Sloka & Translation

[Ravana tells the story of Janasthana-- urges Maricha to help him in abducting Sita-- Maricha dissuades Ravana and describes the virtues of Rama.]

mārīca śrūyātāṅ tāta vacanaṅ mama bhāṣataḥ.

ārtō.smi mama cārtasya bhavānhi paramā gatiḥ৷৷3.36.1৷৷


tāta O child, mārīca Maricha, bhāṣataḥ as I speak, mama my, vacanam words, śrūyatām hear, ārtaḥ distressed, asmi I am, ārtasya of the distressed, mama my, bhavān you, paramā ultimate, gatiḥ hi refuge.

O dear Maricha! hear my words. I am distressed and you are my ultimate refuge.
jānīṣē tvaṅ janasthānē yathā bhrātā kharō mama.

dūṣaṇaśca mahābāhu svasā śūrpaṇakhā ca mē৷৷3.36.2৷৷

triśirāśca mahātējā rākṣasaḥ piśitāśanaḥ.

anyē ca bahavaśśūrā labdhalakṣā niśācarāḥ৷৷3.36.3৷৷

vasatni manniyōgēna nityavāsaṅ ca rākṣasāḥ.

bādhamānā mahāraṇyē munīnvai dharmacāriṇaḥ৷৷3.36.4৷৷


mama my, bhrātā brother, kharaḥ Khara, mahābāhuḥ of mighty arms, dūṣaṇaśca and Dusana, mē my, svasā sister, śūrpaṇakhā ca Surpanakha too, mahātējāḥ brilliant, piśitāśanaḥ flesh eater, rākṣasaḥ demon, triśirāśca and Trisira, śūrāḥ brave, labdhalakṣāḥ unfailing in their targets, anyē bahavaḥ many other, niśācarāḥ rākṣasāḥ night-walker demons, manniyōgēna at my behest, mahāraṇyē in the great forest, dharmacāriṇaḥ followers of righteous path, munīn seers, bādhamānāḥ harassing, janasthānē at Janasthana, yathā likewise, nityavāsaṅ vasanti always living there, tvam you, jānīṣē know.

You know that my brothers, Khara and Dusana, the strong-armed heroes, my sister Surpanakha and the mighty cannibal Trisira, and many other heroic demons successful in hitting their targets are bonafide residents. They have been harassing the followers of righteous path (the sages) at my behest.
caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rakṣasāṅ bhīmakarmaṇām.

śūrāṇāṅ labdhalakṣāṇāṅ kharacittānuvartinām৷৷3.36.5৷৷


bhīmakarmaṇām of terrible deeds, śūrāṇām of heroes, labdhalakṣāṇām skilled in hitting the targets, kharacittānuvartinām acting according to the will of Khara, rakṣasām of demons, caturdaśa sahasrāṇi fourteen thousand.

These fourteen thousand heroes, perpetrators of terrible deeds, skilled in hitting the targets had been acting according to the direction of Khara.
tē tvidānīṅ janasthānē vasamānā mahābalāḥ.

saṅgatāḥ paramāyattā rāmēṇa saha saṅyugē৷৷3.36.6৷৷

nānāpraharaṇōpētāḥ kharapramukharākṣasāḥ.


janasthānē at Janasthana, vasamānāḥ living permanently, mahābalāḥ very strong, tē they, kharapramukharākṣasāḥ demons led by Khara, idānīm now, paramāyattāḥ with all support, nānāpraharaṇōpētāḥ wielding different kinds of weapons, saṅyugē in war, rāmēṇa saha with Rama, saṅgatāḥ have fought.

These mighty demons, living in Janasthana, eqipped with different kinds of weapons, supported and led by Khara, met Rama in an encounter.
tēna sañjātarōṣēṇa rāmēṇa raṇamūrdhani.

anuktvā paruṣaṅ kiñciccharairvyāpāritaṅ dhanuḥ৷৷3.36.7৷৷


sañjātarōṣēṇa even though wrathful, tēna rāmēṇa by that Rama, raṇamūrdhani on the battle front,
paruṣam harsh , kiñcit a little, anuktvā not uttered, dhanuḥ bow, śaraiḥ arrows, vyāpāritam shot.

With his wrath generated, Rama, without even speaking anything, used his bow and the arrows.
caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rakṣasāmugratējasām.

nihatāni śaraistīkṣṇairmānuṣēṇa padātinā৷৷3.36.8৷৷


padātinā fighting on foot, mānuṣēṇa by a human being, ugratējasām of ferocious, rakṣasām of demons, caturdaśa fourteen, sahasrāṇi thousand, tīkṣṇaiḥ with sharp, śaraiḥ arrows, nihatāni are killed.

