# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 36 — Mārīca’s story of his first defeat *He recalls attacking Viśvāmitra’s sacrifice and being hurled a hundred yojanas into the sea by the young Rāma’s arrow* Portion: The abduction plan and Mārīca’s warnings · Verses: 28 · Ref format: 3.36. ## Sequence - Mārīca recounts his former life as a powerful, arrogant killer of forest ṛṣis (36.1–2) - because of the threat he posed to Viśvāmitra's sacrifice, the muni went to Daśaratha and asked for Rāma's protection (36.3–4) - Daśaratha objected that Rāma was not yet sixteen and inexperienced, offering to come with his army instead (36.5–6) - Viśvāmitra insisted that Rāma alone was capable and took him to the hermitage (36.7–9) - the youthful Rāma stood guard over the sacrifice (36.10–12) - Mārīca approached armed and dismissed him as a mere boy, rushing toward the altar (36.13–15) - Rāma's arrow hurled him a hundred yojanas into the sea → after eventually recovering consciousness, Mārīca made his way to Laṅkā; other attackers had been killed (36.16–18) - he warns that Rāvaṇa's proposed war will likewise destroy the rākṣasas, including innocent people caught up in their ruler's wrongdoing (36.19–24) - he predicts a burning Laṅkā surrounded by arrows and urges Rāvaṇa to remain content with his own wives → abducting Sītā will bring death to him and his relatives (36.25–28). ## Verses **3.36.1** kadā cid apy ahaṃ vīryāt paryaṭan pṛthivīm imām balaṃ nāgasahasrasya dhārayan parvatopamaḥ Once, in my might, roaming this earth, bearing the strength of a thousand elephants, like a mountain, **3.36.2** nīlajīmūtasaṃkāśas taptakāñcanakuṇḍalaḥ bhayaṃ lokasya janayan kirīṭī parighāyudhaḥ vyacaraṃ daṇḍakāraṇyam ṛṣimāṃsāni bhakṣayan resembling a dark thundercloud, with earrings of refined gold, crowned and armed with an iron bludgeon, striking terror into the world, I roamed the Daṇḍaka forest, devouring the flesh of sages. **3.36.3** viśvāmitro 'tha dharmātmā madvitrasto mahāmuniḥ svayaṃ gatvā daśarathaṃ narendram idam abravīt Then the righteous great sage Viśvāmitra, terrified of me, went in person to King Daśaratha and said this: **3.36.4** ayaṃ rakṣatu māṃ rāmaḥ parvakāle samāhitaḥ mārīcān me bhayaṃ ghoraṃ samutpannaṃ nareśvara 'Let this Rāma, attentive, protect me at the time of the sacrifice; a terrible fear of Mārīca has arisen in me, O lord of men.' **3.36.5** ity evam ukto dharmātmā rājā daśarathas tadā pratyuvāca mahābhāgaṃ viśvāmitraṃ mahāmunim Thus addressed, the righteous King Daśaratha then replied to the greatly blessed great sage Viśvāmitra: **3.36.6** ūna ṣoḍaśa varṣo 'yam akṛtāstraś ca rāghavaḥ kāmaṃ tu mama yat sainyaṃ mayā saha gamiṣyati badhiṣyāmi muniśreṣṭha śatruṃ tava yathepsitam 'This Rāghava is not yet sixteen years old and untrained in arms; but if you wish, the army that is mine shall go with me, and I will slay your enemy as you desire, O best of sages.' **3.36.7** ity evam uktaḥ sa munī rājānaṃ punar abravīt rāmān nānyad balaṃ loke paryāptaṃ tasya rakṣasaḥ Thus addressed, the sage spoke to the king again: 'No power in the world other than Rāma is a match for that rākṣasa.' **3.36.8** bālo 'py eṣa mahātejāḥ samarthas tasya nigrahe gamiṣye rāmam ādāya svasti te 'stu paraṃtapaḥ 'Though a boy, this one of great splendour is able to subdue him; I shall go, taking Rāma. May it be well with you, O scorcher of foes.' **3.36.9** ity evam uktvā sa munis tam ādāya nṛpātmajam jagāma paramaprīto viśvāmitraḥ svam āśramam Having spoken thus, the sage Viśvāmitra, greatly pleased, took that king's son and went to his own hermitage. **3.36.10** taṃ tadā daṇḍakāraṇye yajñam uddiśya dīkṣitam babhūvāvasthito rāmaś citraṃ visphārayan dhanuḥ Then, in the Daṇḍaka forest, Rāma stood guard over him (the sage) consecrated for the sacrifice, twanging his wondrous bow. **3.36.11** ajātavyañjanaḥ śrīmān bālaḥ śyāmaḥ śubhekṣaṇaḥ ekavastradharo dhanvī śikhī kanakamālayā Glorious, still beardless, a boy, dark-hued, with lovely eyes, wearing a single garment, an archer, with a topknot and a golden chain, **3.36.12** śobhayan daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ dīptena svena tejasā adṛśyata tadā rāmo bālacandra ivoditaḥ illumining the Daṇḍaka forest with his own blazing splendour, Rāma then appeared like the risen young moon. **3.36.13** tato 'haṃ meghasaṃkāśas taptakāñcanakuṇḍalaḥ balī dattavaro darpād ājagāma tadāśramam Then I, resembling a cloud, with earrings of refined gold, mighty and granted a boon, came in my arrogance to that hermitage. **3.36.14** tena dṛṣṭaḥ praviṣṭo 'haṃ sahasaivodyatāyudhaḥ māṃ tu dṛṣṭvā dhanuḥ sajyam asaṃbhrāntaś cakāra ha Seen by him as I entered, suddenly with weapon upraised—but on seeing me, unshaken, he strung his bow. **3.36.15** avajānann ahaṃ mohād bālo 'yam iti rāghavam viśvāmitrasya tāṃ vedim adhyadhāvaṃ kṛtatvaraḥ Despising Rāghava out of folly, thinking 'This is a mere boy,' I rushed in haste towards that altar of Viśvāmitra. **3.36.16** tena muktas tato bāṇaḥ śitaḥ śatrunibarhaṇaḥ tenāhaṃ tāḍitaḥ kṣiptaḥ samudre śatayojane Then a sharp, foe-crushing arrow was loosed by him; struck by it, I was flung into the sea, a hundred yojanas away. **3.36.17** rāmasya śaravegena nirasto bhrāntacetanaḥ pātito 'haṃ tadā tena gambhīre sāgarāmbhasi prāpya saṃjñāṃ cirāt tāta laṅkāṃ prati gataḥ purīm Cast away by the force of Rāma's arrow, my senses reeling, I was then hurled by him into the deep waters of the ocean; regaining consciousness after a long time, my dear, I made my way to the city of Laṅkā. **3.36.18** evam asmi tadā muktaḥ sahāyās te nipātitāḥ akṛtāstreṇa rāmeṇa bālenākliṣṭakarmaṇā Thus was I then let off; but your companions were struck down by Rāma—a boy, untrained in arms, of untiring deeds. **3.36.19** tan mayā vāryamāṇas tvaṃ yadi rāmeṇa vigraham kariṣyasy āpadaṃ ghorāṃ kṣipraṃ prāpya naśiṣyasi Therefore, though restrained by me, if you make war with Rāma, you will swiftly meet with terrible calamity and perish. **3.36.20** krīḍā ratividhijñānāṃ samājotsavaśālinām rakṣasāṃ caiva saṃtāpam anarthaṃ cāhariṣyasi And you will bring grief and ruin upon the rākṣasas—those versed in the ways of sport and love, who delight in assemblies and festivals. **3.36.21** harmyaprāsādasaṃbādhāṃ nānāratnavibhūuṣitām drakṣyasi tvaṃ purīṃ laṅkāṃ vinaṣṭāṃ maithilīkṛte You will see the city of Laṅkā—crowded with mansions and palaces, adorned with jewels of every kind—brought to ruin for the sake of Maithilī. **3.36.22** akurvanto 'pi pāpāni śucayaḥ pāpasaṃśrayāt parapāpair vinaśyanti matsyā nāgahrade yathā Even the innocent, who do no wrong, perish through consorting with the wicked, by the sins of others—like the fish in the serpent's pool. **3.36.23** divyacandanadigdhāṅgān divyābharaṇabhūṣitān drakṣyasy abhihatān bhūmau tava doṣāt tu rākṣasān You will see the rākṣasas—their limbs smeared with divine sandal-paste, adorned with heavenly ornaments—struck down upon the ground through your fault. **3.36.24** hṛtadārān sadārāṃś ca daśavidravato diśaḥ hataśeṣān aśaraṇān drakṣyasi tvaṃ niśācarān You will see the night-rangers—some robbed of their wives, some with their wives—fleeing in all ten directions, the survivors of the slaughter, helpless. **3.36.25** śarajālaparikṣiptām agnijvālāsamāvṛtām pradagdhabhavanāṃ laṅkāṃ drakṣyasi tvam asaṃśayam Without doubt you will see Laṅkā encircled by a net of arrows, wrapped in flames of fire, its houses burnt down. **3.36.26** pramadānāṃ sahasrāṇi tava rājan parigrahaḥ bhava svadāranirataḥ svakulaṃ rakṣarākṣasa Thousands of women, O king, are your possession; be content with your own wives, and protect your own house, O rākṣasa. **3.36.27** mānaṃ vṛddhiṃ ca rājyaṃ ca jīvitaṃ ceṣṭam iātmanaḥ yadīcchasi ciraṃ bhoktuṃ mā kṛthā rāma vipriyam If you wish long to enjoy honour, prosperity, kingship, and your own dear life, do not do what is displeasing to Rāma. **3.36.28** nivāryamāṇaḥ suhṛdā mayā bhṛśaṃ prasahya sītāṃ yadi dharṣayiṣyasi gamiṣyasi kṣīṇabalaḥ sabāndhavo yamakṣayaṃ rāmaśarāttajīvitaḥ Though earnestly restrained by me, your well-wisher, if you violently assault Sītā, you will go—your strength drained, with your kinsmen—to the abode of Yama, your life seized by Rāma's arrows.