Chapter 44

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

VERSE 1

तथा तु तम् समादिश्य भ्रातरम् रघुनंदनः
बबन्ध असिम् महातेजा जांबूनदमयः त्सरुम्

tathā tu tam samādiśya bhrātaram raghunaṃdanaḥ
babandha asim mahātejā jāṃbūnadamayaḥ tsarum

SYNONYMS

mahātejā raghu nandanaḥ = highly resplendent, ṟaghu's, scion of: Rama | bhrātaram tam tathā: brother, him [Lakshmana,] in that way | sam ādiśya: on clearly instructing | jāmbūnadamayaḥ tsarum asim: having golden, handle, sword | ba bandha = securely, tied: at his waist. |

TRANSLATION

Rama, the great-resplendent scion of Raghu, on instructing his brother Lakshmana in that way securely fastened his sword with golden handle to his waist. [3-44-1]

VERSE 2

ततः त्रि विनतम् चापम् आदाय आत्म विभूषणम्
आबध्य च कलापौ द्वौ जगाम उदग्र विक्रमः

tataḥ tri vinatam cāpam ādāya ātma vibhūṣaṇam
ābadhya ca kalāpau dvau jagāma udagra vikramaḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | udagra [ut agra] vikramaḥ = one vith: up, risen - escalating, valour - Rama | tri vinatam = thrī: way, bent - arched | ātma vibhūṣaṇam: his own, decoration [insignia] | cāpam: bow | ādāya: on taking | dvau kalāpau ca: two, quivers, also | ābadhya = on binding: on back | jagāma: proceeded. |

TRANSLATION

Rama whose valour is escalating then took his own insignia, the three-way arched bow called kodanDa , and fastened two quivers and proceeded. [3-44-2]

VERSE 3

तम् वंचयानो राजेन्द्रम् आपतन्तम् निरीक्ष्य वै
बभूव अंतर्हितः त्रासात् पुनः संदर्शने अभवत्

tam vaṃcayāno rājendram āpatantam nirīkṣya vai
babhūva aṃtarhitaḥ trāsāt punaḥ saṃdarśane abhavat

SYNONYMS

mṛgaḥ: Golden Deer | ā patantam = vho is coming, falling: coming down on it | rāja indram: among kings, peerless one | tam: him, Rama | nirīkṣya vai: on peering at, indeed | vancayānaḥ: to beguile him | trāsāt: owing to fear [as if] | antarhitaḥ babhūva: disappeared, it became | punaḥ: again | sam darśane abhavat: in clear visibility, it became | rāmaḥ: Rama | baddha asiḥ dhanuḥ ādāya: [securely] grit, sword, bow, on taking [firmly handled] | yataḥ mṛgaḥ: from where, deer [has gone] | [tataḥ: to that place of disappearance] | pra dudrāva: speedily, spurted. |

TRANSLATION

On peering at the peerless one among kings, namely Rama, who is indeed coming down on him, that Golden Deer disappeared as if with fear and even to beguile him, and again it came into clear visibility. And Rama speedily spurted to that place from where the Golden Deer has firstly disappeared with securely grit sword and firmly handled bow. [3-44-3]

VERSE 4

तम् स्म पश्यति रूपेण द्योतमानम् इव अग्रतः

tam sma paśyati rūpeṇa dyotamānam iva agrataḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 5, 6, 7a| dhanuṣ pāṇiḥ = bov, one handling: wielder, Rama | avekṣya avekṣya = on observing, on observing: deer repeatedly observing the hunter, Rama | mahāvane dhāvantam tam = in dīp, forest, running avay, that: deer | rūpeṇa agrataḥ: with its [marvellous] form, in forefront | dyotamānam iva: effulgent, as though | paśyati sma = beholding, he [the hunter] remained: kept on | kadācana: at times | iṣoḥ pātāt: from arrow's, falling of | ati vṛttam: too far, going [circumventing] | lobhayānam = vhile tantalising: Rama | śankitam tu: in wariness, but | sam ud bhrāntam: very, highly, perplexed | ambare: to skies | ut patantam iva: to upside, falling [springing,] as though | cinna abhraiḥ: with splintered, clouds | samvītam iva = imbricated: overlaid, as if | śāradam candra maṇḍalam: autumnal, moon, orb | keṣucit vana uddeśeṣu: somewhere, in forest, thickets | dṛaśyamānam: is appearing | a dṛśyam ca: not, appearing, also. |

