Chapter 36

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

VERSE 1

मारीच श्रूयताम् तात वचनम् मम भाषतः
आर्तो अस्मि मम च आर्तस्य भवान् हि परमा गतिः

mārīca śrūyatām tāta vacanam mama bhāṣataḥ
ārto asmi mama ca ārtasya bhavān hi paramā gatiḥ

SYNONYMS

tāta mārīca: oh, sire, Maareecha | bhāṣataḥ mama vacanam śrūyatām = as ī speak, my, sentence, listen: give attention | ārtasya mama: anguished one, for me | bhavān paramā gatiḥ hi: you are, ultimate, course, isn't it. |

TRANSLATION

"Give attention to my words as I speak, oh, sire, Maareecha, I am an anguished one, and when I am in such an anguish you are the ultimate course to me, isn't so." Thus Ravana started addressing Maareecha. [3-36-1]

VERSE 2

जानीषे त्वम् जनस्थाने भ्राता यत्र खरो मम
दूषणः च महाबाहुः स्वसा शूर्पणखा च मे

jānīṣe tvam janasthāne bhrātā yatra kharo mama
dūṣaṇaḥ ca mahābāhuḥ svasā śūrpaṇakhā ca me

SYNONYMS

, 3, 4| mama bhrātā kharaḥ: my, brother, Khara | mahābāhuḥ dūṣaṇaḥ ca: might armed, Duushana, even | svasā śūrpaṇakhā ca: sister, Shuurpanakha, even | mahātejā piśita aśanaḥ rākṣasaḥ triśirāḥ ca: highly fiery one, raw-flesh, devourer, demon, Trishira, also | śūrāḥ: braves ones | labdha lakṣāḥ = those vho obtained, target: those that can hit target without missing | anye bahavaḥ niśācarāḥ rākṣasaḥ: other, numerous, night-walkers, demons | mat niyogena: by me, assigned | mahā araṇye: in great-forest | dharma cāriṇaḥ munīn bādhamānā: righteousness, treaders in, sages, while torturing | janasthāne: in Janasthaana | [yathā: as to how] | adhivāsam vasanti: in residency, are residing | tvam jānīṣe: you are, aware of. |

TRANSLATION

"You are aware as to how my brother Khara, and the mighty armed Duushana, also my sister Shuurpanakha, and even the highly fiery demon and devourer of raw-flesh Trishira, and even numerous other night-walking demons who are cocksure of hitting their targets have made Janasthaana as their residency, and while residing there they put the sages of that great forest that tread a righteous path to torture, of course, all this as assigned by me. [3-36-2, 3, 4]

VERSE 5

चतुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसाम् भीम कर्मणाम्
शूराणाम् लब्ध लक्षाणाम् खर चित्त अनुवर्तिनाम्

caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rakṣasām bhīma karmaṇām
śūrāṇām labdha lakṣāṇām khara citta anuvartinām

SYNONYMS

bhīma karmaṇām: of fiendish, exploits | śūrāṇām: braving ones | labdha lakṣāṇām = attained, targets: marks-demons - or, the possessors, of qualities to pick up quarrels, troublemakers to sages | khara citta anuvartinām: Khara's, wishes, followers of | rakṣasām: of demons | caturdaśa sahasrāṇi: fourteen, thousand | [tvam jānīṣe: you are, aware of |

TRANSLATION

"You are equally aware of the stationing fourteen thousand braving demons in Janasthaana, who are the followers of the wish of Khara, who are with fiendish exploits, and who are the troublemakers to the sages of Dandaka forest or to the intruders therein, aren't you. [3-36-5]

VERSE 6

संगताः परम आयत्ता रामेण सह संयुगे

saṃgatāḥ parama āyattā rāmeṇa saha saṃyuge

SYNONYMS

, 7a| janasthāne vasamānā: in Janasthaana, who are residing | mahābalāḥ: great-mighty ones | te tu: they, on their part | khara: Khara | pra mukha = verily, in front: that are lead by Khara - others | rākśasaḥ: demons | idānīm = nov: recently | parama āyattāḥ = inordinately, preparing: themselve | nānā śastra praharaṇāḥ = vith diverse, veapons, those veapons that assault: assault and battery | sanyuge: in combat | rāmeṇa saha: Rama, with | sangatāḥ = met: had an encounter with Rama. |

TRANSLATION

"But recently those great mighty demons that are the residents of Janasthaana, namely Khara and others, preparing themselves inordinately and wielding diverse weapons and assaulters, for their part had an encounter with Rama in a combat. [3-36-6, 7a]

