Sri Valmiki Ramayanam -Aranya Kanda (Book 3) Sarga 41 to 45

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

( Translation and Commentary by Scholar, 

 Sreeman Brahmasree Desiraju Hanumantharao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasree K M K Murthy ji )

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 41

Introduction

Maareecha dissuades Ravana again and warns him of the fatal consequences if Rama is irked by the wrongdoings of Ravana. In every utterance, Maareecha repeats that not only Ravana but the entire demonic race is also going to ruin due to Ravana's impertinence. Finally when Ravana is heedless of these advises, Maareecha prepares himself to die by the arrow of an enemy, namely Rama, rather than by his own clansman, Ravana.

aaj~napto raavaNena ittham pratikuulam ca raajavat |
abraviit paruSam vaakyam niHshanko raakSasaadhipam || 3-41-1

1. raavaNena ittham= by Ravana, in this way; pratikuulam= contrarily - perversely; raajavat ca= as a king, also; aaj~naptaH= who is ordered; [maariicaH= Maareecha]; raakSasa adhipam= to demon's, king; paruSam vaakyam= caustic, words; niH shankaH= frankly abraviit= spoke.

When Ravana perversely ordered that way in all his kingliness, Maareecha spoke these words caustically and frankly to that king of demons. [3-41-1]

kena ayam upadiSTaH te vinaashaH paapa karmaNaa |
sa putrasya sa raajyasya sa amaatyasya nishaacara || 3-41-2

2. nishaacara= oh, night-walker; sa putrasya sa raajyasya sa amaatyasya= with, progeny, with, kingdom, with, ministers - along with them; te= your; ayam vinaashaH= this, ruin - this self-ruinous thought; kena paapa karmaNaa= by which, evil, doer; upadiSTaH= taught.

"Oh, night-walker, by which evildoer this thought, which is self-ruinous to you, along with your progeny, kingdom and ministers put together, is taught to you? [3-41-2]

kaH tvayaa sukhinaa raajan na abhinandati paapakR^it |
kena idam upadiSTam te mR^ityu dvaaram upaayataH || 3-41-3

3. raajan= oh, king; kaH paapa kR^it= which, sin, who has done - reprobate; sukhinaa= a happy one - you are; tvayaa na abhinandati= with you, not, happy - intolerant; mR^ityu dvaaram= demise, door of; idam= this - deed; kena upaayataH= by whom, by ideation - ingeniously; te upadiSTam =, to you, is taught [shown - door of death.]

"Who is that reprobate unhappy with such a happy one like you, and oh, king, by whom this door of demise is ingeniously shown to you? [3-41-3]

shatravaH tava suvyaktam hiina viiryaa nishaa cara |
icChanti tvaam vinashyantam uparuddham baliiyasaa || 3-41-4

4. nishaa cara= oh, night-walker; tava shatravaH= your, rivals; hiina viiryaa= of skimpy, strength; tvaam= you; baliiyasaa= with a mighty one - more mighty Rama; upa ruddham= as one coming into, conflict; vi nashyantam= completely, getting ruined; icChanti= they are aspiring for; su vyaktam= it is very, clear.

"It is very clear, oh, night-walker, that your rivals with skimpy might are aspiring that you should be completely ruined coming into conflict with more mighty Rama. [3-41-4]

kena idam upadiSTam te kSudreNa ahita buddhinaa |
yaH tvaam icChati nashyantam sva kR^itena nishaacara || 3-41-5

5. nishaacara= oh, night-walker; yaH= he who; tvaam= you; sva kR^itena= self, made - self-ruinous, suicidal deed; nashyantam= getting ruined; icChati= wishes to; by such; kSudreNa= by that - scoundrel; a +hita buddhinaa= not, helpful, intent -with a pernicious intent; kena idam te upadiSTam= by whom, this, to you, is counselled.

"He who wishes you to get ruined by your undertaking a self-made destruction is a scoundrel with a pernicious intent, as such, by whom you are counselled to do this? [3-41-5]

vadhyaaH khalu na vadhyante sacivaaH tava raavaNa |
ye tvaam utpatham aaruuDham na nigR^ihNanti sarvashaH || 3-41-6

6. raavaNa= oh, Ravana; ut patham= on high, road [to self-ruination]; aaruuDham= one who mounted on; tvaam= you; ye= those; sarvashaH= anywise; na nigR^ihNanti= not, reining in; such of those; tava sacivaaH= your, ministers; vadhyaaH khalu= are killable [eligible for death sentence,] indeed; but they are; na vadhyante= not, being killed - not being sentenced to death.

"Your ministers are not curbing you anywise when you scramble on a high road to self-ruination, hence they are indeed to be sentenced to death, but they are not being executed for their dereliction. [3-41-6]

amaatyaiH kaama vR^itto hi raajaa kaapatham aashritaH |
nigraahyaH sarvathaa sadbhiH na nigraahyo nigR^ihyase || 3-41-7

7. kaama vR^ittaH= self, willed [or, lewdly, behaving]; kaa patham [ku patham] aashritaH raajaa= wrong, route, who relies on, that king; sadbhiH amaatyaiH sarvathaa nigraahyaH hi= by veracious, by ministers, always, restrainable, isn't it; nigraahyaH= restrainable [such as you are you are]; na nigR^ihyase= not, being restrained.

"Veracious ministers have to restrain a self-willed king when he relies on a wrong-route, isn't it. But you are unrestrained by your ministers though you are self-willed and though you are taking a wrong-route. [3-41-7]

dharmam artham ca kaamam ca yashaH ca jayataam vara |
svaami prasaadaat sacivaaH praapnuvanti nishaacara || 3-41-8

8. jayataam vara= oh, among conquerors, the best - Ravana; nishaacara= oh, night-walker; sacivaaH= ministers; dharmam artham ca kaamam ca= probity, prosperity, also, pleasures, also; yashaH ca popularity, even; svaami prasaadaat praapnuvanti= master, by beneficence, they acquire.

"Oh, best conqueror Ravana, probity, prosperity and pleasures, and even the popularity of the ministers, oh, night-walker, are achieved at the beneficence of their master. [3-41-8]

The popularity, fame etc., of someone is said as yashas and there is another word taken as a synonym kiirti. For this Rama Tilaka says: yashaH sva desha khyaati, kiirti deshaantara khyaati. Thus 'yashas is the fame within one's own country and kiirti is cross-country fame. For this, another ancient commentator Kulluka Bhatt says: jiivataH khyaati ruupam yashaH, mR^itasya khyaati ruupaam kiirtim 'a living person's fame is yashaH and a dead person fame is kiirti Because Ravana is alive and Maareecha wishes him to be living, he used that chosen word.

viparyaye tu tat sarvam vyartham bhavati raavaNa |
vyasanam svaami vaiguNyaat praapnuvanti itare janaaH || 3-41-9

9. raavaNa= oh, Ravana; vi paryaye= contrary, wise - when the king is perverse; tat sarvam vyartham bhavati= that, all, futile, it becomes; svaami vai guNyaat= by master's, negative, virtue; itare janaaH vyasanam praapnuvanti= other, subjects of kingdom, distress, they derive.

"Contrariwise, oh, Ravana, all that beneficence of the king to ministers becomes futile when the king behaves perversely, and even the others, namely the subjects of kingdom, will derive distress by the negative virtue of their master. [3-41-9]

raaja muulo hi dharmaH ca jayaH ca jayataam vara |
tasmaat sarvaasu avasthaasu rakSitavyo naraadhipaaH || 3-41-10

10. jayataam vara= oh, among the successful[prosperous,] ones, best one; dharmaH ca jayaH ca= for probity, also, for victory [success, prosperity,] alone; raaja muulaH hi= king, is the root cause, isn't it; tasmaat sarvaasu avasthaasu= therefore, in all, situations; nara adhipaaH= people's, cheifs - kings; rakSitavyaH= are to be safeguarded - from the ill-effects of influences.

"The king alone is the root cause for probity and prosperity, isn't it. Therefore, oh, best prosperous one, in all situations the kings are to be safeguarded from the ill effects of influences. [3-41-10]

raajyam paalayitum shakyam na tiikSNena nishaacara |
na ca api pratikuulena na aviniitena raakSasa || 3-41-11

11. raakSasa= oh, demon; nishaacara= oh, nigh, walker; tiikSNena= by one with acridity - perilous king; raajyam paalayitum na shakyam= kingdom, to govern, not, possible; prati kuulena= one with hostility; na= not - possible; a+vi niitena= not, without, ethics - one with immorality; na ca api= not, also, even.

