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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 37: Mārīca’s second defeat and terror

Summary. His deer-form attack costs two companions, he abandons violence but still sees and fears Rāma everywhere

Sequence

  1. Mārīca continues with a later episode: despite the first defeat, he returned to Daṇḍaka with two other rākṣasas, all in deer forms (3.37.1–2)
  2. as a huge, sharp-horned, flesh-eating deer, he again attacked tapasvins and their sacred places (3.37.3–6)
  3. he encountered Rāma during the exile, with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa (3.37.7–8)
  4. recalling his old grievance and again underestimating Rāma, he charged to kill him (3.37.9–10)
  5. Rāma shot three arrows → remembering the earlier blow, Mārīca sprang away and escaped, but his two companions were killed (3.37.11–13)
  6. he then withdrew to this hermitage and adopted a disciplined life of tapas (3.37.14)
  7. fear still makes him see Rāma behind every tree and wake in terror from dreams; even words beginning with “ra,” such as ratna and ratha, frighten him (3.37.15–18)
  8. he tells Rāvaṇa that his knowledge of Rāma's power comes from experience and repeats that ignoring the warning will cost Rāvaṇa and his relatives their lives. (3.37.19–20)

Verses 3.37.1–20

3.37.1

evam asmi tadā muktaḥ kathaṃ cit tena saṃyuge
idānīm api yad vṛttaṃ tac chṛṇuṣva yad uttaram

Thus was I somehow let off by him then in the battle; now hear also what happened afterwards.

Words: evam asmi tadā muktaḥ — thus I was then released; kathaṃ cit — somehow; tena — by him; saṃyuge — in the battle; idānīm api — now too; yad vṛttaṃ — what happened; tac chṛṇuṣva — hear that; yad uttaram — which came after

3.37.2

rākṣasābhyām ahaṃ dvābhyām anirviṇṇas tathā kṛtaḥ
sahito mṛgarūpābhyāṃ praviṣṭo daṇḍakāvanam

Undeterred, though so treated, I entered the Daṇḍaka forest together with two rākṣasas in the form of deer.

Words: rākṣasābhyām — with two rākṣasas; ahaṃ — I; dvābhyām — two (dual); anirviṇṇas — undeterred, not despondent; tathā kṛtaḥ — (though) so treated; sahito — together; mṛgarūpābhyāṃ — in the form of deer (dual); praviṣṭo — entered; daṇḍakāvanam — the Daṇḍaka forest

3.37.3

dīptajihvo mahākāyas tīkṣṇaśṛṇgo mahābalaḥ
vyacaran daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ māṃsabhakṣo mahāmṛgaḥ

With flaming tongue, huge body, sharp horns, and great strength, a great deer feeding on flesh, I roamed the Daṇḍaka forest,

Words: dīptajihvo — with flaming tongue; mahākāyas — huge-bodied; tīkṣṇaśṛṇgo — sharp-horned; mahābalaḥ — mighty; vyacaran — roaming; daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ — the Daṇḍaka forest; māṃsabhakṣo — flesh-eating; mahāmṛgaḥ — a great deer

3.37.4

agnihotreṣu tīrtheṣu caityavṛkṣeṣu rāvaṇa
atyantaghoro vyacaraṃs tāpasāṃs tān pradharṣayan

exceedingly fearsome, O Rāvaṇa, I roamed among the sacrificial fires, the holy fords, and the sanctuary-trees, harassing those ascetics.

Words: agnihotreṣu — at the sacrificial fires; tīrtheṣu — at the holy fords, bathing-places; caityavṛkṣeṣu — at the sanctuary-trees; rāvaṇa — O Rāvaṇa; atyantaghoro — exceedingly fearsome; vyacaraṃs — roaming; tāpasāṃs tān — those ascetics; pradharṣayan — harassing, assailing

3.37.5

nihatya daṇḍakāraṇye tāpasān dharmacāriṇaḥ
rudhirāṇi pibaṃs teṣāṃ tathā māṃsāni bhakṣayan

Killing in the Daṇḍaka forest the ascetics who practised dharma, drinking their blood and likewise eating their flesh,

Words: nihatya — having slain; daṇḍakāraṇye — in the Daṇḍaka forest; tāpasān — the ascetics; dharmacāriṇaḥ — practisers of dharma; rudhirāṇi — the blood; pibaṃs — drinking; teṣāṃ — their; tathā — likewise; māṃsāni — the flesh; bhakṣayan — eating

3.37.6

ṛṣimāṃsāśanaḥ krūras trāsayan vanagocarān
tadā rudhiramatto 'haṃ vyacaraṃ daṇḍakāvanam

a cruel eater of the flesh of sages, terrifying the forest-dwellers, then, drunk with blood, I roamed the Daṇḍaka forest.