PURPORT

This episode is narrated in chapter 33, i.e., the episode of Akampana, but there is a difference in the way of Ravana's narration at this place than the previous one. This is another point to discuss whether Akampana's episode is an original work or an interpolation.
VERSE 7

तेन संजात रोषेण रामेण रण मूर्धनि

tena saṃjāta roṣeṇa rāmeṇa raṇa mūrdhani

SYNONYMS

b, 8a| sam jāta roṣeṇa = vell emerged, rancour: rancour tiding in him | tena rāmeṇa: by him, by Rama | raṇa mūrdhani: in combat, vanguard of | paruṣam kimcit an uktvā: scathing remark, at the least, without, saying | dhanuḥ śaraiḥ vyāpāritam: bow, with arrows, brought into play. |

TRANSLATION

"With rancour tiding in him, and without making any scathing remark in the least, that Rama brought his bow into play with arrows in the van of the combat. [3-36-7b, 8a]

VERSE 8

चतुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसाम् उग्र तेजसाम्

caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rakṣasām ugra tejasām

SYNONYMS

b, 9a| padātinā: by a foot-soldier | mānuṣeṇa: by a human | ugra tejasām rakṣasām: flaring, fieriness, demons of | caturdaśa sahasrāṇi: fourteen, thousand | dīptaiḥ śaraiḥ ni hatāni: with fiery, arrows, completely wiped out. |

TRANSLATION

"But that foot-soldier, that too, a human, has completely wiped out those fourteen-thousand demons with flaring fieriness with his fierce arrows. [3-36-8b, 9a]

VERSE 9

खरः च निहतः संख्ये दूषणः च निपातितः

kharaḥ ca nihataḥ saṃkhye dūṣaṇaḥ ca nipātitaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 10a| sankhye: in war | kharaḥ ca nihataḥ: Khara, also, is hewed down | dūṣaṇaḥ ca nipātitaḥ: Duushana, also, is mowed down | triśirasam ca api: Trishira, also, even | hatvā: on hacking down | daṇḍakāḥ: Dandaka forest | nir bhayā = frī, from fear: of demons | kṛtāḥ: is made. |

TRANSLATION

"Khara is hewed down, Duushana is mowed down, and even Trishira is hacked down, thereof that Dandaka forest is rendered free from the fear of demons. [3-36-9b, 10a]

VERSE 10

पित्रा निरस्तः क्रुद्धेन स भार्यः क्षीण जीवितः

pitrā nirastaḥ kruddhena sa bhāryaḥ kṣīṇa jīvitaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 11a| kruddhena pitrā: by infuriated, father | sa bhāryaḥ: with, wife | nir astaḥ = vithout, fūthold: put to flight - exiled | kṣīṇa jīvitaḥ = diminiśed, lifespan: of that Rama | kṣatriya pāmsanaḥ: among Kshatriya-s, an ignoble one | tasya sainyasya hantā: of that, [demonic-] army, he is the slaughterer of my demonic army. |

TRANSLATION

"He who is put to flight by his infuriated father, and who came to Dandaka forest along with his wife, that ignoble Kshatriya is the slaughterer of that demonic army of mine, as his lifespan is diminished. [3-36-10b, 11a]

VERSE 11

अशीलः कर्कशः तीक्ष्णो मूर्खो लुब्धो अजित इन्द्रियः

aśīlaḥ karkaśaḥ tīkṣṇo mūrkho lubdho ajita indriyaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 12a| a śīlaḥ = vithout, caracter: out of character | karkaśaḥ: brutal | tīkṣṇaḥ: firestorm | mūrkhaḥ: senseless | lubdhaḥ: selfish | a jita indriyaḥ: un, conquered, senses | tyakta dharmaḥ: who discarded, righteousness | a dharma ātmā: un, righteous, souled one | bhūtānām: of all beings | a hite rataḥ: in dis, service, delights in. |

TRANSLATION

"He is out of character, brutal, firestorm, senseless, selfish, one with his senses unconquered and righteousness discarded, and he is an unrighteous soul just delighting in the disservice of all beings. [3-36-11b, 12a]