"It is impossible to govern kingdom, oh, demon, the night-walker, for a king with acridity, with hostility, or with immorality. [3-41-11]

ye tiikSNa ma.ntraaH sacivaa bhajyante saha tena vai |
viSame turagaaH shiighraa manda saarathayo yathaa || 3-41-12

12. ye sacivaaH= those, ministers; tiikSNa mantraaH= are with drastic, notions; manda saarathayaH= which has a slowish, charioteer; shiighraa turagaaH having speedy, horses; viSame= on a rough road; [rathaa= chariot]; yathaa= as with; tena saha bhajyante vai= him [their king/charioteer,] with, will get dilapidated, indeed.

"The ministers with drastic notions will indeed fall apart together with their king, like a chariot that gets ramshackled together with it charioteer on a rough road, though it is hieing with galloping horses but badly controlled by that slothful charioteer. [3-41-12]

The ministers with drastic notions not only pull down the king and kingdom, they themselves get ruined along with the king and kingdom. anena tŸkÿõa mantribhŸ r˜jño n˜þo bhavati iti | ata× samŸcŸna mantrŸ sampadanŸya iti uktam - dk - tath˜ ca pur˜õa s˜re - panýiteÿu guõ˜× sarve m¨rkhe doÿ˜ bhavanti hi | tasm˜t m¨rkha sahasreÿu pr˜jñam ekam niyojayet || thus Puraana Saara, a treatise on all mythological scriptures states that: 'In wise men there will be lots of good qualities. and the stupid persons too will be with as many qualities, but they are bad in nature. So it is better to nominate one wise man than a thousand stupid persons as minister.'

bahavaH saadhavo loke yukta dharmam anuSThitaaH |
pareSaam aparaadhena vinaSTaaH sa paricChadaaH || 3-41-13

13. loke= in world; yuktaaH= high-minded people; dharmam anuSThitaaH= ethicality, pursuers of; bahavaH saadhavaH= many, saintly people; pareSaam aparaadhena= by other's, misdeeds; sa paricChadaaH= with, kinsmen; vi naSTaaH= completely, ruined.

"In the world many saintly beings that are high-minded and pursuers of ethicality are completely ruined together with their kinsmen owing to the misdeeds of others. [3-41-13]

svaaminaa pratikuulena prajaaH tiikSNena raavaNa |
rakSyamaaNaa na vardhante meSaa gomaayunaa yathaa || 3-41-14

14. raavaNa= oh, Ravana; pratikuulena tiikSNena svaaminaa= one with contrariety, a coercive one, by such a lord; rakSyamaaNaaH prajaaH= being safeguarded, subjects; gomaayunaa meSaa yathaa= by fox, goats, as with; na vardhante= will not, flourish.

"Oh, Ravana, the subjects do not flourish while a lord with contrariety and coerciveness safeguards them, just like goats guarded by a fox. [3-41-14]

avashyam vinashiSyanti sarve raavaNa raakSasaaH |
yeSaam tvam karkasho raajaa dur.hbuddhiH ajita indriyaH || 3-41-15

15. raavaNa= oh, Ravana; yeSaam= to whom; karkashaH= acrimonious; dur buddhiH= evil, minded [malicious]; a +jita indriyaH= not, conquered, senses - not above board; such as you; tvam raajaa= you are, king; [te= those]; sarve raakSasaaH= all, demons; avashyam vinashiSyanti= definitely, will completely ruin.

"All those demons will definitely ruin, oh, Ravana, to whom you are the acrimonious and malicious king with unconquered senses, though you have conquered the heaven. [3-41-15]

tad idam kaaka taaliiyam ghoram aasaaditam mayaa |
atra tvam shocaniiyo asi sa sainyo vinashiSyasi || 3-41-16

16. mayaa= by me; kaaka taaliiyam= as in crow, palm tree syndrome; ghoram= ghastly - fortune; tat idam= that, this - predicament; aasaaditam= forgathered; atra= in this issue; [kim= what, what is the use of lamenting]; tvam shocaniiyaH asi= you, regrettable, you are; sa sainyaH vi nashiSyasi= with, military, completely, you ruin.

"What is the use of laming for myself as I foregathered this ghastly situation as in crow-palm-tree syndrome, but in this issue you alone are regrettable, for you are gong to completely ruin along with your military. [3-41-16]

The Sanskrit 'crow-palm-tree syndrome' is one among the many compiled in that language. Here, a fox whose leg is broken has come underneath a palm tree to take shelter from the scorching sun, as there are no other shady trees. At the same time a crow swooped down on to the tip of the tree, by which a palm fruit, as big and weighty as a small pinball fell on the head of fox by the swoop of the crow, and then the misery of that fox is unexplainable. The sitting of fox, swoop of crow, fall of fruit are all at a time and thus none can blame the other. This syndrome is named for such fortuitous happenings.

maam nihatya tu raamo asau aciraat tvaam vadhiSyati |
anena kR^ita kR^ityo asmi mriye ca api ariNaa hataH || 3-41-17

17. asau raamaH= that, Rama; maam nihatya tu= me, on killing, on his part; a + ciraat tvaam vadhiSyati= not, long after [soon,] you, he kills; ariNaa hataH mriye ca api= by enemy, killed, I die, also, even; anena= by that; kR^ita kR^ityaH asmi= means [of my life,] fulfilled, I will be.

"That Rama will soon kill you after killing me, and I will be dying at the hand of my enemy rather than at the hand of my own clansman like you, whereby the purpose of my life will be brought to an end. [3-41-17]

Maareecha decides that it is better to die at the hand of Rama rather than by Ravana; r˜m˜t api martavyam - martavyam r˜vaõ˜t api | ubhayod api martavye - varam r˜mat na r˜vaõ˜t | n®simha pur˜õa but yet he is trying to divert Ravana from self-ruination.

darshanaat eva raamasya hatam maam avadhaaraya |
aatmaanam ca hatam viddhi hR^itvaa siitaam sa baandhavam || 3-41-18

18. raamasya darshanaat eva= of Rama, on seeing, alone; maam hatam avadhaaraya= me, killed, know thus; siitaam hR^itvaa= Seetha, on stealing; sa baandhavam= with, kinsmen; aatmaanam ca= yourself, also; hatam viddhi= as killed, you know thus.

"Know that I am killed just when Rama notices me, and know that you are also killed along with your kinsmen just when you steal Seetha. [3-41-18]

aanayiSyasi cet siitaam aashramaat sahito mayaa |
na eva tvam asi na eva aham na eva la.nkaa na raakSasaaH || 3-41-19

19. mayaa sahitaH= me, together with; aashramaat= from hermitage; siitaam aanayiSyasi cet= Seetha, is brought, if; tvam na eva asi= you, not, that way, you will be there dead; aham eva na= I am, also, not - there; lankaa na eva= Lanka, is not there, thus; raakSasaaH na= demons, are not there;

"If you are going to bring Seetha from their hermitage on going there with me, then you will not be there, I will not be there, Lanka will not be there, the demons will not be there. [3-41-19]

nivaaryamaaNaH tu mayaa hita eSiNaa
na mR^iSyase vaakyam idam nishaacara |
pareta kalpaa hi gata aayuSo naraa
hitam na gR^ihNanti suhR^idbhiH iiritam || 3-41-20

20. nishaacara= oh, night-walker; hita eSiNaa= welfare, desirer; mayaa= by me; nivaaryamaaNaH tu= you are being dissuaded, but; idam vaakyam= this, word - of advice; na mR^iSyase= not, feeling pleasant; gata aayuSaH= those with diminished, lifetime; pareta kalpaa naraaH= corpse, similar to, people; su hR^idbhiH iiritam= by good, hearted ones [considerate confidants,] spoken; hitam na gR^ihNanti hi= expedient, not, take in, isn't so.

"As a desirer of your welfare I am dissuading you, oh, night-walker, but you may feel that this word of mine is unpleasant to you. People on diminishing lifetime will be similar to corpses and a corpse cannot take in the expedient spoken by considerate confidants, isn't so. [3-41-20]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe eka catvaarimshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 41st chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 42

Introduction

On travelling by the aircraft like chariot Ravana and Maareecha enter Dandaka forest and arrive at the threshold of Rama's hermitage. Then at the insistence of Ravana Maareecha assumes the form of an amazing golden Deer, and Seetha catches a sight of that deer.

evam uktvaa tu paruSam maariico raavaNam tataH |
gacChaavaH iti abraviit diino bhayaat raatrim cara prabhoH || 3-42-1

1. tataH= then; maariicaH evam paruSam uktvaa tu= Maareecha, in this way, curtly, said, but; raatrim cara prabhoH= of night, walkers, king - Ravana; bhayaat diinaH= for fear, self-pityingly; gacChaavaH iti= we will go, thus; raavaNam= to Ravana; abraviit= said.