TRANSLATION

Rama the wielder of bow kept on beholding that Golden Deer which is observing him over and over and running away into deep of the forest. In the next moment he has seen it right in front of him as though effulgent with its marvellous form. At times he has seen it running away as though to circumvent the fall of arrow, and at times stopping only to tantalise him. Sometimes it appeared to be springing as though to skies in very highly perplexity of wariness. It is disappearing somewhere in the thickets of forest, and it is putting in an appearance elsewhere in those thickets, like the autumnal orb of the moon under the fly front of splintered clouds. [3-44-4b, 5, 6, 7a]

VERSE 7

मुहूर्तात् एव ददृशे मुहुर् दूरात् प्रकाशते

muhūrtāt eva dadṛśe muhur dūrāt prakāśate

SYNONYMS

b, 8| mṛgatām gataḥ = dīr: hood, who went into - who is animalised | saḥ māricaḥ: he that, Maareecha | muhūrtāt eva = for a moment, thus: in a wink | [samīpe: close by] | dadṛśe: seen [by Rama] | muhuḥ: again | dūrāt prakāśate = from distance, śone forth: appeared | darśana a darśanena [adarśanāt] eva: by revealing, not, revealing [concealing himself, hide and seek game] only | rāghavam: Raghava is | asya āśramasya: his own, from his hermitage | su dūram: very, far | apa ākarṣata = to side, attracted: sidetracked, drawn off. |

TRANSLATION

In a wink Rama could proximately see that Maareecha who transformed himself into the Golden Deer, and again in a flash he appeared distantly. Thus that deer/demon has drawn off Raghava very far from his hermitage in this hide and seek game. [3-44-7b, 8]

VERSE 9

आसीत् क्रुद्धः तु काकुत्स्थो विवशः तेन मोहितः
अथ अवतस्थे सुश्रान्तः च्छायाम् आश्रित्य शाद्वले

āsīt kruddhaḥ tu kākutstho vivaśaḥ tena mohitaḥ
atha avatasthe suśrāntaḥ cchāyām āśritya śādvale

SYNONYMS

tena [rūpeṇa] mohitaḥ: by its [form,] spellbound, kaakutsthaH tu = Kakutstha, but | vi vaśaḥ = kutūhala paravaśaḥ = 1]out of, control: slippery, 2] fascinated | kruddhaḥ: incensed | āsīt = he became: Rama | atha: then | su śrāntaḥ: verily, tired | cchāyām āśritya śādvale avatasthe: shade [of tree,] taking shelter, on pasture, he stayed on. |

TRANSLATION

Rama of Kakutstha is incensed as its form is spellbinding but its capture slippery, and then verily tired as he is he stayed on a pasture taking shelter of a tree shade. [3-44-9]

VERSE 10

स तम् उन्मादयामास मृगरूपो निशाचर
मृगैः परिवृतो अथ वन्यैः अदूरात् प्रत्यदृश्यत

sa tam unmādayāmāsa mṛgarūpo niśācara
mṛgaiḥ parivṛto atha vanyaiḥ adūrāt pratyadṛśyata

SYNONYMS

mṛga rūpaḥ saḥ niśā cara: in guise, he that Maareecha, night-walker | tam unmādayāmāsa = him: Rama, started to madden | atha: then | vanyaiḥ mṛgaiḥ parivṛtaḥ: of forest, with [other] animals, surrounded | a dūrāt pratyadṛśyata: not, from faraway [close-by,] reappeared. |

TRANSLATION

Nightwalker Maareecha has further maddened Rama in the guise of Golden Deer by reappearing in his close-by, surrounded with other animals of the forest. [3-44-10]

VERSE 11

ग्रहीतु कामम् दृष्ट्वा तम् पुनः एव अभ्यधावत
तत् क्षणात् एव संत्रासात् पुनर् अंतर्हितो अभवत्

grahītu kāmam dṛṣṭvā tam punaḥ eva abhyadhāvata
tat kṣaṇāt eva saṃtrāsāt punar aṃtarhito abhavat

SYNONYMS

grahītu kāmam = to catc, desirous of: he who is stalking | tam dṛṣṭvā = at him: at Rama on seeing | punaḥ eva abhyadhāvata: again, thus, [deer] towards [Rama,] ran | tat kśaṇāt eva: at that, moment, only | punaḥ: again | sam trāsāt: owing to extreme fear | antarhitaḥ abhavat: vanished, it became. |

TRANSLATION

Again on seeing Rama who is stalking his catch that deer ran towards him as though to impress with its guilelessness, and just at that moment it vanished again as if with extreme fear. [3-44-11]