PURPORT

kruddhaa pitraa nirastaH kim? 'is he necked out by his angry father?' No. To please Kaikeyi and the boon given to her by his father, Rama is unhoused. sa bhaarya= sabhaa aaryaH 'in assemblages, venerable one.' Rama is one with high esteem. kshiiNa jiivitaH kim? 'is his lifespan diminishing? No. He is eternal. kshatriya paamsana= kshatriyaan paati iti kshatriyaH paH 'because he protects Kshatriya-s he is a noble Kshatriya, and sa ca asau a.msanaH ca, amsana aaghaate 'enemy destroyer,' destroyer of enemies of Kshatriya-s. karkashaH 'brutal' to enemies, not to adherents, therefore he is: a muurkhaH, a lubdhaH: he s not senseless, not selfish. a dharma aatmaa kim? No, he is not an unrighteous person. And bhuutaanaam a hite a rataH, 'for beings, in disservice, not, delights': he does not delight in the disservice of all created beings.' Thus, he is Supreme Person. But Rama Tilaka, on the other hand refutes this derivation stating that Ravana is not an out and out devotee of Rama, and these many adhyaadhaara -s 'ellipses' need not be brought in to justify mythological import to Ramayana. There is a section of pundits that argue Ramayana precedes 18 puraaNaa-s the 18 mythological treatises, and they refuse to believe that Ravana is NOT a devotee of Rama. In anyway, the innuendo incorporated in certain verses has given rise to diverse commentaries, but the unity of Ramayana is kept up, either by Shaivaites or Vaishnavaite or other sects of Hindu thinking.
VERSE 12

येन वैरम् विना अरण्ये सत्त्वम् आश्रित्य केवलम्

yena vairam vinā araṇye sattvam āśritya kevalam

SYNONYMS

b, 13, 14a| yena: by whom | vairam vinā: enmity, without | kevalam sattvam āśritya: just, strength, depending upon | karṇa nāsa apahāreṇa: ears, nose, due to stripping off | me bhaginī virūpitā: my, sister, is disfigured | tasya: such a Rama's | bhāryām: wife is to be | sura suta upamām = celestials, daughter, similar to: nymph like - nymphean Seetha | sītām: Seetha | vikramya: holding sway | janasthānāt: from Janasthaana | ānayiṣyāmi = lead her in: inveigle her | tatra: in that matter | araṇye: in forest | me sahāyaḥ bhava: to me, as aide, you shall be. |

TRANSLATION

"By whom my sister is disfigured stripping off her nose and ears, that too, without any enmity but just depending upon his own brawn, I would like to inveigle such a man's nymphean wife Seetha holding sway on her in Janasthaana, and in that matter I want you to be my aide in Dandaka forest. [3-36-12b, 13, 14a]

VERSE 14

त्वया हि अहम् सहायेन पार्श्वस्थेन महाबल

tvayā hi aham sahāyena pārśvasthena mahābala

SYNONYMS

b| mahābala = oh, highly poverful one: Maareecha | sahāyena: as associate | pārśvasthena: having at my side | tvayā: with you | bhrātṛbhiḥ ca: with my brothers, also | yuddhe: in war | samagrān surān: all of the, gods | aham na: I, do not | abhi cintaye = tovards [them,] ī think: I don't care them | hi: indeed | rākṣasa: oh, demon Maareecha | [tat: therefore] | tvam me sahāyaḥ bhava: you, to me, aide, you become | samarthaḥ asi hi = capable [to render aid,] you are, indīd: in this venture of abducting Seetha. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, highly powerful Maareecha, with you and with my brothers standing by my side as my associates, I indeed care a damn for all of the gods if they are going to wage a war against me, therefore, oh, demon Maareecha, as you are capable of rendering aid you should indeed become my aide in this venture. [3-36-14b, 15]

VERSE 16

वीर्ये युद्धे च दर्पे च न हि अस्ति सदृशः तव
उपायतो महान् शूरो महा माय विशारदः

vīrye yuddhe ca darpe ca na hi asti sadṛśaḥ tava
upāyato mahān śūro mahā māya viśāradaḥ

SYNONYMS

vīrye: in valour | yuddhe ca: in war, even | darpe ca: in verve, also | tava sadṛśaḥ na asti hi: to you, similar one, not, is there, indeed | upāyataḥ [upāyajñaḥ]: = by trickery [by ideation] | mahān śūraḥ: tomost, stalwart | mahā māya viśāradaḥ: matchless, illusive-tricks, expert. |

TRANSLATION

"In valour, war and verve there is none similar to you, you are a topmost stalwart in trickery, and a matchless expert in illusive-tricks. [3-36-16]

VERSE 17

एतत् अर्थम् अहम् प्राप्तः त्वत् समीपम् निशाचर
शृणु तत् कर्म साहाय्ये यत् कार्यम् वचनात् मम

etat artham aham prāptaḥ tvat samīpam niśācara
śṛṇu tat karma sāhāyye yat kāryam vacanāt mama

