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Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 39: Mārīca’s final warning
Summary. He condemns advisers who fail to restrain a destructive ruler and predicts that the abduction will kill them both and ruin Laṅkā
Sequence
- Mārīca asks who has advised Rāvaṇa into this trap and suggests that such advice serves his enemies (3.39.1–5)
- he condemns ministers who fail to restrain a ruler on a destructive course, because the ruler's failure ruins everyone dependent on him (3.39.6–14)
- he predicts destruction for the rākṣasas under Rāvaṇa's leadership (3.39.15–16)
- expecting Rāma to kill him, he says at least he will die at an enemy's hands → Rāvaṇa should regard his own death and that of his relatives as equally certain once he takes Sītā (3.39.17–18)
- Mārīca concludes that the scheme will destroy both of them, Laṅkā, and its people, but recognizes that Rāvaṇa will not listen. (3.39.19–20)
Verses 3.39.1–20
3.39.1
ājñapto rājavad vākyaṃ pratikūlaṃ niśācaraḥ
abravīt paruṣaṃ vākyaṃ mārīco rākṣasādhipam
Commanded in kingly fashion with those adverse words, the night-ranger Mārīca spoke harsh words to the lord of rākṣasas:
Words: ājñapto — commanded; rājavad — in kingly fashion; vākyaṃ — word; pratikūlaṃ — adverse, disagreeable; niśācaraḥ — the night-ranger; abravīt — spoke; paruṣaṃ — harsh; vākyaṃ — word; mārīco — Mārīca; rākṣasādhipam — to the lord of rākṣasas
3.39.2
kenāyam upadiṣṭas te vināśaḥ pāpakarmaṇā
saputrasya sarāṣṭrasya sāmātyasya niśācara
By what evil-doer was this destruction of you counselled—of you together with your sons, your kingdom, and your ministers, O night-ranger?
Words: kenāyam — by whom this; upadiṣṭas — counselled, pointed out; te — to, for you; vināśaḥ — destruction; pāpakarmaṇā — by an evil-doer; saputrasya — together with your sons; sarāṣṭrasya — with your kingdom; sāmātyasya — with your ministers; niśācara — O night-ranger
3.39.3
kas tvayā sukhinā rājan nābhinandati pāpakṛt
kenedam upadiṣṭaṃ te mṛtyudvāram upāyataḥ
Which evil-doer, O king, does not rejoice at your (ruin, while you rest) content? By whom has this gateway to death been craftily pointed out to you?
Words: kas — who; tvayā sukhinā — at you (being) happy, content; rājan — O king; nābhinandati — does not rejoice; pāpakṛt — evil-doer; kenedam — by whom this; upadiṣṭaṃ — pointed out, taught; te — to you; mṛtyudvāram — the door of death; upāyataḥ — by a stratagem, cunningly
3.39.4
śatravas tava suvyaktaṃ hīnavīryā niśācara
icchanti tvāṃ vinaśyantam uparuddhaṃ balīyasā
Clearly, O night-ranger, your enemies of feeble strength wish you to perish, checked (as you will be) by one mightier than you.
Words: śatravas — enemies; tava — your; suvyaktaṃ — clearly; hīnavīryā — of feeble strength; niśācara — O night-ranger; icchanti — wish; tvāṃ — you; vinaśyantam — perishing; uparuddhaṃ — checked, obstructed; balīyasā — by a stronger (one)
3.39.5
kenedam upadiṣṭaṃ te kṣudreṇāhitavādinā
yas tvām icchati naśyantaṃ svakṛtena niśācara
By what mean, ill-speaking one was this counselled to you—one who wishes you to perish by your own deed, O night-ranger?
Words: kenedam — by whom this; upadiṣṭaṃ — counselled; te — to you; kṣudreṇāhitavādinā — by a mean, ill-speaking one; yas — who; tvām — you; icchati — wishes; naśyantaṃ — perishing; svakṛtena — by your own deed; niśācara — O night-ranger
3.39.6
vadhyāḥ khalu na hanyante sacivās tava rāvaṇa
ye tvām utpatham ārūḍhaṃ na nigṛhṇanti sarvaśaḥ
Truly your ministers deserve death yet go unpunished, Rāvaṇa—those who do not by every means restrain you when you have taken to the wrong path.
Words: vadhyāḥ — deserving death, to be slain; khalu — indeed; na hanyante — are not slain (go unpunished); sacivās — the ministers; tava — your; rāvaṇa — O Rāvaṇa; ye — who; tvām — you; utpatham — onto the wrong path; ārūḍhaṃ — mounted, taken to; na nigṛhṇanti — do not restrain; sarvaśaḥ — by every means
3.39.7
amātyaiḥ kāmavṛtto hi rājā kāpatham āśritaḥ
nigrāhyaḥ sarvathā sadbhir na nigrāhyo nigṛhyase
For a self-willed king who has taken to an evil road ought by all means to be restrained by good ministers; but you, though deserving restraint, go unrestrained.
