Sloka & Translation

[Maricha describes the qualities of Rama and Sita to Ravana --advises Ravana to give up the idea of abduction of Sita.]

tacchṛtvā rākṣasēndrasya vākyaṅ vākyaviśāradaḥ.

pratyuvāca mahāprājñō mārīcō rākṣasēśvaram৷৷3.37.1৷৷


rākṣasēndrasya lord of the demons (Ravana), tat vākyam the words, śrutvā having heard, mahāprājñaḥ very wise, vākyaviśāradaḥ eloquent speaker, mārīcaḥ Maricha, rākṣasēśvaram to Ravana, pratyuvāca replied.

Having heard the words of Ravana, lord of the demons, wise Maricha who was also an eloquent speaker replied:
sulabhāḥ puruṣā rājansatataṅ priyavādinaḥ.

apriyasya tu pathyasya vaktā śrōtā ca durlabhaḥ৷৷3.37.2৷৷


rājan O king, priyavādinaḥ sweet-tongued, puruṣāḥ men, satatam always, sulabhāḥ easy to find, apriyasya unpleasant to hear, tu but, pathyasya salutary, vaktā speaker, śrōtā ca audience, durlabhaḥ is difficult to find.

O king, it is always easy to find men who speak pleasing words, but it is difficult to get a speaker and a listener who use words unpleasant (to the ears) but beneficial (in life).
na nūnaṅ budhyasē rāmaṅ mahāvīryaṅ guṇōnnatam.

ayuktacāraścapalō mahēndravaruṇōpamam৷৷3.37.3৷৷


ayuktacāraḥ a man who does not employ a spy, capalaḥ fickle-minded, mahāvīryam very brave, guṇōnnatam of good qualities, mahēndra varuṇōpamam comparable to Indra and Varuna, rāmam Rama,
nūnam surely, na budhyasē not able to know.

You are fickle-minded. You have employed no spy ( who could have told you the truth about Rama's character). Rama is very brave and virtuous comparable to Indra and Varuna. Surely you are not able to know what Rama is.
api svasti bhavēttāta sarvēṣāṅ bhuvi rakṣasām.

api rāmō nāsaṅkruddhaḥ kuryāllōkamarākṣasam৷৷3.37.4৷৷


tāta O dear!, bhuvi in the world, sarvēṣām of all, rakṣasām of demons, svasti safe, apibhavēt may be I wish, rāmaḥ Rama, na saṅkruddhaḥ gets angry, lōkam world, arākṣasam without rakshasa, api na kuryāt will he not do?.

O dear! may there be good to all the demons in the world. If Rama gets enraged, he will make this world demonless.
api tē jīvitāntāya nōtpannā janakātmajā.

api sītānimittaṅ ca na bhavēdvyasanaṅ mama৷৷3.37.5৷৷


janakātmajā daughter of Janaka, tē to you, jīvitāntāya to destroy your life, api nōtpannā not born I hope, sītānimittam on account of Sita, mama myself, vyasanam disaster, api na bhavēt hope it will not happen.

Hope the daughter of Janaka is not born to put an end to your life. Hope I will not face any disaster on account of Sita.
api tvāmīśvaraṅ prāpya kāmavṛttaṅ niraṅkuśam.

na vinaśyētpurī laṅkā tvayā saha sarākṣasā৷৷3.37.6৷৷


kāmavṛttam a slave to sensual pleasures, niraṅkuśam a dictator, tvām you, īśvaram lord, prāpya after getting, sarākṣasā along with demons, purī laṅkā city of Lanka, tvayā saha along with you, na vinaśyēdapi may it not be destroyed,

I hope the city of Lanka along with the (entire) race of demons will not be destroyed, with a dictator like you who is a slave to sensual pleasure.
tvadvidhaḥ kāmavṛttō hi duśśīlaḥ pāpamantritaḥ.

ātmānaṅ svajanaṅ rāṣṭraṅ sa rājā hanti durmatiḥ৷৷3.37.7৷৷


kāmavṛttaḥ passionate, duśśīlaḥ a person of bad character, pāpamantritaḥ advised in evil ways, durmatiḥ of wicked mind, tvadvidhaḥ one like you, saḥ rājā that king, ātmānam himself, svajanam his own people, rāṣṭram country, hanti hi will ruin.

