# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 34 — Rāvaṇa’s abduction plan *Mārīca must become a golden deer to lure the brothers away, leaving Sītā unguarded and Rāma vulnerable to grief* Portion: The abduction plan and Mārīca’s warnings · Verses: 22 · Ref format: 3.34. ## Sequence - Rāvaṇa tells Mārīca that he needs his help (34.1) - he describes the Janasthāna force, admitting that it lived there under his orders and harassed the munis (34.2–6) - he recounts Rāma's destruction of the fourteen thousand and their leaders (34.7–9) - he then portrays Rāma as a vicious, disgraced exile and claims that Śūrpaṇakhā was mutilated without provocation (34.10–12) - he announces his intention to abduct Sītā and flatters Mārīca's power as the help he needs (34.13–16) - Mārīca must become a golden deer with silver spots and appear before Sītā (34.17) - Rāvaṇa expects her to ask the brothers to catch it, leaving the hut unguarded → he plans to abduct her in their absence and later kill Rāma when grief has weakened him (34.18–20) - hearing Rāma's name and this proposal terrifies Mārīca, who prepares to give unwelcome but protective advice (34.21–22). ## Verses **3.34.1** mārīca śrūyatāṃ tāta vacanaṃ mama bhāṣataḥ ārto 'smi mama cārtasya bhavān hi paramā gatiḥ Mārīca, my dear, let my words be heard as I speak; I am in distress, and for me in my distress you are the supreme resort. **3.34.2** jānīṣe tvaṃ janasthānaṃ bhrātā yatra kharo mama dūṣaṇaś ca mahābāhuḥ svasā śūrpaṇakhā ca me You know Janasthāna, where my brother Khara lived, and mighty-armed Dūṣaṇa, and my sister Śūrpaṇakhā, **3.34.3** triśirāś ca mahātejā rākṣasaḥ piśitāśanaḥ anye ca bahavaḥ śūrā labdhalakṣā niśācarāḥ and Triśiras of great splendour, a flesh-eating rākṣasa, and many other heroic night-rangers, sure of their aim, **3.34.4** vasanti manniyogena adhivāsaṃ ca rākṣasaḥ bādhamānā mahāraṇye munīn ye dharmacāriṇaḥ By my command those rākṣasas dwell there, holding their abode in the great forest and harassing the sages who walk in the way of dharma. **3.34.5** caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rakṣasāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām śūrāṇāṃ labdhalakṣāṇāṃ kharacittānuvartinām Fourteen thousand rākṣasas of terrible deeds—heroes, sure of aim, following the will of Khara— **3.34.6** te tv idānīṃ janasthāne vasamānā mahābalāḥ saṃgatāḥ param āyattā rāmeṇa saha saṃyuge those mighty ones, now dwelling in Janasthāna, joined battle with Rāma, fully bent (on the fight). **3.34.7** tena saṃjātaroṣeṇa rāmeṇa raṇamūrdhani anuktvā paruṣaṃ kiṃ cic charair vyāpāritaṃ dhanuḥ By that Rāma, roused to fury at the head of the battle, without uttering a single harsh word, the bow was set to work with arrows. **3.34.8** caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rakṣasāṃ bhīmakarmaṇām nihatāni śarais tīkṣṇair mānuṣeṇa padātinā Fourteen thousand rākṣasas of terrible deeds were slain with sharp arrows by a single man on foot. **3.34.9** kharaś ca nihataḥ saṃkhye dūṣaṇaś ca nipātitaḥ hatvā triśirasaṃ cāpi nirbhayā daṇḍakāḥ kṛtāḥ And Khara was slain in battle and Dūṣaṇa struck down; and having killed Triśiras too, he made the Daṇḍaka forests free from fear. **3.34.10** pitrā nirastaḥ kruddhena sabhāryaḥ kṣīṇajīvitaḥ sa hantā tasya sainyasya rāmaḥ kṣatriyapāṃsanaḥ Banished by his angry father, together with his wife, his fortunes ruined—that Rāma, a disgrace to the kṣatriyas, is the slayer of that army. **3.34.11** aśīlaḥ karkaśas tīkṣṇo mūrkho lubdho 'jitendriyaḥ tyaktadharmas tv adharmātmā bhūtānām ahite rataḥ Ill-natured, harsh, cruel, foolish, greedy, with senses unsubdued, having abandoned dharma, unrighteous of soul, delighting in the harm of creatures— **3.34.12** yena vairaṃ vināraṇye sattvam āśritya kevalam karṇanāsāpahāreṇa bhaginī me virūpitā by whom, without cause for enmity, in the forest, relying merely on brute force, my sister was disfigured by the cutting off of her ears and nose. **3.34.13** tasya bhāryāṃ janasthānāt sītāṃ surasutopamām ānayiṣyāmi vikramya sahāyas tatra me bhava I shall carry off by force his wife Sītā, like a daughter of the gods, from Janasthāna—be my helper in this. **3.34.14** tvayā hy ahaṃ sahāyena pārśvasthena mahābala bhrātṛbhiś ca surān yuddhe samagrān nābhicintaye For with you as my helper at my side, O mighty one, and with my brothers, I would give no thought to all the gods together in battle. **3.34.15** tat sahāyo bhava tvaṃ me samartho hy asi rākṣasa vīrye yuddhe ca darpe ca na hy asti sadṛśas tava So be my helper, for you are able, O rākṣasa; in valour, in battle, and in pride there is none equal to you. **3.34.16** etadartham ahaṃ prāptas tvatsamīpaṃ niśācara śṛṇu tat karma sāhāyye yat kāryaṃ vacanān mama For this purpose I have come to you, O night-ranger; hear what deed of assistance is to be done at my word. **3.34.17** sauvarṇas tvaṃ mṛgo bhūtvā citro rajatabindubhiḥ āśrame tasya rāmasya sītāyāḥ pramukhe cara Becoming a golden deer, dappled with silver spots, roam within the sight of Sītā at the hermitage of that Rāma. **3.34.18** tvāṃ tu niḥsaṃśayaṃ sītā dṛṣṭvā tu mṛgarūpiṇam gṛhyatām iti bhartāraṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ cābhidhāsyati Without doubt, on seeing you in the form of a deer, Sītā will say to her husband and to Lakṣmaṇa, 'Let it be caught!' **3.34.19** tatas tayor apāye tu śūnye sītāṃ yathāsukham nirābādho hariṣyāmi rāhuś candraprabhām iva Then, in the absence of those two, when the place is empty, I shall carry off Sītā at my ease, unhindered, as Rāhu seizes the radiance of the moon. **3.34.20** tataḥ paścāt sukhaṃ rāme bhāryāharaṇakarśite visrabdhaṃ prahariṣyāmi kṛtārthenāntarātmanā Then afterwards, when Rāma is worn down by the carrying-off of his wife, I shall strike him at ease and with confidence, my inmost self content. **3.34.21** tasya rāmakathāṃ śrutvā mārīcasya mahātmanaḥ śuṣkaṃ samabhavad vaktraṃ paritrasto babhūva ca On hearing that talk about Rāma, the mouth of the great-souled Mārīca went dry, and he was seized with terror. **3.34.22** sa rāvaṇaṃ trastaviṣaṇṇacetā mahāvane rāmaparākramajñaḥ kṛtāñjalis tattvam uvāca vākyaṃ hitaṃ ca tasmai hitam ātmanaś ca He, his mind stricken with fear and dejection, knowing Rāma's prowess in the great forest, with palms joined spoke to Rāvaṇa true words—words salutary both to Rāvaṇa and to himself.