VERSE 12

पुनर् एव ततो दूरात् वृक्ष खण्डात् विनिःसृतः
दृष्ट्वा रामो महातेजाः तम् हन्तुम् कृत निश्चयः

punar eva tato dūrāt vṛkṣa khaṇḍāt viniḥsṛtaḥ
dṛṣṭvā rāmo mahātejāḥ tam hantum kṛta niścayaḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | mahātejāḥ rāmaḥ: the great-resplendent one, Rama | punāḥ eva: again, thus | dūrāt vṛkśa khaṇḍāt: distantly, from trees, thicket of | vi niḥ sṛtaḥ = vell, out, emerged: issued forth | tam = it: deer | dṛṣṭvā: on seeing | hantum kṛta niścayaḥ: to kill, firmed up, his decision. |

TRANSLATION

Then that deer has again emerged out of the thick of trees, and on spotting it the great-resplendent Rama has firmed up his decision to fell it. [3-44-12]

VERSE 13

भूयः तु शरम् उद्धृत्य कुपितः तत्र राघवः
सूर्य रश्मि प्रतीकाशम् ज्वलंतम् अरि मर्दनम्

bhūyaḥ tu śaram uddhṛtya kupitaḥ tatra rāghavaḥ
sūrya raśmi pratīkāśam jvalaṃtam ari mardanam

SYNONYMS

, 14, 15a| tatra: at that time | bhūyaḥ kupitaḥ: highly, infuriated | balī rāghavaḥ: forceful one, Raghava | sūrya raśmi pratīkāśam: sun, shine [flare,] similar in shine | jvalantam: holocaustic ari ardanam = enemy, subjugating | śaram uddhṛtya = arrov, bringing up: unholstered | su dṛḍhe cāpe sandhāya: very, sturdy, in bow, tautened, taking aim | balavat: forcefully | vi kṛṣya = out, stretced: bowstring | śvasantam pannagam iva: exhaling [hissing,] snake, as with | jvalitam dīptam: fierily, blazing | brahma vinirmitam: by Brahma, carefully, created | astram = missile: arrow | tam mṛgam eva uddiśya = that, dīr, only, on aiming: on targeting | mumoca: released. |

TRANSLATION

At that instant Raghava became highly infuriated and unholstered a holocaustic, enemy-subjugating arrow that is similar to the flare of the sun, tautening it on his very sturdy bow that forceful Rama forcefully outstretched the bowstring with arrow targeting the Golden Deer alone, and released that fierily blazing arrow-missile which is carefully created by Brahma and which is hissing like a snake. [3-44-13, 14, 15a]

VERSE 15

शरीरम् मृग रूपस्य विनिर्भिद्य शरोत्तमः

śarīram mṛga rūpasya vinirbhidya śarottamaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 16a| aśani sannibhaḥ: thunderbolt, similar | śara uttamaḥ: arrow, the superb | mṛga rūpasya śarīram: in deer's, form, body | vi nir bhidya: on very, profoundly, impaling | mārīcasya hṛdayam eva: Maareecha's, heart, alone | vibheda: severed. |

TRANSLATION

On very profoundly impaling the body of deer's form that superb arrow which is similar to a thunderbolt has severed the heart of Maareecha in the core of deer's body. [3-44-15b, 16a]

VERSE 16

ताल मात्रम् अथ उत्प्लुत्य न्यपतत् स भृश आतुरः

tāla mātram atha utplutya nyapatat sa bhṛśa āturaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 17a| atha: then | saḥ = he: that Maareecha | bhṛśa āturaḥ: highly, frenzied | alpa jīvitaḥ: minimized, lifespan | bhairavam nādam vyanadat: a blaring, shriek, blared | tāla mātram: palm-tree, measure of [height of] | ut plutya: up, vaulted | dharaṇyām nyapatat: onto ground fell down. |

TRANSLATION

Then Maareecha is highly frenzied as his lifespan is minimised, blared a blaring shriek, vaulted up to a height of palm-tree, and fell down onto the ground. [3-44-16b, 17a]

VERSE 17

म्रियमाणः तु मारीचो जहौ ताम् कृत्रिमाम् तनुम्

mriyamāṇaḥ tu mārīco jahau tām kṛtrimām tanum

SYNONYMS

b, 18| mriyamāṇaḥ tu mārīcaḥ: when dyeing, on his part, Maareecha | kṛtrimām tām tanum jahau: artificial, that [deer's,], body, abandoned | [mriyamāṇaḥ tu: while dying] | tat vacanam: that, sentence [of Ravana] | smṛtvā: while remembering | dadhyau: thought of it | sītā: Seetha | kena lakśmaṇam iha prasthāpayet: by what, Lakshmana, will be hastening | śūnye: in a void place | tām rāvaṇe haret: Ravana, her, will be abducting. |