Being a human being who fought on foot, he killed fourteen thousand ferocious demons with his sharp arrows.
kharaśca nihatassaṅkhyē dūṣaṇaśca nipātitaḥ.

hataśca triśirāścāpi nirbhayā daṇḍakāḥ kṛtāḥ৷৷3.36.9৷৷


saṅkhyē in the war, kharaśca Khara also, nihataḥ killed, dūṣaṇaśca Dusana also, nipātitaḥ is ruined, triśirāścāpi even Trisira, hataḥ got destroyed, daṇḍakāḥ forest of Dandaka, nirbhayāḥ safe and fearless, kṛtāḥ are rendered.

Khara, Dusana and Trisira were killed in war.The residents of Dandaka forest are rendered safe and fearless.
pitrā nirastaḥ kruddhēna sabhāryaḥ kṣīṇajīvitaḥ.

sa hantā tasya sainyasya rāmaḥ kṣatriyapāṅsanaḥ৷৷3.36.10৷৷


kruddhēna by an angry one, pitrā by father, sabhāryaḥ with his wife, nirastaḥ sent away, kṣīṇajīvitaḥ of a short life span, kṣatriyapāṅsanaḥ a calumny to kshatriyas, saḥ rāmaḥ that Rama, tasya sainyasya of the army of demons, hantā killer.

Rama, a victim of his father's anger, banished into the forest with his wife, a short-lived mortal and a calumny on the kshatriyas has killed the army of demons.
duśśīlaḥ karkaśastīkṣṇō mūrkhō lubdhō.jitēndriyaḥ৷৷3.36.11৷৷

tyaktadharmō hyadharmātmā bhūtānāmahitē rataḥ.


duśśīlaḥ of bad conduct, karkaśaḥ harsh, tīkṣṇaḥ sharp one, mūrkhaḥ stupid, lubdhaḥ avaricious, ajitēndriyaḥ slave to senses, tyaktadharmaḥ immoral, adharmātmā unrighteous, bhūtānām for others, ahitē in harming, rataḥ engaged,

He is a man of bad conduct, harsh, sharp-tonged, stupid, miserly and a slave to his senses. He is immoral and unrighteous, one who is busy harming others.
yēna vairaṅ vinā.raṇyē satvamāśritya kēvalam৷৷3.36.12৷৷

karṇanāsāpaharaṇādbhaginī mē virūpitā.

tasyabhāryāṅ janasthānātsītāṅ surasutōpamām.3.36.13৷৷

ānayiṣyāmi vikramya sahāyastatra mē bhava.


yēna by whom, vairaṅ vinā without enmity, kēvalam only, satvam strength, āśritya depending, karṇanāsāpaharaṇāt cut off nose and ears, mē bhaginī my sister, virūpitā disfigured, tasya his, bhāryām wife, surasutōpamām like the daughter of god, sītām Sita, vikramya with my valour, janasthānāt from Janasthana, ānayiṣyāmi will bring, tatra in that, mē to me, sahāyaḥ accomplice, bhava you be,

With no enmity whatsoever, merely because he has strength, he cut off the nose and ears of my sister and mutilated her. His wife Sita is like the daughter of heaven. I would like to abduct her with force from Janasthana for which you should be my accomplice.
tvayā hyahaṅ sahāyēna pārśvasthēna mahābala৷৷3.36.14৷৷

bhrātṛbhiśca surānyuddhē samagrānnābhicintayē.

tatsahāyō bhava tvaṅ mē samarthō hyasi rākṣasa৷৷3.36.15৷৷


mahābala of great strength, sahāyēna come for help, pārśvasthēna at my side, tvayā by you, bhrātṛbhiśca by brothers also, yuddhē in war, samagrān together, surān gods, nābhicintayē I do not care, rākṣasa demon, tat therefore, tvam you, mē to me, sahāyaḥ accomplice, bhava be, samarthaḥ capable, asi hi you are,

You are mighty. I do not care to fight even the gods when you and my brothers are by my side. Therefore, O demon, be my accomplice. (I know) you are capable of that.
vīryē yuddhē ca darpē ca na hyasti sadṛśastava.

upāyajñō mahānśūrassarvamāyāviśāradaḥ৷৷3.36.16৷৷


vīryē in valour, yuddhē ca in war, darpē ca in conceit, tava your, sadṛśaḥ equal, nāsti hi none, upāyajñaḥ you know all methods, mahān great, śūraḥ brave, sarvamāyāviśāradaḥ an expert in all deceitful arts.

In valour, in war and in conceit there is no one equal to you. You know all means (of success). You are great. You are brave. You are an expert in all deceitful arts.
ētadarthamahaṅ prāptastvatsamīpaṅ niśācara.