Maareecha though curtly said in that way, then afraid of the king of night-walkers he became self-pitying, and said to Ravana, 'let us go.' [3-42-1]

dR^iSTaaH ca aham punaH tena shara caapa asi dhaariNaa |
madvadho udyata shastreNa vinaSTam jiivitam ca me || 3-42-2

2. aham= I; shara caapa asi dhaariNaa= arrow, bow, sword, by the wielder of; mat vadhaH udyata shastreNa= for my, killing, [if he with] upraised, [his] weapon; tena= by him [Rama]; punaH dR^iSTaaH= again, I am seen [if seen]; me jiivitam vi naSTam= my, life, is verily lost.

"If he who wields a bow, arrows and a sword, and who brandishes a weapon to only kill me happens to see me again, deem my life is verily lost, without his shooting any arrow. [3-42-2]

na hi raamam paraakramya jiivan prati nivartate |
var.htate prati ruupo asau yama daNDa hatasya te || 3-42-3

3. raamam paraakramya= at Rama, to affront - make so bold; jiivan= while living; na= will not; prati nivartate= returns [resurrects]; hi= isn't it; yama daNDa hatasya= by Yama [ the Terminator,] with wand, slain; such as I am; asau= this one [of mine]; prati ruupaH= [my] reflected, image; te= [before] you; vartate= carrying on - is appearing.

"None can really make so bold at Rama to reappear with life, isn't it. What is appearing before you is the reflected image of mine, as I am already slain by the wand of Yama, the Terminator, the moment I conceded to your demand.

kim nu kartum mayaa shakyam evam tvayi duraatmani |
eSa gacChaami aham taata svasti te astu nishaacaraH || 3-42-4

4. tvayi evam dur aatmani= you, being a spiteful person; mayaa kim kartum shakyam nu= by me, what is, possible, to do, indeed; taata= oh, dear boy; nishaacaraH= oh, night-walker; eSa aham gacChaami= this, I am, going; te svasti astu= to you, good, may betide.

"When you are spiteful, oh, boy, indeed what can I possibly do otherwise, oh, night-walker, thither I go, may good betide you." So said Maareecha to Ravana. [3-42-4]

prahR^iSTaH tu abhavat tena vacanena sa raakSasaH |
pariSvajya susa.mshliSTam idam vacanam abraviit || 3-42-5

5. saH raakSasaH= he, demon - Ravana; tena vacanena= by that, word; pra hR^iSTaH abhavat= verily, glad, he became; su sam shliSTam= very, well, tightly; pariSvajya= on hugging; idam vacanam abraviit= this, sentence, spoke.

By that word of Maareecha demon Ravana is very much gladdened and he spoke this sentence tightly hugging him. [3-42-5]

etat shauNDiirya - chauttirya -nyuktam te mat cCha.nda vasha vartinaH |
idaaniim asi maariicaH puurvam anyo nishaacaraH || 3-42-6

6. mat cChanda vasha vartinaH= in my, dictate's, control, abiding; te= of yours; etat= this word; cChauTirya yuktam= obduracy, having - shows; idaaniim maariicaH asi= from now, you are, Maareecha; puurvam anyaH nishaacaraH= earlier, different, night-walker.

"This word of yours shows your obduracy for you are abiding under the control of my dictate, and though you were a different night-walker earlier, henceforth you are really the good old Maareecha. [3-42-6]

Some mms use the word shauNDiirya for cChauTirya , where shauNDiirya is the word for courageousness, shauNDiirya tyaagii viirayoH : nighanTu The other way to tell this is: "Though your words show the fear of my dictate, but on listening those obdurate words, it appears that you have spoken them for yourself, regaining the grit of your demon-hood and estimating Rama as your own enemy," by which Ravana is shirking his responsibility to Maareecha himself in the event of the death of Maareecha.

aaruhyataam shiighram khago ratna vibhuuSitaH |
mayaa saha ratho yuktaH pishaaca vadanaiH kharaiH || 3-42-7

7. pishaaca vadanaiH kharaiH yuktaH= with ghost, faced ones, asses - mules, yoked with; ratna vibhuuSitaH= with gems, adorned with; kha gaH= in sky, going; rathaH= chariot; [atha= then]; shiighram mayaa saha aaruhyataam= promptly, me, along with, you emplane.

"Then you promptly emplane this sky-flying chariot which is yoked with ghost-faced mules and adorned with gems along with me. [3-42-7]

It may be noted that this sort of air-chariots, though richly decorated with valuable gold and gems, but drawn by asses or mules, that too ghost-faced ones, are a kind of the then sci-fi version of aircrafts. Ravana's son Indrajit also uses such spaceships in Yuddha Kanda and his weaponry is altogether different, i.e., somewhat like the present day laser oriented hardware. These propellers may not be construed as real donkeys or mules but some powered vehicle-drawing instruments designed to look like ordinary harmless creatures.

pralobhayitvaa vaidehiim yathaa iSTam gantum arhasi |
taam shuunye prasabham siitaam aanayiSyaami maithiliim || 3-42-8

8. vaidehiim pralobhayitvaa= Vaidehi, on deluding; yathaa iSTam gantum arhasi= as, you please, to go, apt of you; shuunye= in empty place - devoid of people; maithiliim taam siitaam= one from Mithila, her, Seetha will be; prasabham= forcibly, defiantly; aanayiSyaami= brought by me.

"On deluding Vaidehi it is apt of you to go as you please, and I will bring that Seetha of Mithila, however defiant it might be." Thus Ravana said to Maareecha. [3-42-8]

Ravana is saying repeatedly that Maareecha can go away after beguiling Seetha and misleading Rama and Lakshmana away from hermitage. Maareecha knows that there is no place to go away from Rama's arrow, which once chased him up to seashore. But Ravana presumes that if Maareecha is capable enough, he will escape Rama, or if this old demon Maareecha is incapable of it, he may perhaps die by the arrow of Rama, for which Ravana is unconcerned.

tathaa iti uvaaca enam raavaNam taaTakaa sutaH |
tato raavaNa maariicau vimaanam iva tam ratham || 3-42-9
aaruhya yayatuH shiighram tasmaat aashrama maNDalaat |

9, 10a. taaTakaa sutaH= Tataka's, son - Maareecha; tathaa iti= thus only [all right]; enam raavaNam uvaaca == to him, to Ravana, said; tataH= then; raavaNa maariicau= Ravana, Maareecha; tam ratham= that, chariot; vimaanam iva= aircraft, as with; aaruhya= on emplaning; tasmaat aashrama maNDalaat= from that, hermitage's, surroundings - from Maareecha's hermitage; shiighram yayatuH= swiftly, they travelled;

Tataka's son Maareecha said "All right" to Ravana, and then both Ravana and Maareecha mounted the chariot as they would emplane an aircraft and swiftly journeyed from the surroundings of Maareecha's hermitage. [3-42-9, 10a]

tathaiva tatra pashyantau pattanaani vanaani ca || 3-42-10
giriim ca saritaaH sarvaa raaSTraaNi nagaraaNi ca |

10b, 11a. tathaa eva= like that; tatra= there - en route; pattanaani vanaani ca= seaports, forests, also; giriim ca sarvaaH saritaaH= mountains, also, rivers, all of them; raaSTraaNi nagaraaNi ca= provinces, cities, even; pashyantau [yayatuH]= while seeing - they travelled.

While looking at the seaports and forests, also at all the mountains and rivers, even at the cities and provinces en route they proceeded. [3-42-10b, 11a]

sametya daNDaka araNyam raaghavasya aashramam tataH || 3-42-11
dadarsha saha mariico raavaNo raakSasaadhipaH |

11b, 12a. saha mariicaH= with, Maareecha; raakSasa adhipaH raavaNaH= king, of demons, Ravana; daNDaka araNyam sametya= Dandaka, forest, on reaching; tataH raaghavasya aashramam dadarsha then, Raghava's, hermitage, he has seen.

On reaching Dandaka forest along with Maareecha the king of demons Ravana has then seen the hermitage of Raghava. [3-42-11b, 12a]

Please refer to the endnote for the Ancient Indian way of classification of villages, towns, and cities as per Indian architecture called vaastu shaastra.

avatiirya rathaat tasmaat tataH kaa.ncana bhuuSaNaat || 3-42-12
haste gR^ihiitvaa maariicam raavaNo vaakyam abraviit |

12b, 13a. raavaNaH= Ravana; kaancana bhuuSaNaat tasmaat rathaat avatiirya= with golden [ornaments,] decorated, from that, chariot, having alighted; tataH= then; maariicam haste gR^ihiitvaa= Maareecha, in hand, on taking; vaakyam abraviit= sentence, spoke.