TRANSLATION

Maareecha on his part abandoned the body of Golden Deer when he is dying. But remembering the words of Ravana that demon gave a thought, 'how best will Seetha hasten Lakshmana to this place, and how best Ravana can abduct Seetha in a place void of people.' [3-44-17b, 18]

PURPORT

Maareecha would have died without yelling for Lakshmana or Seetha as tutored by Ravana because Maareecha is no real alley of Ravana. But it is said that he 'recollected Ravana's words and thought about it.' What he really thought is the causation of death to that one who caused his own death, namely Ravana. Ravana can do nothing to Maareecha now as Maareecha is breathing his last. Whatever is to be done now it has t become a self-ruinous act to Ravana. Hence, it is better to do as said by Ravana for the elimination of Ravana. So thought Maareecha.
VERSE 19

स प्राप्त कालम् अज्ञाय चकार च ततः स्वरम्
सदृशम् राघवस्य एव हा सीते लक्ष्मण इति च

sa prāpta kālam ajñāya cakāra ca tataḥ svaram
sadṛśam rāghavasya eva hā sīte lakṣmaṇa iti ca

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | saḥ: he, Maareecha | prāpta kālam ajñāya: chanced, time, perceptive of | rāghavasya sadṛśam eva: Raghava's [voice], soundalike, only | hā sīte: ha, Seetha | ha lakṣmaṇa iti ca: Lakshmana, thus, also | svaram cakāra ca: voice, made, also. |

TRANSLATION

Perceptive of the time that chanced bearing his death, and wishful of the death of Ravana too, then made a voice that is a soundalike to Raghava's voice and yelled 'ha, Seetha...' also thus 'ha Lakshmana...' [3-44-19]

VERSE 20

तेन मर्मणि निर्विद्धम् शरेण अनुपमेन हि
मृग रूपम् तु तत् त्यक्त्वा राक्षसम् रूपम् आस्थितः

tena marmaṇi nirviddham śareṇa anupamena hi
mṛga rūpam tu tat tyaktvā rākṣasam rūpam āsthitaḥ

SYNONYMS

, 21a| saḥ mārīcaḥ: he, Maareecha | tena = by him: by Rama | an upamena: not, comparable | śareṇa: with arrow | tat mṛga rūpam tu tyaktvā: that, deer's, form, but, on abandoning | rākṣasam rūpam āsthitaḥ: demon's, body, on assuming | jīvitam tyajan: life, while forsaking | su mahā kāyam: very, massive, physique | cakre: done [assumed.] |

TRANSLATION

When Rama's incomparable arrow has indeed shattered his crucial organ, namely the heart, in a downright manner, then Maareecha assumed a very massive physique of a demon, abandoning the form of Golden Deer. [3-44-20, 21a]

PURPORT

Though Maareecha assumed the form of a deer he has to retain his heart and brain of a demon. This is the yogic way of para kaaya praveshanam 'entering other bodies.' These assumed artificial bodies do not hold ground in nidraa, surata, maraNa dasheSu 'in sleep, copulation and death states,' where the mind, if distracted to these states, cannot concentrate or hold the body that is assumed by mental powers of yoga. Here no supernal god or deity is involved to grant such a capacity but one's own practise achieves it. Whereas in other case like Ravana, gods have bestowed boons, so he need not practise such yoga etc., as he is blessed to be above these mortal's practises and thus can change his form and can rejoice in any state with that body or form. This is how he abducts Seetha changing his semblances instantaneously.
VERSE 21

तम् दृष्ट्वा पतितम् भूमौ राक्षसम् भीम दर्शनम्

tam dṛṣṭvā patitam bhūmau rākṣasam bhīma darśanam

SYNONYMS

b, 22| rāmaḥ: Rama | bhūmau patitam: on earth, fallen | bhīma darśanam: fiendish, in look | rudhira sikta angam: in blood, steeped, with limbs | mahītale ceṣṭamānam: on earth's plane, weltering | tam rākṣasam dṛṣṭvā: at him, demon, on seeing | lakṣmaṇasya vacaḥ smaran: Lakshmana's, words, reminiscing | sītām manasā jagāma = to ṣītha, by heart, vent: emotionally took flight to Seetha. |

TRANSLATION

On seeing that demon with a fiendish look, who has fallen to earth with limbs steeped in blood, and who is weltering on the surface of earth, Rama emotionally took flight to Seetha reminiscing Lakshmana's words. [3-44-21b, 22]