A king who is a slave to passion, who is of bad conduct, of wicked thoughts, advised in evil ways destroys himself, his kith and kin and the entire kingdom.
na ca pitrā parityaktō nāmaryādaḥ kathañcana.

na lubdhō na ca duśśīlō na ca kṣatriyapāṅsanaḥ৷৷3.37.8৷৷

na ca dharmaguṇairhīnaḥ kausalyānandavardhanaḥ.

na tīkṣṇō na ca bhūtānāṅ sarvēṣāmahitē rataḥ৷৷3.37.9৷৷


kausalyānandavardhanaḥ delight of Kausalya (Rama), pitrā by father, na ca parityaktaḥ not at all forsaken, kathañcana to do so, amaryādaḥ nor crossed the limits of dharma, na not, lubdhaḥ miserly, na not, duśśīlaḥ of bad conduct, na ca and not, tīkṣṇa sharp-tongued, kṣatriyapāṅsanaḥ ca calumny to kshatriyas, na not, dharmaguṇaiḥ in righteousness, hīnaḥ not lacking, na not, tīkṣṇaḥ cruel, na not, sarvēṣām for all, bhūtānām of beings, ahitē in doing harm, rataḥ is involved,

Rama, the delight of Kausalya, has not forsaken by his father. He has never crossed the limits of dharma. He is not miserly. He has no bad conduct. He is not a slur on the kshatriyas. He does not lack in righteousness. He is not cruel nor is he engaged in doing harm to others.
vañcitaṅ pitaraṅ dṛṣṭvā kaikēyyā satyavādinam.

kariṣyāmīti dharmātmā tāta pravrajitō vanam৷৷3.37.10৷৷


tāta dear, satyavādinam always speaks the truth, pitaram father, kaikēyyā by Kaikeyi, vañcitam deceived, dṛṣṭvā after seeing, dharmātmā righteous man, kariṣyāmi iti saying I will do it, vanam forest, pravrajitaḥ came.

O dear, seeing that his truthful father was going to be deceived by Kaikeyi, righteous Rama himself offered to fulfil the promise of his father and came away to the forest.
kaikēyyāḥ priyakāmārthaṅ piturdaśarathasya ca.

hitvā rājyaṅ ca bhōgāṅśca praviṣṭō daṇḍakāvanam৷৷3.37.11৷৷


kaikēyyāḥ of Kaikeyi, pituḥ father's daśarathasya ca and Dasaratha's, priyakāmārtham to satisfy their desire, rājyam kingdom, bhōgāṅśca pleasures, hitvā after leaving, daṇḍakāvanam Dandaka forest praviṣṭaḥ he entered.

To satisfy the desire of Kaikeyi and to fulfil his father's word he came to Dandaka forest, leaving the kingdom and all royal pleasures, behind.
na rāmaḥ karkaśastāta nāvidvānnājitēndriyaḥ.

anṛtaṅ duśśrutaṅ caiva naiva tvaṅ vaktumarhasi৷৷3.37.12৷৷


tāta O dear!, rāmaḥ Rama, karkaśaḥ hard-hearted, na not, avidvān not learned, na not, ajitēndriyaḥ not that he has no control over the senses, na not, tvam you, anṛtam false, duśśrutaṅ caiva ill-informed, vaktum to speak, nārhasi not proper.

O my dear, Rama is not harsh nor ignorant. It is not that he has no control over the senses. It is not proper for you to say what is false. You are ill-informed.
rāmō vigrahavān dharmassādhussatyaparākramaḥ.

rājā sarvasya lōkasya dēvānāṅ maghavāniva৷৷3.37.13৷৷


rāmaḥ Rama, vigrahavān a personification of, dharmaḥ dharma, sādhuḥ pious , satyaparākramaḥ one whose strength is truth, dēvānām for gods, maghavāniva like Indra, sarvasya for all, lōkasya worlds, rājā king.