Alighting the chariot that is decorated with golden ornaments Ravana then spoke this sentence to Maareecha taking his hand into his. [3-42-12b, 13a]

etat raama aashrama padam dR^ishyate kadalii vR^itam || 3-42-13
kriyataam tat sakhe shiighram yat artham vayam aagataaH |

13b, 14a. sakhe= oh, friend; kadalii vR^itam= banana plants, surrounded with; etat raama aashrama padam= this, is Rama's, hermitage's, threshold; dR^ishyate= being seen; to which; vayam yat artham aagataaH= we, for which, reason, came here; tat= that work; shiighram kriyataam= promptly, be done.

"This one which we are seeing and which is surrounded with banana plants is the threshold of Rama's hermitage, and -`----oh, friend, the purpose for which we came here let it be effectuated promptly." Thus Ravana hastened Maareecha. [3-42-13b, 14a]

sa raavaNa vacaH shrutvaa maariico raakSasaH tadaa || 3-42-14
mR^igo bhuutvaa aashrama dvaari raamasya vicacaara ha |

14b, 15a. tadaa= then; saH raakSasaH maariicaH= he that, demon, Maareecha; raavaNa vacaH shrutvaa= Ravana's, words, on hearing; mR^igaH bhuutvaa= deer, on becoming; raamasya aashrama dvaari= in Rama's, hermitage's, door - frontage; vi cacaara ha= verily, ambled, indeed.

"And on hearing Ravana's words demon Maareecha then became a deer and indeed ambled freely in the frontage of Rama's hermitage. [3-42-14b, 15a]

sa tu ruupam samaasthaaya mahat adbhuta darshanam || 3-42-15
maNipravara shR^i.ngaagraH sita asita mukhaakR^itiH |

15b, 16a. saH= he - Maareecha; adbhuta darshanam= superbly amazing, in appearance; mahat ruupam= gorgeous, form; sam aasthaaya= verily, on adopting; maNi pravara shR^inga agraH= sapphire blue [in the hue of,] the best, horn, with tips; sita a +sita mukha aakR^itiH= whitish, not, so whitish, face's, in look; such a; mR^igaH bhuutvaa vicacaara= deer, on becoming, he moved about.

Adopting the form of a gorgeous deer which is superbly amazing just by its appearance, whose tips of antlers are in the hue of best sapphires, and whose face is whitish at some places and not so whitish at other in its look, he became a Golden Deer and moved thereabout. [3-42-15b, 16a]

raktapadmotpala mukha indraniilotpala shravaaH || 3-42-16
kimcit abhyunnata griiva indraniila nibha udaraH |

16b, 17a. rakta padma utpala mukha= red, lotus [on one side,] blue lotus, [on the other,] face [cheeks]; indra niila utpala shravaaH= Indra, Blue [sapphirine in hue,] [bloomed] blue-lotus like, ears; kimcit abhi unnata griiva= a little, up, raised, neck; indra niila nibha udaraH [dasha adhara]= Indra, blue diamond, in shine, stomach, [lower lip]; vicacaara= he moved about.

One of its cheeks in the shade of a reddish-lotus while the other in the hue of a bluish-lotus, one of its ears is in the hue of bloomed blue-lotus while the other is in the shade of a sapphire, while the shine of its stomach is like that of a best blue-diamond, Indra-niila-maNi, and with a little upraised neck that deer has moved about there. [3-42-16b, 17a]

madhuuka nibha paarshvaH ca ka.nja ki.njalka samnibhaH || 3-42-17
vaiduurya sa.nkaasha khuraH tanu ja.nghaH susa.mhataH |

17b, 18a. paarshvaH ca= flanks, also; madhuuka nibha= Mahuka flower [whitish flower from which country liquor is prepared,] in shine; kanja kinjalka sannibhaH= lotuses, fibril, similar to - flanks; vaiduurya sankaasha khuraH= Lapis [gem,] similar, hooves; tanu janghaH= thin, calves; su sam hataH= very, well, cohered - limbs; vicacaara= moved about.

One flank is shining whitish like Madhuka flowers and the other is similar to the roseate fibrils of lotuses, while its hooves are similar to the gemstone lapis, calves thin, and thus with very well cohered limbs that deer moved about there. [3-42-17b, 18a]

indra aayudha savarNena pucChena uurdhvam viraajitaH || 3-42-18
manohara snigdha varNo ratnaiH naanaa vidhaiH vR^itaH |

18b, 19a. uurdhvam vi raajitaH= to up - upraised [tail,] verily shining forth; indra aayudha sa varNena= Indra's, weapon [Rainbow,] equal, in tinge; pucChena= with such a tail; snigdha varNaH= lustrous, in colour [of body]; naanaa vidhaiH ratnaiH vR^itaH [iva]= many, diverse ones, with gems [gemlike dapples,] encompassed [dappled with.]; manaH haraH= heart, stealing - deer's aura; vicacaara= moved about.

With an upraised tail that shone forth in a tinge equal to the weapon of Indra, namely Rainbow, and with a complexion that is lustrous and dappled with many diverse gemlike dapples, that deer moved thereabout with a heart-stealing aura. [3-42-18b, 19a]

kSaNena raakSaso jaato mR^igaH parama shobhanaH || 3-42-19
vanam prajvalayan ramyam raama aashrama padam ca tat |

19b, 20a. raakSasaH= demon [Maareecha]; vanam= woodlands; tat raama aashrama padam= that, Rama's, hermitage's, threshold; ca= even - in particular; pra jvalayan= verily, irradiating; kSaNena= in a moment; parama shobhanaH= highly, splendorous; ramyam= fascinating; mR^igaH jaataH= as deer, emerged as.

Thus that demon Maareecha emerged like a highly splendorous and fascinating deer in a wink highly irradiating those woodlands, and the threshold of Rama's hermitage in particular. [3-42-19b, 20a]

manoharam darshaniiyam ruupam kR^itvaa sa raakSasaH || 3-42-20
pralobhanaartham vaidehyaa naanaa dhaatu vicitritam |
vicaran gacChate samyak shaadvalaani sama.ntataH || 3-42-21

20b, 21. saH raakSasaH= he that, demon; naanaa dhaatu vi citritam= various, ores, [colours of ores,] amazingly, [body] painted with; manoharam darshaniiyam ruupam= heart-stealing, exquisite, form; kR^itvaa= on making - on adopting; vaidehyaaH pralobhana artham= Vaidehi, to delude, reason of; vi caran= freely, moving; samantataH= all over; shaadvalaani= on pastures; samyak= with good bearing [deer-like in conduct]; gacChate= is moving about.

Adopting such an exquisite and heart-stealing form which is amazingly dappled with the colours of diverse ores, that demon ambled all over there freely with the bearing of a real deer in order that Vaidehi might be deluded, and he moved forward onto the pastures. [3-42-2b, 21]

ropyaiH bindu shataiH citro bhuutvaa ca priya darshanaH |
viTapiinaam kisalayaan bhakshayan vicacaara ha || 3-42-22

22. ropyaiH bindu shataiH= with silvery, stipples [of body,] hundreds of; citraH bhuutvaa ca= astonishing, on becoming, also; priya darshanaH= having pleasant, for looks; viTapiinaam kisalayaan bhakshayan= of trees, new grass-blades, to graze; vicacaara ha= moved about, indeed.

And with hundreds of silvery stipples of body he became an astonishing deer with pleasant looks and indeed moved chewing new grass-blades of trees. [3-42-22]

kadalii gR^ihakam gatvaa karNikaaraani tataH tataH |
samaashrayan ma.ndagatiH siitaa sa.ndarshanam tataH || 3-42-23

23. kadalii gR^ihakam gatvaa= banana, boscage, on going; karNikaaraani tataH tataH= of Karnikara, there, there; manda gatiH= slow, paced - on becoming; tataH= then; siitaa= Seetha; sam darshanam= field of view - at such a place; sam aashrayan= well, abided - resorted to such a place.

That Golden Deer has gone into the boscages of banana plants, and moved here and there around Karnikara trees, and then resorted to a place which is within the eyeshot of Seetha. [3-42-23]

raajiiva citra pR^iSThaH sa viraraaja mahaamR^igaH |
raama aashrama pada abhyaashe vicacaara yathaa sukham || 3-42-24

24. saH mahaa mR^igaH= that, astounding, deer; raajiiva citra pR^iSThaH= lotus-like, odd, hind-side - it has; vi raraaja= verily, scintillated; raama aashrama pada abhyaashe= Rama's, hermitage's, threshold, surroundings; yathaa sukham vicacaara= as per, delight, milled around.