śṛṇu tatkarma sāhāyyē yatkāryaṅ vacanānmama৷৷3.36.17৷৷


niśācara demon, ētadartham for this purpose, ahaṅ I, tvatsamīpam to you, prāptaḥ I came, mama my, vacanāt words, sāhāyyē become a helper, yat whatever, kāryam work, tat this, karma task, śṛṇu listen.

I have come to you for this purpose seeking your help. Listen to my words on what you should do:
sauvarṇastvaṅ mṛgō bhūtvā citrō rajatabindubhiḥ.

āśramē tasya rāmasya sītāyāḥ pramukhē cara৷৷3.36.18৷৷


tvam you, rajatabindubhiḥ dappled with silver dots, citraḥ wonderful, sauvarṇaḥ golden, mṛgaḥ deer, bhūtvā become, tasya rāmasya that Rama's, āśramē in hermitage, sītāyāḥ of Sita, pramukhē in front, cara move.

Be a wonderful golden deer dappled with silver dots and roam in front of Sita in Rama's hermitage.
tvāṅ tu nissaṅśayaṅ sītā dṛṣṭvā tu mṛgarūpiṇam.

gṛhyatāmiti bhartāraṅ lakṣmaṇaṅ cābhidhāsyati৷৷3.36.19৷৷


sītā Sita, mṛgarūpiṇam in the form of a deer, tvām to you, dṛṣṭvā seeing, gṛhyatām catch it, iti thus, bhartāram her husband, lakṣmaṇaṅ ca and Lakshmana, nissaṅśayam without any doubt, abhidhāsyati will tell.

Seeing you in the form of a deer, Sita will undoubtedly ask her husband and Lakshmana to capture you.
tatastayōrapāyē tu śūnyē sītāṅ yathāsukham.

nirābādhō hariṣyāmi rāhuścandraprabhāmiva৷৷3.36.20৷৷


tataḥ then, tayōḥ both (Rama and Lakshmana), apāyē tu in their absence, śūnyē in an isolated place, yathāsukham with ease, nirābādhaḥ without any impediment, sītām Sita, rāhuḥ Rahu, candraprabhāmiva like the lustre of the Moon, hariṣyāmi I will abduct.

Then during their absence it will be easy for me to abduct Sita in an isolated place without obstruction, like Rahu eclipsing the light of the moon.
tataḥ paścātsukhaṅ rāmē bhāryāharaṇakarśitē.

visrabdhaḥ prahariṣyāmi kṛtārthēnāntarātmanā৷৷3.36.21৷৷


tataḥ paścāt thereafter, bhāryāharaṇakarśitē afflicted due to his wife's abduction, rāmē Rama, kṛtārthēna successfully, antarātmanā inwardly, sukham happily, visrabdhaḥ freely, prahariṣyāmi I can strike him.

Thereafter, when Rama with his soul afflicted due to his wife's abduction. I can freely, happily, successfully strike him down.
tasya rāmakathāṅ śrutvā mārīcasya mahātmanaḥ.

śuṣkaṅ samabhavadvaktraṅ paritaptā babhūva ha৷৷3.36.22৷৷


rāmakathām mention of Rama's name, śrutvā after hearing, mahātmanaḥ of the great soul, tasya mārīcasya that Maricha's, vaktram mouth, śuṣkam got dried, samabhavat became, paritapta:was worried, babhūva hi became.

At the mention of Rama's name, great Maricha's mouth dried up and he became concerned.
ōṣṭhau parilihañcuṣkau nētrairanimiṣairiva.

mṛtabhūta ivārtastu rāvaṇaṅ samudaikṣata৷৷3.36.23৷৷


śuṣkau both dried, ōṣṭhau lips, parilihan while licking, animiṣairiva as though without winking, nētraiḥ eyes, mṛtabhūta iva like a dead person, ārtastu distressed one, rāvaṇam Ravana, samudaikṣata looked at Ravana.

Licking his dried up lips, as though his eyes stopped winking like those of the dead, Maricha stared at Ravana, distressed.
sa rāvaṇaṅ trastaviṣaṇṇacētā mahāvanē rāmaparākramajñaḥ.

kṛtāñjalistatvamuvāca vākyaṅ hitaṅ ca tasmai hitamātmanaśca৷৷3.36.24৷৷


mahāvanē in the great forest, rāmaparākramajñaḥ one who knows Rama's valour, saḥ Maricha,
trastaviṣaṇṇacētāḥ mind depressed and frightened, kṛtāñjaliḥ with folded palms, tasmai to Ravana, hitam for his well-being, ātmanaśca of himself too, hitam salutary, tatvam truth, vākyam words, rāvaṇam to Ravana, uvāca spoke.

Maricha who knows of Rama's valour was frightened and depressed at heart. He revealed to Ravana with folded hands some facts for mutual benefit.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē araṇyakāṇḍē ṣaṭ triṅśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the thirtysixth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.