Words: ṛṣimāṃsāśanaḥ — eater of the flesh of sages; krūras — cruel; trāsayan — terrifying; vanagocarān — the forest-dwellers; tadā — then; rudhiramatto 'haṃ — I, drunk with blood; vyacaraṃ — I roamed; daṇḍakāvanam — the Daṇḍaka forest

3.37.7

tadāhaṃ daṇḍakāraṇye vicaran dharmadūṣakaḥ
āsādayaṃ tadā rāmaṃ tāpasaṃ dharmam āśritam

Then, wandering in the Daṇḍaka forest, a defiler of dharma, I came upon Rāma, living as an ascetic, devoted to dharma,

Words: tadāhaṃ — then I; daṇḍakāraṇye — in the Daṇḍaka forest; vicaran — wandering; dharmadūṣakaḥ — a defiler of dharma; āsādayaṃ — I came upon; tadā — then; rāmaṃ — Rāma; tāpasaṃ — as an ascetic; dharmam āśritam — devoted to dharma, resorting to dharma

3.37.8

vaidehīṃ ca mahābhāgāṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ ca mahāratham
tāpasaṃ niyatāhāraṃ sarvabhūtahite ratam

and the greatly blessed Vaidehī, and Lakṣmaṇa the great chariot-warrior—an ascetic of restrained diet, devoted to the welfare of all creatures.

Words: vaidehīṃ ca — and Vaidehī; mahābhāgāṃ — the greatly blessed; lakṣmaṇaṃ ca — and Lakṣmaṇa; mahāratham — the great chariot-warrior; tāpasaṃ — an ascetic; niyatāhāraṃ — of restrained diet; sarvabhūtahite — in the welfare of all creatures; ratam — devoted

3.37.9

so 'haṃ vanagataṃ rāmaṃ paribhūya mahābalam
tāpaso 'yam iti jñātvā pūrvavairam anusmaran

So I, holding in contempt the mighty Rāma who had gone to the forest, thinking 'This is (only) an ascetic,' and recalling my former enmity,

Words: so 'haṃ — so I; vanagataṃ — gone to the forest; rāmaṃ — Rāma; paribhūya — having despised, held in contempt; mahābalam — the mighty; tāpaso 'yam iti — 'this is an ascetic'; jñātvā — having thought, judged; pūrvavairam — former enmity; anusmaran — recalling

3.37.10

abhyadhāvaṃ susaṃkruddhas tīkṣṇaśṛṅgo mṛgākṛtiḥ
jighāṃsur akṛtaprajñas taṃ prahāram anusmaran

rushed at him in great fury, sharp-horned, in the form of a deer, senseless, bent on killing, remembering that (earlier) blow.

Words: abhyadhāvaṃ — I rushed at; susaṃkruddhas — greatly enraged; tīkṣṇaśṛṅgo — sharp-horned; mṛgākṛtiḥ — in the form of a deer; jighāṃsur — wishing to kill; akṛtaprajñas — senseless, of unripe wisdom; taṃ prahāram — that blow; anusmaran — remembering

3.37.11

tena muktās trayo bāṇāḥ śitāḥ śatrunibarhaṇāḥ
vikṛṣya balavac cāpaṃ suparṇānilatulyagāḥ

Drawing his bow with force, he loosed three sharp, foe-crushing arrows, flying swift as Garuḍa and the wind,

Words: tena muktās — loosed by him; trayo bāṇāḥ — three arrows; śitāḥ — sharp, whetted; śatrunibarhaṇāḥ — foe-crushing; vikṛṣya — having drawn; balavac cāpaṃ — the bow forcefully; suparṇānilatulyagāḥ — flying like Garuḍa and the wind

3.37.12

te bāṇā vajrasaṃkāśāḥ sughorā raktabhojanāḥ
ājagmuḥ sahitāḥ sarve trayaḥ saṃnataparvaṇaḥ

those arrows, like thunderbolts, most terrible, blood-drinking, all three came together, with well-jointed shafts.

Words: te bāṇā — those arrows; vajrasaṃkāśāḥ — like thunderbolts; sughorā — most terrible; raktabhojanāḥ — blood-drinking; ājagmuḥ — came; sahitāḥ — together; sarve — all; trayaḥ — three; saṃnataparvaṇaḥ — with well-jointed shafts (smooth-knotted)

3.37.13

parākramajño rāmasya śaṭho dṛṣṭabhayaḥ purā
samutkrāntas tato muktas tāv ubhau rākṣasau hatau

Knowing Rāma's prowess, crafty, and having tasted his terror before, I sprang away and thus escaped; but those two rākṣasas were slain.

Words: parākramajño — knowing (his) prowess; rāmasya — of Rāma; śaṭho — crafty; dṛṣṭabhayaḥ — having seen (his) terror before; purā — before, formerly; samutkrāntas — having sprung away, escaped; tato — then; muktas — released, escaped; tāv ubhau rākṣasau — those two rākṣasas; hatau — were slain (dual)

3.37.14

śareṇa mukto rāmasya kathaṃ cit prāpya jīvitam
iha pravrājito yuktas tāpaso 'haṃ samāhitaḥ

Spared from Rāma's arrow, somehow keeping my life, retired here, disciplined, I have become an ascetic, composed of mind.