Words: amātyaiḥ — by ministers; kāmavṛtto — self-willed; hi — for; rājā — king; kāpatham — an evil path; āśritaḥ — having resorted to; nigrāhyaḥ — to be restrained; sarvathā — by all means; sadbhir — by the good; na nigrāhyo — (you) not to be restrained; nigṛhyase — you are (not) restrained
3.39.8
dharmam arthaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca yaśaś ca jayatāṃ vara
svāmiprasādāt sacivāḥ prāpnuvanti niśācara
Righteousness, wealth, pleasure, and fame, O best of conquerors, ministers obtain through the favour of their master, O night-ranger.
Words: dharmam — righteousness; arthaṃ ca — and wealth; kāmaṃ ca — and pleasure; yaśaś ca — and fame; jayatāṃ vara — O best of conquerors; svāmiprasādāt — through the favour of the master; sacivāḥ — ministers; prāpnuvanti — obtain; niśācara — O night-ranger
3.39.9
viparyaye tu tat sarvaṃ vyarthaṃ bhavati rāvaṇa
vyasanaṃ svāmivaiguṇyāt prāpnuvantītare janāḥ
But in the reverse case all that becomes vain, Rāvaṇa; through the master's fault other people meet with disaster.
Words: viparyaye tu — but in the reverse (case); tat sarvaṃ — all that; vyarthaṃ — vain, useless; bhavati — becomes; rāvaṇa — O Rāvaṇa; vyasanaṃ — calamity, disaster; svāmivaiguṇyāt — through the master's fault; prāpnuvantītare — the other (people) obtain; janāḥ — people
3.39.10
rājamūlo hi dharmaś ca jayaś ca jayatāṃ vara
tasmāt sarvāsv avasthāsu rakṣitavyo narādhipaḥ
For both dharma and victory have the king as their root, O best of conquerors; therefore in all conditions the king must be protected.
Words: rājamūlo — having the king as root; hi — for; dharmaś ca — both dharma; jayaś ca — and victory; jayatāṃ vara — O best of conquerors; tasmāt — therefore; sarvāsv avasthāsu — in all conditions; rakṣitavyo — to be protected; narādhipaḥ — the king
3.39.11
rājyaṃ pālayituṃ śakyaṃ na tīkṣṇena niśācara
na cāpi pratikūlena nāvinītena rākṣasa
A kingdom cannot be governed by a harsh (king), O night-ranger, nor by a perverse one, nor by an undisciplined one, O rākṣasa.
Words: rājyaṃ — kingdom; pālayituṃ — to govern; śakyaṃ — possible; na tīkṣṇena — not by a harsh (one); niśācara — O night-ranger; na cāpi — nor also; pratikūlena — by a perverse, contrary one; nāvinītena — nor by an undisciplined one; rākṣasa — O rākṣasa
3.39.12
ye tīkṣṇamantrāḥ sacivā bhajyante saha tena vai
viṣameṣu rathāḥ śīghraṃ mandasārathayo yathā
Ministers of harsh counsel are broken along with him (the king), just as chariots with poor charioteers are swiftly wrecked on rough ground.
Words: ye — who; tīkṣṇamantrāḥ — of harsh counsel; sacivā — ministers; bhajyante — are broken; saha tena — along with him; vai — indeed; viṣameṣu — on rough (ground); rathāḥ — chariots; śīghraṃ — swiftly; mandasārathayo — with poor charioteers; yathā — as
3.39.13
bahavaḥ sādhavo loke yuktadharmam anuṣṭhitāḥ
pareṣām aparādhena vinaṣṭāḥ saparicchadāḥ
Many virtuous men in the world, who followed the prescribed dharma, have perished with all their belongings through the offence of others.
Words: bahavaḥ — many; sādhavo — virtuous men; loke — in the world; yuktadharmam — the prescribed dharma; anuṣṭhitāḥ — who practised, followed; pareṣām — of others; aparādhena — through the offence; vinaṣṭāḥ — perished; saparicchadāḥ — with their belongings, retinue
3.39.14
svāminā pratikūlena prajās tīkṣṇena rāvaṇa
rakṣyamāṇā na vardhante meṣā gomāyunā yathā
Guarded by a perverse and harsh master, Rāvaṇa, subjects do not thrive, like sheep guarded by a jackal.