With an odd lotus like hind-side that astounding deer is verily scintillating, and it milled around the surroundings in the threshold of Rama's hermitage according to its own delight. [3-42-24]

punar gatvaa nivR^ittaH ca vicacaara mR^igottamaH |
gatvaa muhuurtam tvarayaa punaH prati nivartate || 3-42-25

25. mR^iga uttamaH= deer, the excellent one; gatvaa punaH nivR^ittaH ca= on going away, again, on coming back, also; vicacaara= meandered; muhuurtam gatvaa= for sometime, on going away; punaH tvarayaa prati nivartate [vi kriiDan]= again, towards [hermitage,] returns, [very, playfully.]

That excellent deer beats a retreat and again returns, and meanders thus time and again, and turns its tail for sometime only to return once again very playfully. [3-42-25]

vikriiDan ca punar bhuumau punar eva niSiidati |
aashrama dvaaram aagamya mR^iga yuuthaani gacChati || 3-42-26

26. vi kriiDan= while verily, playing - gambolling [everywhere]; punaH ca= again, also; [kvacit= somewhere]; bhuumau punaH eva niSiidati= on ground, again, thus, sinks down - sits down; aashrama dvaaram aagamya= hermitage, threshold, on coming to; mR^iga yuuthaani gacChati= towards deer, herds, goes.

Again gambolling everywhere it sits somewhere on the ground, then, on coming to the threshold of hermitage it goes towards herds of deer. [3-42-26]

mR^iga yuuthaiH anugataH punar eva nivar.htate |
siitaa darshanam aakaa.nkSan raakSaso mR^igataam gataH || 3-42-27
paribhramati citraaNi maNDalaani viniSpatan |

27, 28a. mR^igataam gataH raakSasaH= deer-hood, on going into, demon - Maareecha; siitaa darshanam aakaankSan= to Seetha, to be perceptible, desirous of; mR^iga yuuthaiH anugataH= by deer, by herds, when followed [fraternizing]; punaH eva= again, thus; nivartatere= returns; vi niS patan= verily, out, falling - leaping and bounding; citraaNi maNDalaani pari bhramati= amusing, in circles, moves - whirligigs.

That demon who has gone into the deer-hood has gone after some herd of deer. But he returned again though that herd followed him wanting to fraternise, in order that he shall remain perceptible to Seetha, and he whirligiged in amusing circles while leaping and bounding to and from that herd of deer. [3-42-27, 28a]

samudviikSya ca sarve tam mR^igaa ye anye vanecaraaH || 3-42-28
upagamya samaaghraaya vidravanti disho dasha |

28b, 29a. vane caraaH= in forest, moving; ye sarve anye mR^igaaH= which, all, other, animals - are there; samudviikhya - sam ut viikSya= well, up [-necked,] on seeing; upa aagamya= to near, on coming; sam aaghraayaon= well, smelling [demon-deer]; dasha dishaH= to ten, directions; vi dravanti= verily, running away.

All the other animals moving in that forest on seeing this demon-deer with their necks up have come close to it, and on smelling it well they are running away to all the ten directions noticing it as a demon turned into a deer. [3-42-28b, 29a]

Here the animals are portrayed as better beings than humans in identifying demons or ghosts. Though they may not know or wish to know about god, the apparent ghost scares them. Humans apperceive neither god nor ghost because they are half of each.

raakSasaH so api taan vanyaan mR^igaan mR^igavadhe rataH || 3-42-29
pracChaadanaartham bhaavasya na bhakSayati sa.mspR^ishan |

29b, 30a. mR^iga vadhe rataH= in animal, killing, indulged; saH raakSasaH api= that, demon Maareecha, even; vanyaan taan mR^igaan= pertaining to forest, those, animals; samspR^ishan= touching them; bhaavasya= of his nature; pracChaadana artham= camouflaging, for the reason of; na bhakSayati= not, eating them.

Even that demon in the deer's semblance Maareecha, though indulged in killing those forest animals, and though the other animals are touching him, he is not killing and eating them indulgently, only for the reason of camouflaging his present nature of demon-hood. [3-42-29b, 30a]

tasmin eva tataH kaale vaidehii shubhalocanaa || 3-42-30
kusuma apacaye vyagraa paadapaan abhyavartata |

30b, 21a. tataH= what is more; tasmin eva kaale= at that, only, at time - in the same instant; shubha locanaa vaidehii= one with felicitous, eyes, Vaidehi; kusuma apacaye vyagraa= flowers, in plucking, yearning for; paadapaan abhyavartata [abhi a vartata]= to trees, towards, she came.

What is more, Vaidehi with her felicitous eyes came towards trees yearning for plucking the flowers in the same instant. [3-42-30b, 31a]

karNikaaraan ashokaan ca cuutaam ca madirekSaNaa || 3-42-31
kusumaani apacinvantii cacaara ruciraananaa |

31b, 32a. madira iikSaNaa= one with inebriating, glances; rucira ananaa= one with delightful, visage; such Seetha; karNikaaraan ashokaan ca cuutaam ca= Karnikaara, Ashoka, also, Chuuta, also; kusumaani apacinvantii cacaara= flowers, while plucking, moved about.

And she with her inebriating glances and delightful visage moved there about while plucking flowers of Karnikaara, Ashoka, and of Mango trees. [3-42-31b, 32a]

anarhaa araNya vaasasya saa tam ratnamayam mR^igam || 3-42-32
muktaa maNi vicitra a.ngam dadarsha parama a.nganaa |

32b, 33a. araNya vaasasya= for forest, dwelling; an arhaa= not, unsuited to; saa parama anganaa= she that, select, lady; ratnamayam= completely gemlike - as if; muktaa maNi vi citra angam= [studded with] pearls, gems, surprising, having limbs; tam mR^igam dadarsha= at that, deer, she beheld.

That select lady who is unmeet for forest life beheld that deer which is completely gemlike and whose limbs are surprising as though studded with pearls and gems. [3-42-32b, 33a]

tam vai rucira da.nta oSTham ruupya dhaatu tanuu ruham || 3-42-33
vismayaat utphulla nayanaa sa sneham samudaikSata |

33b, 34a. [saa= she, Seetha]; rucira danta oSTham= one with pretty, teeth, lips - deer; ruupya dhaatu tanuu ruham= silver, ore [like copper ore coloured,] body, born [hairs]; tam= that [deer]; vismayaat utphulla nayanaa= astonishment, broadening, her eyes; sa sneham= with, affinity; samudaikshata [sam ut iikSata]= well, raising eyes, has seen - rubbernecked, goggled; vai= indeed.

And she that Seetha goggled the Golden Deer with a wide-eyed astonishment, which deer has pretty lips and teeth, hair resembling silver and copper ores, and she indeed gazed at it with an affinity for wildlife. [3-42-33b, 34a]

sa ca taam raama dayitaam pashyan maayaamayo mR^igaH || 3-42-34
vicacaara tataH tatra diipayan iva tat vanam |

34b, 35a. maayaa mayaH= highly, phantasmal; sa R^igaH ca= that, deer also; taam raama dayitaam pashyan= at her, Rama's, wife, on seeing; tat vanam diipayan iva= that, woods, to scintillate, as though; tataH tatra vi cacaara= then, there about, verily, moved.

On seeing Rama's wife Seetha that highly phantasmal deer too then moved there about as though to scintillate that woodland. [3-42-34b, 35a]

adR^iSTa puurvam dR^iSTvaa tam naanaa ratnamayam mR^igam |
vismayam paramam siitaa jagaama janaka aatmajaa || 3-42-35

35b, c. a +dR^iSTa puurvam= un, seen, hitherto; naanaa ratnamayam= numerously, gem-studded [as though]; tam mR^igam= that, deer; dR^iSTvaa= having seen; janaka aatmajaa= Janaka's, daughter; siitaa= Seetha; paramam vismayam jagaama= intense, astonishment, went into.

To see such a deer which is hitherto unseen, and which is as though studded with numerous gems, the daughter of Janaka, Seetha, went in to an intense wonderment. [3-42-35b, c]

The stress continuously laid on the eyes of Seetha is observable, only to conclude that 'trust not what thy eyes show you...'

.