SYNONYMS

niśācara: oh, nightwalker | etat artham: for that, reason | aham tvat samīpam prāptaḥ = ī have, to your, near: nigh, come | sāhāyye: in the course of helping | yat kāryam: which, is to be done | tat karma: that, deed | mama vacanāt = by my, vord: as I tell you, detail you | śṛṇu: you listen. |

TRANSLATION

"I have come nigh of you only for that reason, oh, nightwalker, and listen to that deed which you have to do in the course of helping me as I detail you. [3-36-17]

VERSE 18

सौवर्णः त्वम् मृगो भूत्वा चित्रो रजत बिन्दुभिः
आश्रमे तस्य रामस्य सीतायाः प्रमुखे चर

sauvarṇaḥ tvam mṛgo bhūtvā citro rajata bindubhiḥ
āśrame tasya rāmasya sītāyāḥ pramukhe cara

SYNONYMS

tvam: you | rajata bindubhiḥ: with silver, dots | citraḥ: astounding | sauvarṇaḥ mṛgaḥ bhūtvā: golden, you, deer, on becoming | tasya rāmasya āśrame: his, of Rama, in hermitage | sītāyāḥ pramukhe cara = ṣītha's, before,: in front of, you move. |

TRANSLATION

"On becoming an astounding golden deer with silver dots, you move in front of Seetha in the hermitage of that Rama. [3-36-18]

VERSE 19

त्वाम् तु निःसंशयम् सीता दृष्ट्वा तु मृग रूपिणम्
गृह्यताम् इति भर्तारम् लक्ष्मणम् च अभिधास्यति

tvām tu niḥsaṃśayam sītā dṛṣṭvā tu mṛga rūpiṇam
gṛhyatām iti bhartāram lakṣmaṇam ca abhidhāsyati

SYNONYMS

sītā: Seetha | mṛga rūpiṇam: in deer, shape | tvām dṛṣṭvā: you, on seeing | gṛhyatām: lay hold of | iti bhartāram lakṣmaṇam ca: thus, to husband, to Lakshmana, also | niḥ samśayam: without, doubt | abhi dhāsyati: forthwith bids. |

TRANSLATION

"On seeing you in the shape of a deer, Seetha undoubtedly bids her husband forthwith, and even Lakshmana, saying, 'lay hold of it.' [3-36-19]

VERSE 20

ततः तयोः अपाये तु शून्ये सीताम् यथा सुखम्
निराबाधो हरिष्यामि राहुः चन्द्र प्रभाम् इव

tataḥ tayoḥ apāye tu śūnye sītām yathā sukham
nirābādho hariṣyāmi rāhuḥ candra prabhām iva

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | tayoḥ = of those tvo: Rama, Lakshmana | apa āye = side, tracked: diverted | śūnye [pradeśe]: in lonely [place] | yathā sukham: as, comfortably | nir ābādhaḥ: without, being impeded | sītām: Seetha will be | rāhuḥ candra prabhām iva: Rahu the planet, Moon's, shine, as with | hariṣyāmi: I wish to abduct |

TRANSLATION

"Then on the diversion of those two, Rama and Lakshmana, I will comfortably and unimpededly abduct Seetha in that lonely place, as planet Rahu abducts the shine of moon. [3-36-20]

VERSE 21

ततः पश्चात् सुखम् रामे भार्या आहरण कर्शिते
विस्रब्धम् प्रहरिष्यामि कृत अर्थेन अन्तर् आत्मना

tataḥ paścāt sukham rāme bhāryā āharaṇa karśite
visrabdham prahariṣyāmi kṛta arthena antar ātmanā

SYNONYMS

tataḥ paścāt: then, afterwards | bhāryā āharaṇa karśite: wife | by abduction, caught hold of: enervated | rāme = in ṟama: Rama will be | kṛta arthena antar ātmanā: fulfilled [gratified in the first instance,] volition, with an inner, soul | sukham visrabdham prahari ṣyāmi = conveniently, surely, ī viś to retaliate: Rama. |

TRANSLATION

"Thereafter Rama will be enervated by the abduction of his wife, and then surely and conveniently I wish to retaliate him if he is going to come up against me, for my inner-soul will be firstly gratified with its volition, namely possessing Seetha." Thus Ravana requested Maareecha. [3-36-21]