Rama is dharma incarnate. He is pious. His strength is truth. He is king of all the worlds like Indra to the gods.
kathaṅ tvaṅ tasya vaidēhīṅ rakṣitāṅ svēna tējasā.

icchasi prasabhaṅ hartuṅ prabhāmiva vivasvataḥ৷৷3.37.14৷৷


tvam you, tasya his, svēna own, tējasā strength of character, rakṣitām will be protected, vaidēhīm Vaidehi, vivasvataḥ Sun's, prabhāmiva like the radiance, prasabham forcibly, hartum to take, katham how, icchasi you wish.

Sita is protected by the strength of her character. How do you desire to carry her away forcibly (from Rama) ? Can any one separate the radiance of the Sun from the Sun itself ?
śarārciṣamādhṛṣyaṅ cāpakhaṅgēndhanaṅ raṇē.

rāmāgniṅ sahasā dīptaṅ na pravēṣṭuṅ tvamarhasi৷৷3.37.15৷৷


śarārciṣam arrows are flames, anādhṛṣyam cannot be overpowered, cāpakhaḍgēndhanam bow and sword as fuel, raṇē in war, dīptam blazing, rāmāgnim fire of Rama, sahasā at once, pravēṣṭum to enter, tvam you, na arhasi should not.

You should not enter into the unquenchable fire that is Rama, the fire that has the arrows (of Rama) as its flames and his sword and bow as fuel.
dhanurvyāditadīptāsyaṅ śarārciṣamamarṣaṇam.

cāpabāṇadharaṅ tīkṣṇaṅ śatrusainyaprahāriṇam৷৷3.37.16৷৷

rājyaṅ sukhaṅ ca santyajya jīvitaṅ cēṣṭamātmanaḥ.

nātyāsādayituṅ tāta rāmāntakamihārhasi৷৷3.37.17৷৷


tāta O dear, dhanurvyāditadīptāsyam his bow is an open burning mouth, śarārciṣam flaming arrows as fire, amarṣaṇam anger, cāpabāṇadharam wielder of bow and arrows, tīkṣṇam sharp, śatrusainyaprahāriṇam one who can strike the enemy's army, rāmāntakam Rama like Yama himself, ātmanaḥ your own, iṣṭam dear, rājyam kingdom, sukhaṅ ca and happiness, jīvitaṅ ca life, santyajya after abandoning, iha here, ātyāsādayitum to enter, na not, arhasi should.

You should not give up happiness,your dear life and kingdom and come to Rama who is a variable god of death. His bow is like on open burning mouth, and his flaming arrows are like fire. He is all anger. He is wielder of bow and arrows. He can strike the enemy army (alone).
apramēyaṅ hi tattējō yasya sā janakātmajā.

na tvaṅ samarthastāṅ hartuṅ rāmacāpāśrayaṅ vanē৷৷3.37.18৷৷


sā she, janakātmajā Sita, daughter of Janaka, yasya whose, tat that, apramēyam immeasurable, tējaḥ hi is the power, vanē in the forest, rāmacāpāśrayam under the refuge of Rama's bow, tām herself, hartum to abduct, tvam you, samarthaḥ competent, na not.

Immeasurable indeed is the power of Rama to whom Sita, daughter of Janaka belongs. You are not competent to kidnap her, for she is under the refuge of Rama's bow in the forest.
tasya sā narasiṅhasya siṅhōraskasya bhāminī.

prāṇēbhyō.pi priyatarā bhāryā nityamanuvratā৷৷3.37.19৷৷


sā bhāminī effulgent lady, siṅhōraskasya of a lion's chest, tasya his, narasiṅhasya of a lion in the form of man, prāṇēbhyōpi more than his life, priyatarā dearer, bhāryā wife, nityam always, anuvratā loyal to him.