Words: śareṇa — from the arrow, by the arrow; mukto — released, spared; rāmasya — of Rāma; kathaṃ cit — somehow; prāpya jīvitam — gaining (my) life, surviving; iha — here; pravrājito — gone forth (as an ascetic), retired; yuktas — disciplined, devoted; tāpaso 'haṃ — I, an ascetic; samāhitaḥ — composed, concentrated

3.37.15

vṛkṣe vṛkṣe hi paśyāmi cīrakṛṣṇājināmbaram
gṛhītadhanuṣaṃ rāmaṃ pāśahastam ivāntakam

For at every tree I see Rāma, clad in bark-cloth and black antelope-skin, bow in hand, like Death (Antaka) with his noose.

Words: vṛkṣe vṛkṣe — at every tree; hi — for, indeed; paśyāmi — I see; cīrakṛṣṇājināmbaram — clad in bark-cloth and black antelope-skin; gṛhītadhanuṣaṃ — with bow taken up; rāmaṃ — Rāma; pāśahastam — with noose in hand; ivāntakam — like Antaka (Death)

3.37.16

api rāmasahasrāṇi bhītaḥ paśyāmi rāvaṇa
rāmabhūtam idaṃ sarvam araṇyaṃ pratibhāti me

In my fear I see thousands of Rāmas, O Rāvaṇa; this whole forest appears to me to have become Rāma.

Words: api — even; rāmasahasrāṇi — thousands of Rāmas; bhītaḥ — frightened; paśyāmi — I see; rāvaṇa — O Rāvaṇa; rāmabhūtam — become Rāma; idaṃ sarvam — this whole; araṇyaṃ — forest; pratibhāti — appears; me — to me

3.37.17

rāmam eva hi paśyāmi rahite rākṣaseśvara
dṛṣṭvā svapnagataṃ rāmam udbhramāmi vicetanaḥ

In a lonely place I see Rāma and nothing else, O lord of rākṣasas; seeing Rāma come in a dream, I start up, out of my senses.

Words: rāmam eva — Rāma alone; hi — indeed; paśyāmi — I see; rahite — in a lonely, empty place; rākṣaseśvara — O lord of rākṣasas; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; svapnagataṃ — come in a dream; rāmam — Rāma; udbhramāmi — I start up, become agitated; vicetanaḥ — senseless, out of my wits

3.37.18

rakārādīni nāmāni rāmatrastasya rāvaṇa
ratnāni ca rathāś caiva trāsaṃ saṃjanayanti me

Names beginning with the syllable 'ra,' O Rāvaṇa, terrify me who dread Rāma—even 'ratna' (jewel) and 'ratha' (chariot) fill me with fright.

Words: rakārādīni — beginning with the syllable 'ra'; nāmāni — names; rāmatrastasya — of me, terrified of Rāma; rāvaṇa — O Rāvaṇa; ratnāni ca — and jewels ('ratna'); rathāś caiva — and chariots ('ratha'); trāsaṃ — fright, terror; saṃjanayanti — produce, cause; me — in me

3.37.19

ahaṃ tasya prabhāvajño na yuddhaṃ tena te kṣamam
raṇe rāmeṇa yudhyasva kṣamāṃ vā kuru rākṣasa
na te rāmakathā kāryā yadi māṃ draṣṭum icchasi

I know his power; war with him is not fitting for you. Either fight Rāma in battle, or make peace, O rākṣasa; but you must not talk to me of Rāma, if you wish to see me (alive).

Words: ahaṃ — I; tasya — his; prabhāvajño — knowing (his) power; na yuddhaṃ — war (is) not; tena — with him; te — for you; kṣamam — fitting, advisable; raṇe — in battle; rāmeṇa — with Rāma; yudhyasva — fight; kṣamāṃ vā kuru — or make peace, forbearance; rākṣasa — O rākṣasa; na te — not by you; rāmakathā — talk of Rāma; kāryā — to be made, done; yadi — if; māṃ — me; draṣṭum — to see; icchasi — you wish

3.37.20

idaṃ vaco bandhuhitārthinā mayā yathocyamānaṃ yadi nābhipatsyase
sabāndhavas tyakṣyasi jīvitaṃ raṇe hato 'dya rāmeṇa śarair ajihmagaiḥ

If you will not heed this counsel, spoken by me who seek the good of my kin, then, with your kinsmen, you will lose your life in battle, slain today by Rāma with his straight-flying arrows.

Words: idaṃ vaco — this word; bandhuhitārthinā — by (me) who seek the good of (my) kin; mayā — by me; yathocyamānaṃ — as it is being spoken; yadi — if; nābhipatsyase — you will not heed, accept; sabāndhavas — with your kinsmen; tyakṣyasi — you will give up, lose; jīvitaṃ — life; raṇe — in battle; hato 'dya — slain today; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; śarair ajihmagaiḥ — with straight-flying arrows

← 3.36 Mārīca’s story of his first defeat · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.38 Rāvaṇa compels Mārīca →

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/3/37.md · JSON: /data/3/37.json