# Araṇya Kāṇḍa 42 — Mārīca’s false cry *Mortally wounded, he calls in Rāma’s voice, Rāma fears for Sītā and takes another deer’s meat before hurrying back* Portion: The golden deer separates Rāma and Sītā · Verses: 21 · Ref format: 3.42. ## Sequence - Rāma equips himself with sword, bow, and quivers and follows (42.1–2) - the deer repeatedly appears and disappears, stays just beyond arrow range, and draws him farther into the forest (42.3–7) - frustrated and angry, Rāma watches it pause on a shaded patch of grass among other deer (42.8–9) - he resolves to kill it and shoots a blazing arrow described as fashioned through Brahmā's weapon-craft (42.10–11) - the arrow pierces Mārīca's heart → he leaps into the air and falls, mortally wounded (42.12–13) - at the crucial moment he imitates Rāma's voice, crying out to Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa (42.14) - as he dies, he abandons the deer disguise and reveals his large rākṣasa body (42.15–16) - Rāma recognizes that Lakṣmaṇa's suspicion was correct and fears what the false cry may cause Sītā and his brother to do (42.17–20) - the account then says that Rāma kills another spotted deer, takes its meat, and hurries back toward Janasthāna (42.21). ## Verses **3.42.1** tathā tu taṃ samādiśya bhrātaraṃ raghunandanaḥ babandhāsiṃ mahātejā jāmbūnadamayatsarum Having thus instructed his brother, the joy of the Raghus, of great splendour, girded on his sword with a hilt of gold. **3.42.2** tatas triviṇataṃ cāpam ādāyātmavibhūṣaṇam ābadhya ca kalāpau dvau jagāmodagravikramaḥ Then, taking up his three-curved bow, his own adornment, and fastening on his two quivers, he set out with lofty stride. **3.42.3** taṃ vañcayāno rājendram āpatantaṃ nirīkṣya vai babhūvāntarhitas trāsāt punaḥ saṃdarśane 'bhavat Deceiving that lord of kings and seeing him coming on, the deer, out of (pretended) fright, would vanish, and then come into view again. **3.42.4** baddhāsir dhanur ādāya pradudrāva yato mṛgaḥ taṃ sa paśyati rūpeṇa dyotamānam ivāgrataḥ With his sword girded, taking his bow, he ran off in the direction the deer went; he saw it shining, as it were, in beauty before him. **3.42.5** avekṣyāvekṣya dhāvantaṃ dhanuṣpāṇir mahāvane ativṛttam iṣoḥ pātāl lobhayānaṃ kadā cana Looking again and again at it running in the great forest, bow in hand—it, having passed beyond the range of the arrow, luring him on now and then— **3.42.6** śaṅkitaṃ tu samudbhrāntam utpatantam ivāmbare daśyamānam adṛśyaṃ ca navoddeśeṣu keṣu cit now wary and startled, as if springing up into the sky, now seen and now unseen in some fresh spots— **3.42.7** chinnābhrair iva saṃvītaṃ śāradaṃ candramaṇḍalam muhūrtād eva dadṛśe muhur dūrāt prakāśate like the autumn moon-disc veiled by scattered clouds, it was seen only for a moment, and again shone forth from afar. **3.42.8** darśanādarśanenaiva so 'pākarṣata rāghavam āsīt kruddhas tu kākutstho vivaśas tena mohitaḥ By this appearing and disappearing, it drew Rāghava on; and Kākutstha grew angry, helpless, bewildered by it. **3.42.9** athāvatasthe suśrāntaś chāyām āśritya śādvale mṛgaiḥ parivṛto vanyair adūrāt pratyadṛśyata Then it halted, much wearied, taking shade on a grassy patch, and surrounded by wild deer, appeared not far off. **3.42.10** dṛṣṭvā rāmo mahātejās taṃ hantuṃ kṛtaniścayaḥ saṃdhāya sudṛḍhe cāpe vikṛṣya balavad balī Seeing it, Rāma of great splendour, resolved to kill it, fitted (an arrow) to his very firm bow, and, mighty, drew it with force, **3.42.11** tam eva mṛgam uddiśya jvalantam iva pannagam mumoca jvalitaṃ dīptam astrabrahmavinirmitam and aiming at that very deer, he loosed a blazing, flaming (arrow), like a fiery serpent, fashioned by Brahmā's weapon-craft. **3.42.12** sa bhṛśaṃ mṛgarūpasya vinirbhidya śarottamaḥ mārīcasyaiva hṛdayaṃ vibhedāśanisaṃnibhaḥ That best of arrows, like a thunderbolt, piercing deep into the deer-form, cleft the very heart of Mārīca. **3.42.13** tālamātram athotpatya nyapatat sa śarāturaḥ vyanadad bhairavaṃ nādaṃ dharaṇyām alpajīvitaḥ mriyamāṇas tu mārīco jahau tāṃ kṛtrimāṃ tanum Springing up the height of a palm-tree, tormented by the arrow, he fell; with little life left, he uttered a fearful cry upon the ground; and dying, Mārīca cast off that false body. **3.42.14** saṃprāptakālam ājñāya cakāra ca tataḥ svaram sadṛśaṃ rāghavasyaiva hā sīte lakṣmaṇeti ca Knowing that the fitting moment had come, he then uttered a cry just like Rāghava's: 'Ah Sītā! Ah Lakṣmaṇa!' **3.42.15** tena marmaṇi nirviddhaḥ śareṇānupamena hi mṛgarūpaṃ tu tat tyaktvā rākṣasaṃ rūpam ātmanaḥ cakre sa sumahākāyo mārīco jīvitaṃ tyajan Pierced to the vitals by that matchless arrow, casting off that deer-form, Mārīca of huge body assumed his own rākṣasa form, as he gave up his life. **3.42.16** tato vicitrakeyūraḥ sarvābharaṇabhūṣitaḥ hemamālī mahādaṃṣṭro rākṣaso 'bhūc charāhataḥ Then, wearing splendid armlets, decked with all his ornaments, garlanded with gold, with great tusks, the rākṣasa (lay), struck by the arrow. **3.42.17** taṃ dṛṣṭvā patitaṃ bhūmau rākṣasaṃ ghoradarśanam jagāma manasā sītāṃ lakṣmaṇasya vacaḥ smaran Seeing that rākṣasa, fearsome to look upon, fallen to the ground, he (Rāma) went in mind to Sītā, recalling Lakṣmaṇa's words. **3.42.18** hā sīte lakṣmaṇety evam ākruśya tu mahāsvaram mamāra rākṣasaḥ so 'yaṃ śrutvā sītā kathaṃ bhavet 'This rākṣasa died crying loudly, "Ah Sītā! Ah Lakṣmaṇa!"—hearing it, how will Sītā fare? **3.42.19** lakṣmaṇaś ca mahābāhuḥ kām avasthāṃ gamiṣyati iti saṃcintya dharmātmā rāmo hṛṣṭatanūruhaḥ and mighty-armed Lakṣmaṇa, to what state will he come?'—thus reflecting, the righteous Rāma, the hair of his body bristling, **3.42.20** tatra rāmaṃ bhayaṃ tīvram āviveśa viṣādajam rākṣasaṃ mṛgarūpaṃ taṃ hatvā śrutvā ca tat svaram There, having slain that rākṣasa in deer-form and heard that cry, a sharp fear born of dismay entered Rāma. **3.42.21** nihatya pṛṣataṃ cānyaṃ māṃsam ādāya rāghavaḥ tvaramāṇo janasthānaṃ sasārābhimukhas tadā Having killed another spotted deer and taken its flesh, Rāghava then, in haste, set off toward Janasthāna.