Classification of Villages, Town, and Cities in Ancient India.

gr˜ma× ca nagaram caiva pattanam kharvatam puram |
khe÷akam kusumam caiva þibiram r˜ja v˜sikam |
sen˜ mukam iti eva daþadh˜ kŸrtitam budhai× ||

The vaastu shaastra or the Ancient Indian Architecture lays down certain parameters for town, cities etc. Of them the township is said to be aneka n˜rŸ sambaddham nan˜ þilpi janai× v®tam | kraya vikrayai× kŸrõam sarva devai× samanvitam nagaram tu iti vikhy˜tam adored with many ladies, many sculptors or architects, and with many deities, and where the buying and selling goes on it is nagaram the township.

The Seaports are said as: pattanam þ®õu s˜mpratam | dvŸp˜ntara gata dravya kraya vikrayikai× yutam | pattanam tu abdhi tŸre sy˜t | one which has all the above aspects but which is at seaside, it is pattanam seaport. The township between a nagara and puram is kharvaTam.

And the City is: kraya vikrayai× yutam n˜n˜ j˜ti samanvitam | tantuv˜ya sam˜yuktam tat puram tu vikathyateThe one with all the above aspects plus very many civilisations and weavers and the like craftsmen, is purii, the city. Apart from these, the royal places, army stations etc., do comprise the ten varieties of urban places as said in the above verse, where the village is the first unit.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe dvi catvaari.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 42nd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 43

Introduction

On spotting the deer Seetha calls Rama and Lakshmana to have sight of it. Lakshmana immediately concludes it to be Maareecha, but Seetha, keeping his observation aside asks Rama to fetch it. Rama is also fascinated when he looked at that deer and he explains to Lakshmana as to why that particular deer is to be hunted down.

saa tam sa.mprekSya sushroNii kusumaani vicinvatii |
hema raajata var.hNaabhyaam paar.hshvaabhyaam upashobhitam || 3-43-1
prahR^iSTaa ca anavadyaangii mR^iSTa haaTaka varNinii |
bhartaaram api ca aakranda lakSmaNam caiva saayudham || 3-43-2

1. su shroNii= slender, waisted one; anavadya angii= flawlessly, limbed; mR^iSTa haaTaka varNinii= purified, gold, one in colour of - complexioned one; kusumaani vicinvatii= flowers, while culling; saa= she - Seetha; hema raajata varNaabhyaam paarshvaabhyaam= with golden, silver, tinged, with flanks; upashobhitam= brightened with; tam= that; [mR^igam= deer]; sam prekSya= on observing; pra hR^iSTaa ca= well, gladdened, also; bhartaaram api= at husband, even; sa aayudham lakSmaNam ca eva= [who is] with, weapon, at Lakshmana, also thus; aakranda= shouted, exclaimed.

That slender-waisted Seetha whose limbs are flawless, whose complexion is like purified gold, and who is presently culling flowers is highly gladdened to observe the Golden Deer that is brightened in one flank with the colour of gold and the other is silvery, and she shouted for attention of her husband, and even that of Lakshmana who is presently weaponed. [3-43-1, 2]

aahuuya aahuuya ca punaH tam mR^igam saadhu viikshate |
aagacCha aagacCha shiighram vai aaryaputra saha anuja || 3-43-3

3. aarya putra= oh, nobleman's, son - Rama; aagacCha= come here; saha anuja shiighram aagacCha vai= with, younger brother, quickly, come here, really; [iti= this way]; aahuuya aahuuya= calling, calling; punaH tam mR^igam saadhu viikshate= again [oftentimes,] at that, deer, fondly, gazing.

"Oh, noble prince, come here," thus she called her husband and peered at the deer, and again she called, "really come with your younger brother quickly," and again gazed at the deer, and thus she oftentimes called and oftentimes saw the deer fondly. [3-43-3]

tayaa aahuutau naravyaaghrau vaidehyaa raama lakSmaNau |
viikSamaaNau tu tam desham tadaa dadR^ishatuH mR^igam || 3-43-4

4. tayaa vaidehyaa aahuutau= by her, by Vaidehi, bidden; nara vyaaghrau= bidden, manly, lions [vyaahra also means lion]; raama lakSmaNau= Rama, Lakshmana; tam desham viikSamaaNau [aayaatau]= that, place, on exploring [having come]; tadaa mR^igam dadR^ishatuH= then, Golden Deer, they saw.

Those manly lions Rama and Lakshmana thus bidden by Vaidehi came there exploring that place and then they saw that Golden Deer. [3-43-4]

sha.nkamaanaH tu tam dR^iSTvaa lakSmaNo raamam abraviit |
tam eva enam aham manye maariicam raakSasam mR^igam || 3-43-5

5. tam dR^iSTvaa= at it, on seeing; shankamaanaH lakSmaNaH tu= becoming incredulous, Lakshmana, on his part; raamam abraviit= to Rama, said; aham enam mR^igam= I, this, deer; tam raakSasam maariicam eva manye= him, as Maareecha, demon, alone, I believe.

But Lakshmana became incredulous on seeing it and said to Rama, "I believe this deer to be that Maareecha, the demon." [3-43-5]

caranto mR^igayaam hR^iSTaaH paapena upaadhinaa vane |
anena nihataa raama raajaanaH kaama ruupiNaa || 3-43-6

6. raama= oh, Rama; hR^iSTaaH mR^igayaam carantaH raajaanaH= delightedly, in game of hunting, who are moving around, kings; kaama ruupiNaa= by wish, guise-changer; anena paapena= by this, sinner - sinister; vane= in forest; upaadhinaa= [by his resorting to] disguises; nihataa= are killed.

"Oh, Rama, when kings engaged in hunting games were delightedly moving in the forest, this Maareecha killed many of them resorting to many disguises, for he is a guise-changer by his wish. [3-43-6]

asya maayaavido maayaa mR^iga ruupam idam kR^itam |
bhaanumat puruSavyaaghra gandharva pura sa.nnibham || 3-43-7

7. puruSavyaaghra= oh, man, the lion; maayaa vidaH= wiles, expert in; asya= his - Maareecha's; bhaanumat= having scintillation; gandharva pura sannibham= gandharva, [wilily] city, similar in shine; idam maayaa mR^iga ruupam kR^itam= this, wily, Golden-Deer, form, is made - he assumed.

"Maareecha is an expert in many wiles and he has now assumed the form of this Golden-Deer, oh, manly lion, which is not more than the scintillating city of Gandharva-s, a city of wiles, which any trickster can create to make-believe. [3-43-7]

The 'Gandharva-city' is the name given to a make-believe formation of a city-like structure in skies by magicians, and presently the magicians world over are making the apparent structures to disappear, rather than constructing one which is un-manifest.

mR^igo hi evam vidho ratna vicitro na asti raaghava |
jagatyaam jagatiinaatha maayaa eSaa hi na sa.mshayaH || 3-43-8

8. jagatii naatha raaghava= oh, world/earth, lord of, [such a] Raghava; evam vidhaH= this, kind of; mR^igaH= animal/deer; ratna= gemmed, gem studded; vi citraH [citritaH ]= verily, amazing [or, amazingly dappled animal]; jagatyaam na asti hi= in world, non, existent, isn't it; eSaa maayaa hi= this is, phantasm, truly; na samshayaH= no, doubt.

"Oh, Raghava, this kind of amazing animal with gemlike dapples is nonexistent in the world, isn't it. Hence, oh, lord of the world, this is truly a phantasm. No doubt about it." So said Lakshmana to Rama. [3-43-8]

Here the timely provision of data by Lakshmana may be noticed. Rama is also aware of it, but Lakshmana is reminding him. Lakshmana cites even the name of Maareecha and by this, we can infer as to why Ravana chose Maareecha for this particular purpose. Because Maareecha has that extraordinary ability to lure and has a good record of wily accomplishments, Ravana chose him. Lakshmana has done his duty in presenting expedient data and it is up to Rama to analyse it. Rama argues on this point later in the chapter.

evam bruvaaNam kaakutstham prativaarya shuci smitaa |
uvaaca siitaa sa.nhR^iSTaa chadmanaa hR^ita cetanaa || 3-43-9

9. shuci smitaa= one with whitely, smile - with a toothy smile; chadmanaa [carmaNaa] hR^ita cetanaa= by cozenage, [by deerskin,] conjured, heart; sam hR^iSTaa= self-satisfied [with her own thinking]; siitaa= such a Seetha; evam bruvaaNam kaakutstham= this way, who is speaking, Kakutstha Lakshmana; prati vaarya= in turn, on forestalling - on deterring; uvaaca= spoke.