PURPORT

Maheshvara Tiirtha expresses this in terms of Ravana's devotion to Rama. raame bhaaryaa haraNa karSite: raama ibha 'Rama, the elephant...' aaryaa 'a venerable one, Seetha...' haraNa karSite 'by abduction, harmed by...' adhyadhaara: mat shariiram elliptical: 'my body...' tataH 'thereby, by virtue of my act of abducting...' kR^ita arthena antaraatmanaa upalakshitaH san 'on my soul-cherished desire becoming fulfilled to get salvation...' paschaat 'thereafter...' visrabdham 'impeccably...' sukham = moksha, salvation, highest bliss...' prahariSyaami: prakarSeNa hariSyaami 'evidently I snatch off that bliss...' "When I abduct that venerable Seetha, the wife of Elephant like Rama, my body gets harmed like an eclipsed moon, but my soul gets fulfilled as I desire eternal salvation, and I can get it evidently and impeccably at the hand of Rama, owing to the ill-virtue of my abduction of Seetha. The eclipsing planet Rahu may hide moon temporarily by which the world looses moonshine for a while. If Ravana temporarily hides Seetha, as Rahu hides the moon, Rama, who metaphors with the three worlds, may be in gloom temporarily. But neither Rahu nor Ravana are illuminated or enlightened with the presence of the moonbeams of Seetha, alias Goddess Lakshmi, for they tried to seize that all-illuminating Moon/Seetha by force.
VERSE 22

तस्य राम कथाम् श्रुत्वा मारीचस्य महात्मनः
शुष्कम् समभवत् वक्त्रम् परित्रस्तो बभूव च

tasya rāma kathām śrutvā mārīcasya mahātmanaḥ
śuṣkam samabhavat vaktram paritrasto babhūva ca

SYNONYMS

rāma kathām = ṟama's, story: very word, mention of Rama | śrutvā: on listening | mahātmanaḥ tasya mārīcasya: honest-souled one, his, of Maareecha | vaktram: mouth | śuṣkam: dried up | sam abhavat: completely, became | pari trastaḥ babhūva ca: fully, frightened, he became, even. |

TRANSLATION

On listening the very word of Rama that honest-souled Maareecha's mouth is completely dried up, and he is fully frightened. [3-36-22]

VERSE 23

ओष्टौ परिलिहन् शुष्कौ नेत्रैः अनिमिषैः इव
मृत भूत इव आर्तः तु रावणम् समुत् ईक्षतः

oṣṭau parilihan śuṣkau netraiḥ animiṣaiḥ iva
mṛta bhūta iva ārtaḥ tu rāvaṇam samut īkṣataḥ

SYNONYMS

śuṣkau oṣṭau: dried up, lips | pari lihan: over, licking -Maareecha wetting with tongue | a nimiṣaiḥ iva = vithout, vink, as if: he started goggling | netraiḥ = vith eyes: looks | mṛta bhūta iva = lifeless, being, as if: wide-eyed like an about-to-die-animal | ārtaḥ tu: agonised, on his part | rāvaṇam: at Ravana | samudaikśata [sam ut īkśataḥ: well, up, looked] = looked up, with raised and searching eyes. |

TRANSLATION

Wetting dried up lips with his tongue he has become goggle-eyed almost like an about-to-die animal, and he agonisingly looked up at Ravana with winkless eyes. [3-36-23]

PURPORT

At the very word 'Rama' Maareecha is shuddered. dashaanana samudiirita vacanam aakarNya raama shabda shravaNa maatreNa sa.mtrasta hR^idayo maariicaH kR^itaanjaliH evam uvaaca - dk From the time when he was firstly struck by Rama's arrow he retired to hermitage and no demonic activity is undertaken by Maareecha. But now Ravana is instigating, which leads Maareecha to his own end, of which he is perfectly aware.
VERSE 24

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे षट् त्रिंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe ṣaṭ triṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

mahā vane: in great [Tataka,] forest | rāma parākrama jñaḥ: Rama's, valour, knower [aware] of | saḥ: he that Maareecha | trasta viṣaṇṇa cetāat: by scare, sank, heart | kṛta anjaliḥ: who made palm-fold | tasmai hitam = to him: to Ravana, beneficial | ātmanaḥ ca hitam ca: for himself, also, beneficial, also | tattvam vākyam: factual, words | rāvaṇam: to Ravana | uvāca = [started to] speak: to Ravana. |

TRANSLATION

Maareecha's heart sank with scare as he is aware of Rama's valour when he was in the great forest of Tataka, thus suppliantly making palm-fold he started telling about factuality of Rama to Ravana, which is beneficial both to Ravana and to himself, as well, if only Ravana is heedful of it. [3-36-24]