VERSE 23

मारीचस्य तु माय एषा पूर्व उक्तम् लक्ष्मणेन तु
तत् तदा हि अभवत् च अद्य मारीचो अयम् मया हतः

mārīcasya tu māya eṣā pūrva uktam lakṣmaṇena tu
tat tadā hi abhavat ca adya mārīco ayam mayā hataḥ

SYNONYMS

eṣā mārīcasya tu māya: this is, Maareecha's, but, trickery | lakśmaṇena pūrva uktam tu: by Lakshmana, earlier, vouchsafed, but | tat tadā abhavat hi: that, that way, happened, indeed | adya mayā hataḥ: now, by me, [who is] killed | ayam mārīcaḥ: he is, Maareecha. |

TRANSLATION

"This is the trickery of Maareecha which Lakshmana vouchsafed earlier, that has indeed happened in that way alone, and the one whom I have killed now is none other than Maareecha. [3-44-23]

VERSE 24

हा सीते लक्ष्मण इति एवम् आक्रुश्य तु महा स्वनम्
ममार राक्षसः सो अयम् श्रुत्वा सीता कथम् भवेत्

hā sīte lakṣmaṇa iti evam ākruśya tu mahā svanam
mamāra rākṣasaḥ so ayam śrutvā sītā katham bhavet

SYNONYMS

saḥ: he | ayam: this | rākṣasaḥ: demon | hā sīte: ha, Seetha | lakṣmaṇa iti evam tu: Lakshmana, thus, that way, but | mahā svanam ākruśya: with blatant, voice, crying out | mamāra: dead | śrutvā sītā katham bhavet: on hearing, Seetha, how, she will be | mahābāhuḥ lakṣmaṇaḥ ca: dextrous one, Lakshmana, also | kām avasthām gamiṣyati: in which, plight, he enters | dharmāatmā rāmaḥ: righteous-souled, Rama | iti samcintya: thus, on thinking over | hṛṣṭa tanū ruhaḥ: surprise, body, born [hair, hair-raising, frightened] | [babhūva: Rama became.] |

TRANSLATION

"This demon died while crying out with a blatant voice 'ha, Seetha... ha, Lakshmana...' And on hearing this how Seetha will be? And what will be the plight of dextrous Lakshmana?" Thus on thinking over them that righteous-souled Rama remained in a hair-raising predicament. [3-44-24]

VERSE 26

तत्र रामम् भयम् तीव्रम् आविवेश विषादजम्
राक्षसम् मृग रूपम् तम् हत्वा श्रुत्वा च तत् स्वनम्

tatra rāmam bhayam tīvram āviveśa viṣādajam
rākṣasam mṛga rūpam tam hatvā śrutvā ca tat svanam

SYNONYMS

mṛga rūpam tam rākṣasam hatvā: in deer's, form, that, demon, on killing | tat svanam śrutvā ca: his, yelling [of demon,] on hearing, also | tatra: in that matter | rāmam: to Rama | viṣāda jam tīvram bhayam: by gloom, caused, frantic, fear | āviveśa: ensorcelled. |

TRANSLATION

On killing that demon in the form of Golden Deer, and also on hearing his yelling, Rama is ensorcelled with a frantic fear caused by his own gloom. [3-44-26]

VERSE 27

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे चतुः चत्वारिंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe catuḥ catvāriṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

tadā: then | rāghavaḥ: Raghava | anyam: another one | pṛṣatam nihatya ca: spotted deer, on killing, also | māmsam ādāya: its flesh, on taking | tvaramāṇaḥ: hurrying himself | janasthānam abhimukhaḥ sasāra: to Janasthaana, towards, he drifted, proceeded. |

TRANSLATION

Raghava then on killing another spotted deer and on taking its flesh, he hurried himself towards Janasthaana. [3-44-27]

PURPORT

As with any other demon's death Maareecha's death also is eulogised as a merited one and reading or listening this is said to bring merit. Though these results are not said in Ramayana proper, its collateral scripts like skaanda purana, aadhyaatma raamaayaNa etc., say them. For the elimination of Maareecha aadhyaatma raamaayaNa says: From that body of Maareecha a divine aureole risen while all the world is seeing... that merged into Rama alone, causing very great astonishment... this is the marvel of Rama, nothing else..' So the divine beings thought seeing from heavens, and said 'a Brahman or a demon, or a sinner or meritorious one who cites the name of Rama at the time of leaving his body, he attains the Ultimate Threshold...' Blessing so, the divine beings returned to their abodes on seeing the salvation of Maareecha's soul in Rama.' aadhyaatma raamaayaNa, aranya , seventh sarga/chapter.