hard to find
3.35.3
na nūnaṃ budhyase rāmaṃ mahāvīryaṃ guṇonnatam
ayuktacāraś capalo mahendravaruṇopamam
Surely you do not know Rāma—of great valour, exalted in virtues, a match for great Indra and Varuṇa—you whose espionage is ill-managed and who are fickle.
Words: na nūnaṃ — surely not; budhyase — you know, perceive; rāmaṃ — Rāma; mahāvīryaṃ — of great valour; guṇonnatam — exalted in virtues; ayuktacāraś — with ill-managed espionage; capalo — fickle; mahendravaruṇopamam — comparable to great Indra and Varuṇa
3.35.4
api svasti bhavet tāta sarveṣāṃ bhuvi rakṣasām
api rāmo na saṃkruddhaḥ kuryāl lokam arākṣasaṃ
Will there be well-being, my dear, for all the rākṣasas on earth? May Rāma, enraged, not make the world empty of rākṣasas!
Words: api — (whether); interrogative particle; svasti — well-being, safety; bhavet — might be; tāta — my dear; sarveṣāṃ — of all; bhuvi — on earth; rakṣasām — of the rākṣasas; api — (whether); rāmo — Rāma; na saṃkruddhaḥ — (not) enraged; kuryāl — might make; lokam — the world; arākṣasaṃ — empty of rākṣasas
3.35.5
api te jīvitāntāya notpannā janakātmajā
api sītā nimittaṃ ca na bhaved vyasanaṃ mahat
Has not Janaka's daughter been born to bring about your death? May not Sītā prove the cause of a great calamity?
Words: api — (whether); te — your, for you; jīvitāntāya — for the end of your life; notpannā — has not been born; janakātmajā — the daughter of Janaka; api — (whether); sītā — Sītā; nimittaṃ ca — and the cause; na bhaved — might not become; vyasanaṃ — calamity, disaster; mahat — great
3.35.6
api tvām īśvaraṃ prāpya kāmavṛttaṃ niraṅkuśam
na vinaśyet purī laṅkā tvayā saha sarākṣasā
Having got you—self-willed and unrestrained—as its lord, may the city of Laṅkā not perish, together with you and its rākṣasas!
Words: api — (whether); tvām — you; īśvaraṃ — as lord; prāpya — having obtained; kāmavṛttaṃ — self-willed; niraṅkuśam — unrestrained (without a curb); na vinaśyet — may not perish; purī — the city; laṅkā — Laṅkā; tvayā saha — together with you; sarākṣasā — with its rākṣasas
3.35.7
tvadvidhaḥ kāmavṛtto hi duḥśīlaḥ pāpamantritaḥ
ātmānaṃ svajanaṃ rāṣṭraṃ sa rājā hanti durmatiḥ
For a king like you—self-willed, of evil conduct, ill-counselled, and wrong-minded—destroys himself, his own people, and his kingdom.
Words: tvadvidhaḥ — one like you; kāmavṛtto — self-willed; hi — for, indeed; duḥśīlaḥ — of evil conduct; pāpamantritaḥ — evilly counselled; ātmānaṃ — himself; svajanaṃ — his own people; rāṣṭraṃ — the kingdom, realm; sa rājā — that king; hanti — destroys; durmatiḥ — wrong-minded
3.35.8
na ca pitrā parityakto nāmaryādaḥ kathaṃ cana
na lubdho na ca duḥśīlo na ca kṣatriyapāṃsanaḥ
Rāma was not abandoned by his father, nor is he in any way lacking in propriety; he is not greedy, nor of bad character, nor a disgrace to the kṣatriyas.
Words: na ca — and not; pitrā — by his father; parityakto — abandoned; nāmaryādaḥ — not without propriety; kathaṃ cana — in any way; na lubdho — not greedy; na ca duḥśīlo — nor of bad conduct; na ca kṣatriyapāṃsanaḥ — nor a disgrace to the kṣatriyas
3.35.9
na ca dharmaguṇair hīnaiḥ kausalyānandavardhanaḥ
na ca tīkṣṇo hi bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ ca hite rataḥ
Nor is the joy-increaser of Kausalyā deficient in the qualities of dharma; he is not cruel, and he delights in the welfare of all creatures.
Words: na ca — and not; dharmaguṇair — in the qualities of dharma; hīnaiḥ — deficient (in); kausalyānandavardhanaḥ — the increaser of Kausalyā's joy; na ca tīkṣṇo — nor cruel; hi — indeed; bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāṃ — of all creatures; ca — and; hite — in the welfare; rataḥ — delighting
3.35.10
vañcitaṃ pitaraṃ dṛṣṭvā kaikeyyā satyavādinam
kariṣyāmīti dharmātmā tataḥ pravrajito vanam
Seeing his truthful father deceived by Kaikeyī, the righteous one said, 'I shall do as promised,' and thereupon went forth to the forest.