Beautiful Sita happens to be the wife of Rama who is like a lion among men. Rama
has a broad chest like that of a lion. He loves Sita who is ever loyal to him, more than his life.
na sā dharṣayituṅ śakyā maithilyōjasvinaḥ priyā.

dīptasyēva hutāśasya śikhā sītā sumadhyamā৷৷3.37.20৷৷


maithilī Maithili, ōjasvinaḥ of the mighty, priyā darling, sumadhyamā slender waist, sā sītā that Sita, dīptasya of burning, hutāśasya fire's, śikhā iva like a leaping flame, dharṣayitum to touch her, na śakyā not possible.

Sita is the darling of mighty Rama. With her slender waist, she is like the leaping flames of blazing fire and it is not possible for you to touch her.
kimudyamamimaṅ vyarthaṅ kṛtvā tē rākṣasādhipa.

dṛṣṭaścētvaṅ raṇē tēna tadantaṅ tava jīvitam৷৷3.37.21৷৷


rākṣasādhipa chief of the demons, vyartham futile, imam this, udyamam attempt, kṛtvā doing, tē you, kim why, tvam you, raṇē in war, tēna by him, dṛṣṭaḥ seen, cēt if, tava your, jīvitam life, tadantam that is the end.

O chief of the demons, why do you make this futile attempt ? The moment you are seen by Rama in war will be the last of your life.
jīvitaṅ ca sukhaṅ caiva rājyaṅ caiva sudurlabham.

yadīcchasi ciraṅ bhōktuṅ mā kṛthā rāmavipriyam৷৷3.37.22৷৷


jīvitaṅ ca life and, sukhaṅ caiva also happiness, sudurlabham not easily attainable, rājyaṅ caiva even kingdom, ciram for long, bhōktum to enjoy, icchasi yadi if you desire to, rāmavipriyam displeasure to Rama, mā kṛthāḥ do not incur.

If you want to enjoy your life, happiness and even the kingdom which is not easily attainable for long, do not incur the displeasure of Rama.
sa sarvaissacivaissārdhaṅ vibhīṣaṇapurōgamaiḥ.

mantrayitvā tu dharmiṣṭhaiḥ kṛtvā niścayamātmanaḥ৷৷3.37.23৷৷

dōṣāṇāṅ ca guṇānāṅ ca sampradhārya balābalam.

ātmanaśca balaṅ jñātvā rāghavasya ca tatvataḥ৷৷3.37.24৷৷

hitāhitaṅ viniścitya kṣamaṅ tvaṅ kartumarhasi.


saḥ tvam you, dharmiṣṭhaiḥ followers of righteous path, vibhīṣaṇapurōgamaiḥ by prominent people like Vibhisana, sarvaiḥ by all, sacivaiḥ sārdham with all ministers, mantrayitvā after discussing, ātmanaḥ yourself, niścayam decision, kṛtvā take, dōṣāṇāṅ ca of demerits, guṇānāṅ ca of merits, balābalam strength and weakness, sampradhārya assessing, ātmanaśca your own, rāghavasya ca Rama's, balam strength, tatvataḥ in fact, jñātvā knowing, hitāhitam welfare and otherwise, viniścitya after deciding, kṣamam propriety, kartum to do, arhasi should.

After consulting all your ministers and the righteous persons led by Vibhisana, you may take a decision. Assess the real strength and weakness, merits and demerits of your own and of Rama. Decide what is good or bad for you and then take steps you deem proper.
ahaṅ tu manyē tava na kṣamaṅ raṇē samāgamaṅ kōsalarājasūnunā.

idaṅ hi bhūyaśśaṛṇu vākyamuttamaṅ kṣamaṅ ca yuktaṅ ca niśācarēśvara৷৷3.37.25৷৷


niśācarēśvara Ravana, ahaṅ tu on my part, tava your, raṇē in war, kōsalarājasūnunā by Rama son of the king of Kosala, samāgamam meet, kṣamam good, na manyē not consider, uttamam best, kṣamam capable, yuktaṅ ca and proper, idaṅ vākyam these words, bhūyaḥ further, śṛṇu you may listen.

O Ravana ! I think it is not good on your part to confront the prince of Kosala in a war. Listen to my words and consider what is good for you.
ityārṣē śrī madrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē araṇyakāṇḍē saptatriṅśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the thirtyseventh sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.