While Lakshmana of Kakutstha-s is speaking thus, she who is self-satisfied as her heart is conjured by the cozenage, such a Seetha of a toothy smile deterred him and spoke. [3-43-9]

aaryaputra abhiraamo asau mR^igo harati me manaH |
aanaya enam mahaabaaho kriiDaartham naH bhaviSyati || 3-43-10

10. aarya putra= oh, son of noble; abhiraamaH asau mR^igaH= delightful, that, deer; me manaH harati= my, heart, stealing; mahaabaahuH= oh, dextrous one; enam aanaya= that one [deer,] bring round; naH kriiDa artham [kriiDanakaH, kriiDanakam] bhaviSyati= for us, for playing, [a plaything,] it will become.

"Oh, nobleman's son, that delightful deer is stealing my heart, oh, dextrous one, bring it round, it will be our plaything. [3-43-10]

iha aashrama pade asmaakam bahavaH puNya darshanaaH |
mR^igaaH caranti sahitaaH camaraaH sR^imaraaH tathaa || 3-43-11

11. asmaakam iha aashrama pade= of ours, here, in hermitage's, threshold; puNya darshanaaH= adorable [deer,] in manifestation; bahavaH= many; mR^igaaH= animals; sR^imaraaH tathaa camaraaH= Srimara deer, like that, Caamara-s; sahitaaH caranti= collectively - in flocks and herds, move about.

"Here in the threshold of our hermitage many animals with adorable manifestation are moving about in flocks and herds, say Caamara deer, like that Srimara deer. [3-43-11]

The Camara is the kind of deer of species Bos grunniens and Srimara a larger variety than Camara.

R^ikSaaH pR^iSata sa.nghaaH ca vaanaraaH kinaraaH tathaa |
vicaranti mahaabaaho ruupa shreSThaa mahaabalaaH || 3-43-12

12. mahaabaahuH= oh, dextrous one; ruupa shreSThaa= in form, excellent ones; vaanaraaH= monkeys; tathaa kinaraaH= likewise, Kinnara deer; pR^iSata sanghaaH ca= spotted-deer, herds of, also; mahaabalaaH R^ikSaaH= great-mighty, bears; vi caranti= freely, moving.

"Also the animals that are excellent in their form, say monkeys, are moving here. Likewise herds of Kinnara deer, spotted-deer, and even bears of great-might are freely moving here. [3-43-12]

Here the Kinnaraa-s are another kind of deer and not to be confounded with yaksha, gandharva, kinnaraa celestials.

na ca asya sadR^isho raajan dR^iSTa puurvo mR^igaH mayaa |
tejasaa kSamayaa diiptyaa yathaa ayam mR^iga sattamaH || 3-43-13

13. raajan= oh, king; ayam mR^iga sattamaH= this, deer, the extraordinary one; yathaa= as to how it is appearing; tejasaa kSamayaa diiptyaa= by brilliance, by meekness [tameness,] by lustre [of skin]; asya sadR^ishaH mR^igaH= its, coequal, deer; mayaa na dR^iSTa puurvaH= by me, not seen, earlier - so far.

"As to how this extraordinary deer is appearing, oh, king, by way of its brilliance, tameness, or by the lustre of its skin, I have not so far seen any coequal to this. [3-43-13]

naanaa varNa vicitra a.ngo ratna bhuuto mama agrataH |
dyotayan vanam avyagram shobhate shashi sa.nnibhaH || 3-43-14

14. naanaa varNa vicitra angaH= diversely, coloured, amazingly, limbed; ratna bindu samaacitaH= gemlike, dapples, dappled with; ratna bhuutaH= gemmed, completely; shashi sannibhaH= moon, like - in shine; a+vyagram= not, hurriedly - nonchalantly; vanam dyotayan= forest, livening up; mama agrataH= my, before; shobhate= shining forth.

"Diversely coloured, amazingly limbed, and spotted with gemlike dapples it is shining forth like a deer that is completely gemmy, and while nonchalantly moving before me it is enlivening the forest like the moon. [3-43-14]

aho ruupam aho lakSmiiH svara sa.mpat ca shobhanaa |
mR^igo adbhuto vicitraa.ngo hR^idayam harati iva me || 3-43-15

15. aho ruupam aho lakSmiiH= ah, [what a] form, ah, [what a] brilliance; svara sampat ca shobhanaa= tonal, quality [bleat,] also, is beautiful; adbhutaH= wonderful; vicitra angaH mR^igaH= amazingly, limbed, deer; me hR^idayam harati iva= my, heart, stealing, as it were.

"Ah, what a form, ah, what a brilliance, what a beautiful bleat! This amazingly limbed deer is wonderful, and this is stealing my heart, as it were. [3-43-15]

yadi grahaNam abhyeti jiivan eva mR^igaH tava |
aashcarya bhuutam bhavati vismayam janayiSyati || 3-43-16

16. mR^igaH= deer; jiivan eva= while living [alive and well]; tava grahaNam abhyeti yadi= your, capture, draws in, if; aashcarya bhuutam bhavati= surprise, causing, it will be; vismayam janayiSyati= astonishment, creates.

"It will be surprising if this deer draws into your capture alive and well, as it creates astonishment to one and all. [3-43-16]

samaapta vana vaasaanaam raajya sthaanaam ca naH punaH |
a.ntaHpure vibhuuSaartho mR^iga eSa bhaviSyati || 3-43-17

17. eSa mR^igaH= this, deer; samaapta vana vaasaanaam= for us - on completing, forest, dwelling; punaH raajya sthaanaam ca= again, in kingdom, when [we will be] staying, also; naH= for us; antaHpure vibhuuSa arthaH= in palace-chambers, decoration, for the sake of - as a masterpiece; bhaviSyati= it becomes.

"When we return to kingdom on completing our dwelling in forest this deer becomes a masterpiece in palace-chambers for us. [3-43-17]

bharatasya aaryaputrasya shvashruuNaam mama ca prabho |
mR^iga ruupam idam divyam vismayam janayiSyati || 3-43-18

18. prabho= oh, lord; idam mR^iga ruupam= this, deer's, form; bharatasya= to Bharata; aaryaputrasya= to son of nobleman [you, Rama]; shvashruuNaam= to mothers-in-law; mama ca= to me, also; divyam vismayam janayiSyati= excellent, astonishment [jubilation,] creates.

"Oh, lord, the form of this deer creates an excellent jubilation to Bharata, to you the son of the nobleman, to my mothers-in-law, and also to me in palace-chambers. [3-43-18]

jiivan na yadi te abhyeti grahaNam mR^iga sattamaH |
ajinam narashaarduula ruciram tu bhaviSyati || 3-43-19

19. nara shaarduula= oh, tigerly-man; mR^iga sattamaH= deer, the best; jiivan= while living; te grahaNam na abhyeti yadi= into your, capture, no, comes into, else if; ruciram ajinam tu bhaviSyati= beautiful, deerskin, on its part, will be there - will be remnant with us.

"Else if that best deer does not come into you capture while alive, oh tigerly-man, at the least its gorgeous deerskin will be remnant of it. [3-43-19]

nihatasya asya sattvasya jaa.mbuunadamaya tvaci |
shaSpa bR^isyaam viniitaayaam icChaami aham upaasitum || 3-43-20

20. shaSpa bR^isyaam= tender darbha grass-blades, on seat of; viniitaayaam= overlaid; nihatasya asya sattvasya= killed, that, being's - of that killed deer; jaambuunadamaya tvaci= in golden, skin - on the deerskin; upa aasitum= nearby [along with you,] to sit; aham icChaami= I, wish to.

"I wish to sit along with you on its golden deerskin, overlaying it on a seat of tender darbha grass-blades, in case the deer is felled. [3-43-20]

The seat of those that are under a vow is called bR^isii, vratiinaam aasanam bR^isii, ajina, carma, kR^ittiH : amara kosha 'A seat covered with darbha, the sacred grass, [and if available] a deerskin thereon.'

kaamavR^ittam idam raudram striiNaam asadR^isham matam |
vapuSaa tu asya sattvasya vismayo janito mama || 3-43-21

21. raudram= unruly [nagging]; idam kaama vR^ittam= this sort of, independent behaviour - self-seeking; striiNaam= to women; a +sadR^isham= not, befitting; matam= tradition says so; tu= but; asya sattvasya= its, that being's; vapuSaa= by beautiful body; mama vismayaH janitaH= to me, astonishment - curiosity, is induced.