Words: vañcitaṃ — deceived; pitaraṃ — father; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; kaikeyyā — by Kaikeyī; satyavādinam — truthful, truth-speaking; kariṣyāmīti — 'I shall do (it),'; dharmātmā — the righteous one; tataḥ — thereupon, then; pravrajito — went forth (as an exile); vanam — to the forest
3.35.11
kaikeyyāḥ priyakāmārthaṃ pitur daśarathasya ca
hitvā rājyaṃ ca bhogāṃś ca praviṣṭo daṇḍakāvanam
To fulfil a dear wish of Kaikeyī and of his father Daśaratha, forsaking kingship and enjoyments, he entered the Daṇḍaka forest.
Words: kaikeyyāḥ — of Kaikeyī; priyakāmārthaṃ — to fulfil a dear wish; pitur — of his father; daśarathasya ca — and of Daśaratha; hitvā — having forsaken; rājyaṃ ca — and kingship; bhogāṃś ca — and enjoyments; praviṣṭo — entered; daṇḍakāvanam — the Daṇḍaka forest
3.35.12
na rāmaḥ karkaśas tāta nāvidvān nājitendriyaḥ
anṛtaṃ na śrutaṃ caiva naiva tvaṃ vaktum arhasi
Rāma is not harsh, my dear, nor ignorant, nor unmastered in his senses; no falsehood of his has ever been heard—you must not speak so.
Words: na rāmaḥ — Rāma is not; karkaśas — harsh, rough; tāta — my dear; nāvidvān — nor ignorant; nājitendriyaḥ — nor of unsubdued senses; anṛtaṃ — a falsehood; na śrutaṃ caiva — has never been heard; naiva — not at all; tvaṃ — you; vaktum — to speak; arhasi — ought
3.35.13
rāmo vigrahavān dharmaḥ sādhuḥ satyaparākramaḥ
rājā sarvasya lokasya devānām iva vāsavaḥ
Rāma is dharma itself embodied, a virtuous man of true valour; he is king of the whole world, as Vāsava (Indra) is king of the gods.
Words: rāmo — Rāma; vigrahavān — embodied, having bodily form; dharmaḥ — dharma, righteousness; sādhuḥ — virtuous, good; satyaparākramaḥ — of true valour; rājā — king; sarvasya lokasya — of the whole world; devānām iva — as of the gods; vāsavaḥ — Vāsava (Indra)
3.35.14
kathaṃ tvaṃ tasya vaidehīṃ rakṣitāṃ svena tejasā
icchasi prasabhaṃ hartuṃ prabhām iva vivasvataḥ
How do you wish to carry off by force his Vaidehī, guarded by his own splendour, as though (one could seize) the radiance of the sun?
Words: kathaṃ — how; tvaṃ — you; tasya — his; vaidehīṃ — Vaidehī; rakṣitāṃ — guarded, protected; svena tejasā — by his own splendour; icchasi — you wish; prasabhaṃ — by force; hartuṃ — to carry off; prabhām iva — like the radiance; vivasvataḥ — of the sun (Vivasvat)
3.35.15
śarārciṣam anādhṛṣyaṃ cāpakhaḍgendhanaṃ raṇe
rāmāgniṃ sahasā dīptaṃ na praveṣṭuṃ tvam arhasi
You must not rush headlong into the fire that is Rāma—blazing in battle, with arrows for flames, unassailable, fed by bow and sword for fuel.
Words: śarārciṣam — with arrows for flames; anādhṛṣyaṃ — unassailable; cāpakhaḍgendhanaṃ — fuelled by bow and sword; raṇe — in battle; rāmāgniṃ — the fire that is Rāma; sahasā — suddenly, rashly; dīptaṃ — blazing; na praveṣṭuṃ — not to enter; tvam — you; arhasi — ought
3.35.16
dhanurvyāditadīptāsyaṃ śarārciṣam amarṣaṇam
cāpabāṇadharaṃ vīraṃ śatrusenāpahāriṇam
(That fire is) the hero—his blazing mouth gaping wide as a drawn bow, with arrows for flames, unforbearing, wielding bow and arrow, sweeper-away of enemy armies—
Words: dhanurvyāditadīptāsyaṃ — with blazing mouth gaping like a drawn bow; śarārciṣam — with arrows for flames; amarṣaṇam — unforbearing, impatient; cāpabāṇadharaṃ — wielding bow and arrow; vīraṃ — the hero; śatrusenāpahāriṇam — destroyer of enemy armies
3.35.17
rājyaṃ sukhaṃ ca saṃtyajya jīvitaṃ ceṣṭam ātmanaḥ
nātyāsādayituṃ tāta rāmāntakam ihārhasi
Do not, my dear, forsaking kingship and happiness and your own dear life, go here to assail Rāma, who is Death himself.
Words: rājyaṃ — kingship; sukhaṃ ca — and happiness; saṃtyajya — having forsaken; jīvitaṃ — life; ceṣṭam — and dear; ātmanaḥ — your own; nātyāsādayituṃ — not to attack, assail; tāta — my dear; rāmāntakam — Rāma who is Death; ihārhasi — here you ought
3.35.18
aprameyaṃ hi tat tejo yasya sā janakātmajā
na tvaṃ samarthas tāṃ hartuṃ rāmacāpāśrayāṃ vane
Immeasurable indeed is the might of him whose wife is that daughter of Janaka; you are not able to carry her off in the forest, sheltered as she is by Rāma's bow.