Words: svāminā — by a master; pratikūlena — perverse; prajās — subjects; tīkṣṇena — harsh; rāvaṇa — O Rāvaṇa; rakṣyamāṇā — being guarded; na vardhante — do not thrive; meṣā — sheep; gomāyunā — by a jackal; yathā — as
3.39.15
avaśyaṃ vinaśiṣyanti sarve rāvaṇarākṣasāḥ
yeṣāṃ tvaṃ karkaśo rājā durbuddhir ajitendriyaḥ
Assuredly all the rākṣasas of Rāvaṇa will perish—those whose king you are, harsh, of evil mind, and with unsubdued senses.
Words: avaśyaṃ — assuredly; vinaśiṣyanti — will perish; sarve — all; rāvaṇarākṣasāḥ — the rākṣasas of Rāvaṇa; yeṣāṃ — of whom; tvaṃ — you; karkaśo — harsh; rājā — king; durbuddhir — of evil mind; ajitendriyaḥ — with unsubdued senses
3.39.16
tad idaṃ kākatālīyaṃ ghoram āsāditaṃ tvayā
atra kiṃ śobhanaṃ yat tvaṃ sasainyo vinaśiṣyasi
This terrible disaster, come by mere chance, you have brought upon yourself; what good is there in this—that you, together with your army, shall perish?
Words: tad idaṃ — this; kākatālīyaṃ — a chance coincidence (the crow and the palm-fruit); ghoram — terrible; āsāditaṃ — encountered, come upon; tvayā — by you; atra — in this; kiṃ śobhanaṃ — what good; yat — that; tvaṃ — you; sasainyo — with your army; vinaśiṣyasi — will perish
3.39.17
māṃ nihatya tu rāmo 'sau nacirāt tvāṃ vadhiṣyati
anena kṛtakṛtyo 'smi mriye yad ariṇā hataḥ
When that Rāma has slain me, he will before long slay you too; by this at least I am fulfilled—that I die slain by an enemy.
Words: māṃ nihatya — having slain me; tu — but; rāmo 'sau — that Rāma; nacirāt — before long; tvāṃ — you; vadhiṣyati — will slay; anena — by this; kṛtakṛtyo 'smi — I am fulfilled, have gained my end; mriye — I die; yad — in that; ariṇā — by an enemy; hataḥ — slain
3.39.18
darśanād eva rāmasya hataṃ mām upadhāraya
ātmānaṃ ca hataṃ viddhi hṛtvā sītāṃ sabāndhavam
Regard me as slain at the very sight of Rāma; and once you have carried off Sītā, know yourself, with your kinsmen, as slain.
Words: darśanād eva — at the very sight; rāmasya — of Rāma; hataṃ — slain; mām — me; upadhāraya — regard, consider; ātmānaṃ ca — and yourself; hataṃ — slain; viddhi — know; hṛtvā sītāṃ — having carried off Sītā; sabāndhavam — together with your kinsmen
3.39.19
ānayiṣyāmi cet sītām āśramāt sahito mayā
naiva tvam asi naivāhaṃ naiva laṅkā na rākṣasāḥ
If I shall bring Sītā from the hermitage together with you, then neither will you exist, nor I, nor Laṅkā, nor the rākṣasas.
Words: ānayiṣyāmi cet — if I shall bring; sītām — Sītā; āśramāt — from the hermitage; sahito mayā — together with me; naiva tvam asi — neither will you be; naivāhaṃ — nor I; naiva laṅkā — nor Laṅkā; na rākṣasāḥ — nor the rākṣasas
3.39.20
nivāryamāṇas tu mayā hitaiṣiṇā na mṛṣyase vākyam idaṃ niśācara
paretakalpā hi gatāyuṣo narā hitaṃ na gṛhṇanti suhṛdbhir īritam
Though restrained by me who wish you well, you will not brook this word, O night-ranger; for men whose life is spent, all but dead, do not heed the good counsel urged by their friends.
Words: nivāryamāṇas — being restrained; tu — but; mayā — by me; hitaiṣiṇā — who wishes (your) welfare; na mṛṣyase — you do not brook, tolerate; vākyam idaṃ — this word; niśācara — O night-ranger; paretakalpā — all but dead, like corpses; hi — for; gatāyuṣo — whose life is gone; narā — men; hitaṃ — the good (counsel); na gṛhṇanti — do not accept; suhṛdbhir — by friends; īritam — uttered, urged
← 3.38 Rāvaṇa compels Mārīca · Araṇya Kāṇḍa · 3.40 The golden deer appears →
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. 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/3/39.md · JSON: /data/3/39.json