Words: aprameyaṃ — immeasurable; hi — indeed; tat tejo — that might, splendour; yasya — whose; sā janakātmajā — (is) that daughter of Janaka; na tvaṃ — you not; samarthas — able; tāṃ — her; hartuṃ — to carry off; rāmacāpāśrayāṃ — sheltered by Rāma's bow; vane — in the forest
3.35.19
prāṇebhyo 'pi priyatarā bhāryā nityam anuvratā
dīptasyeva hutāśasya śikhā sītā sumadhyamā
Dearer to him even than his life, ever devoted, his wife—slender-waisted Sītā—is like the flame of a blazing fire.
Words: prāṇebhyo 'pi — even than his life-breaths; priyatarā — dearer; bhāryā — wife; nityam — ever, always; anuvratā — devoted, faithful; dīptasyeva — as of the blazing; hutāśasya — of the fire (oblation-eater); śikhā — flame, crest; sītā — Sītā; sumadhyamā — slender-waisted
3.35.20
kim udyamaṃ vyartham imaṃ kṛtvā te rākṣasādhipa
dṛṣṭaś cet tvaṃ raṇe tena tad antaṃ tava jīvitam
jīvitaṃ ca sukhaṃ caiva rājyaṃ caiva sudurlabham
What use is this futile effort of yours, O lord of rākṣasas? If you are seen by him in battle, that is the end of your life; and life, happiness, and kingship, once lost, are very hard to regain.
Words: kim — what (use of); udyamaṃ — effort, exertion; vyartham — futile, useless; imaṃ — this; kṛtvā — having made; te — your; rākṣasādhipa — O lord of rākṣasas; dṛṣṭaś cet — if seen; tvaṃ — you; raṇe — in battle; tena — by him; tad antaṃ — that is the end; tava jīvitam — of your life; jīvitaṃ ca — and life; sukhaṃ caiva — and happiness; rājyaṃ caiva — and kingship; sudurlabham — very hard to regain
3.35.21
sa sarvaiḥ sacivaiḥ sārdhaṃ vibhīṣaṇapuraskṛtaiḥ
mantrayitvā tu dharmiṣṭhaiḥ kṛtvā niścayam ātmanaḥ
Having taken counsel with all your ministers—most righteous men led by Vibhīṣaṇa—and having made your own decision,
Words: sa — he (you); sarvaiḥ sacivaiḥ — with all the ministers; sārdhaṃ — together with; vibhīṣaṇapuraskṛtaiḥ — led by Vibhīṣaṇa; mantrayitvā — having consulted, taken counsel; tu — indeed; dharmiṣṭhaiḥ — most righteous; kṛtvā — having made; niścayam — decision, resolve; ātmanaḥ — your own
3.35.22
doṣāṇāṃ ca guṇānāṃ ca saṃpradhārya balābalam
ātmanaś ca balaṃ jñātvā rāghavasya ca tattvataḥ
hitaṃ hi tava niścitya kṣamaṃ tvaṃ kartum arhasi
and having weighed the strength and weakness of the faults and merits, and truly known your own strength and Rāghava's, and ascertained what is good for you, you ought to do what is fitting.
Words: doṣāṇāṃ ca — of the faults; guṇānāṃ ca — and of the merits; saṃpradhārya — having weighed; balābalam — the relative strength; ātmanaś ca — and your own; balaṃ — strength; jñātvā — having known; rāghavasya ca — and Rāghava's; tattvataḥ — truly, in reality; hitaṃ — what is good, beneficial; hi — indeed; tava — for you; niścitya — having ascertained; kṣamaṃ — what is fitting, proper; tvaṃ — you; kartum — to do; arhasi — ought
3.35.23
ahaṃ tu manye tava na kṣamaṃ raṇe samāgamaṃ kosalarājasūnunā
idaṃ hi bhūyaḥ śṛṇu vākyam uttamaṃ kṣamaṃ ca yuktaṃ ca niśācarādhipa
But I think that an encounter in battle with the son of the Kosala king is not good for you; so hear this further excellent counsel of mine, fitting and proper, O lord of the night-rangers.
Words: ahaṃ tu — but I; manye — think; tava — for you; na kṣamaṃ — not advisable, not fitting; raṇe — in battle; samāgamaṃ — an encounter, meeting; kosalarājasūnunā — with the son of the Kosala king; idaṃ hi — for this; bhūyaḥ — further, again; śṛṇu — hear; vākyam uttamaṃ — excellent counsel; kṣamaṃ ca — fitting and; yuktaṃ ca — and proper; niśācarādhipa — O lord of night-rangers
← 3.34 Rāvaṇa’s abduction plan · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.36 Mārīca’s story of his first defeat →
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.
Plain text: /text/3/35.md · JSON: /data/3/35.json