"Tradition says that this sort of unruly self-seeking is unbefitting to women, yet that deer's beautiful body is inducing curiosity in me." Seetha said so to Rama and remained waiting for his reply. [3-43-21]

Seetha talked only this much and left the fulfilment of her indent to the discretion of Rama. There is neither demand nor compulsion to bring the deer in her talk. But we usually hear the telltale stories, bringing from some other texts, which say that Seetha pestered, nagged, and harassed Rama to get this deer. But nothing of that sort is evident from the dialogue given to her by Valmiki. She started to ask Rama with a suchiH smitaH 'a white smile, i.e., a toothy smile or a simpering smile' that too to deride the security guard, namely Lakshmana. These security personnel all over the world and in all situations and always forewarn the secured, and on the other hand, it is customary to the secured person to jump off the cordon of security, disdainful of the security measures. After all, human nature wants a free living. Thus, when Seetha is trying to jump off the cordon of security laid by Lakshmana, commentators say that she is said to have smiled scornfully. lakÿmaõa v˜kya þravaõa janita kop˜ sŸt˜ r˜mam eva ˜ha - dk 'with the anger generated on listening Lakshmana's words, Seetha spoke to Rama,' Whether Seetha is with kopa 'anger' or not, it is unsaid in the text.

tena kaa.ncana romNaa tu maNi pravara shR^i.ngiNaa |
taruNa aaditya varNena nakSatra patha varcasaa || 3-43-22
babhuuva raaghavasya api mano vismayam aagatam |

22, 23a. kaancana romNaa [ruupeNa]= by its, golden, hair [golden coat]; maNi pravara shR^ingiNaa= which has - sapphirine, excellent, horns; taruNa aaditya varNena= tender, sun, in hue - complexion; nakSatra patha varcasaa= stars, pathway [milky way,] having resplendence - ambience; tena tu= by that reason, on its part; raaghavasya manaH api= Raghava's, heart, even; vismayam aagatam babhuuva= awe, came over [struck,] it became.

As for that deer's horns they vie with excellent sapphires, its golden coat with the glitter of tender sun, and its ambience with silver spots on coat with a milk way containing twinkling stars, and by that reason even Raghava's heart is awestruck when he saw it. [3-43-22, 23a]

According to this original text, Rama is more lured by the Golden Deer than Seetha, whereas later legends made Seetha a scapegoat. Rama too did not fancifully come under the lure but he got his own logistics to fall after the deer, which we come across in the following speeches of Rama. The word api 'even,' is a normal metrical filler at most times, but assumes importance at times. Here Rama is the all knowing and all deciding personality as depicted until now, and 'even' he is lured by the deer, say Maareecha's supernal trickery.

evam siitaa vacaH shrutvaa dR^iSTvaa ca mR^igam adbhutam || 3-43-23
lobitaH tena ruupeNa siitaayaa ca pracoditaH |
uvaaca raaghavo hR^iSTo bhraataram lakSmaNam vacaH || 3-43-24

23b, 24. raaghavaH= Raghava; evam siitaa vacaH shrutvaa= in this way, Seetha's, words, on hearing; adbhutam [tam] mR^igam dR^iSTvaa ca= wondrous one, [that] deer, having observed, also; tena ruupeNa lobitaH= by its, form, lured - amused; siitaayaaH ca pracoditaH= by Seetha, even, motivated; hR^iSTaH= delightedly; bhraataram lakSmaNam vacaH uvaaca= to brother, Lakshmana, word, spoke.

In this way, hearing the words of Seetha and observing that wondrous deer Raghava is also amused by its form, and even motivated by Seetha in fetching it, he delightedly spoke this word to his brother Lakshmana. [3-43-23b, 24]

When Seetha placed her indent before Rama, Rama is speaking to Lakshmana, only to allow us to listen his strategy in going after the deer. atra m®gay˜ vyasana doÿ˜n j˜nan api r˜mo - lobhita× ten r¨peõa - iti anayo uktay˜ mah˜ purus˜n˜m api bhavati vyasana anur¨patay˜ buddhi vy˜moho bhavati iti s¨citam - dk; asambhave hemamayasya janto× tath˜ api r˜mo lulubhe m®g˜ya | sabh˜ parva - bh˜rata; r˜mo hema m®gam na vetti - dy¨te bhr˜t® catuÿ÷ayam ca mahiÿŸm dharm˜tmajo dattav˜n | pr˜ya× sat puruÿo hi anartha samaye buddhy˜ parityajyate - - pr˜cŸn˜ 'here knowing well about the blemishes of hunting games, Rama is lured, ambitioned, hankered after etc. By these words it is suggested that even great people are beguiled for their inclination in such matters - Dharmaakuutam; 'even if it is impossible to have a golden deer, Rama is lured by it for his hunting game' Maha Bharata, sabhaa parva ; 'Rama, unable to distinguish illusory deer [went after it...] Yudhistar staked all his four brothers and his queen [in dice game...] thus even great people at inopportune times loose their brains,' an ancient saying.

pashya lakSmaNa vaidehyaaH spR^ihaam ullasitaam imaam |
ruupa shreSThatayaa hi eSa mR^igo adya na bhaviSyati || 3-43-25
na vane na.ndanoddeshe na caitraratha sa.mshraye |
kutaH pR^ithivyaam saumitre yo asya kashcit samo mR^igaH || 3-43-26

25. lakSmaNa= Lakshmana; vaidehyaaH ullasitaam imaam spR^ihaam pashya= Vaidehi's, enthused, this, delight, you see; saumitre= oh, Soumitri; adya ruupa shreSThatayaa hi= presently, by form's, by excellence, for sure; eSaH mR^igaH= such a sort of, [other] deer; vane= forest; na bhaviSyati= does not, exist; nandana uddeshe= in Nandana, places [gardens of Indra]; na= will not be there; caitraratha samshraye= in Caitraratha, adjoins of [of Kubera]; na= will not be there; yaH asya samaH= which, to it, similar - deer; kashcit mR^igaH= some, deer; pR^ithivyaam kutaH= on earth, how - how can there be.

"Lakshmana, behold this enthusiastic delight of Vaidehi. Oh, Soumitri, presently no other deer indeed with such an excellent form exists in this forest. Or else, does it exist in Nandana Gardens of Indra - no, it cannot be there; in the adjoins of Caitraratha Gardens of Kubera - no, it will not be there, then how can there be some deer on earth which is similar to this! [3-43-25, 26]

pratiloma anulomaaH ca ruciraa roma raajayaH |
shobhante mR^igam aashritya citraaH kanaka bindubhiH || 3-43-27

27. prati loma= upturned, hair; anu lomaaH ca= down-turned, hair, also; ruciraaH kanaka bindubhiH= with charming, golden, spots; citraaH roma raajayaH= amazing, hair, lines; mR^igam aashritya shobhante= deer, abiding - embedded [on coat of deer,] are glittery.

"Amazing are its hairlines with hair upturned at some places and down-turned at other, and the golden spots embedded on the coat of the deer are glittery. [3-43-27]

pashya asya jR^i.mbhamaaNasya diiptaam agni shikhopamaam |
jihvaam mukhaat niHsara.ntiim meghaat iva shata hradaam || 3-43-28

28. jR^imbhamaaNasya asya mukhaat= while yawning, from its, from mouth; niH sarantiim= from mouth, out, flowing - exserting; diiptaam agni shikha upamaam jihvaam= flaring, fire, crests - tongue of fire, similar, at tongue; meghaat= from cloud; shata hradaam= in hundred ways, which is flowing - lightning; iva= as with; pashya= you see.

"See at its tongue that is exserting from its mouth while it is yawning, which is similar to the flaring tongue of fire and to the lightning from a cloud. [3-43-28]

masaara galvarka mukhaH sha.nkha muk{}taa nibha udaraH |
kasya naama aniruupyaH asau na mano lobhayet mR^igaH || 3-43-29

29. masaaraH= sapphirine; gallarkaH= caSaka= mug-like, beaker-like; mukhaH= face; shankha muktaa nibha udaraH= conch, pearl, in shine, paunch; a + niruupyaH= not, demonstrable inexplicable [its beauty]; asau mR^igaH= that, deer; kasya naama manaH na lobhayet= whose, in name, heart, not, lures.

"Its face is like a mug made up of sapphires, its paunch is pearly and conchoidal, and whose heart is it that will not lured for this deer with an inexplicable beauty. [3-43-29]

kasya ruupam idam dR^iSTvaa jaa.mbuunadamaya prabham |
naanaa ratnamayam divyam na mano vismayam vrajet || 3-43-30

30. jaambuu nadamaya prabham= golden, in glitter; naanaa ratnamayam= numerously, bejewelled - as it were; divyam= astounding; idam ruupam dR^iSTvaa= this, look, on seeing; kasya manaH vismayam na vrajet= whose, mind, into astonishment, not, transported.

"On seeing at this astounding look of the deer which is golden in glitter and bejewelled numerously as it were, whose heart is it that will not be transported into astonishment. [3-43-30]

maa.msa hetoH api mR^igaan vihaaraartham ca dhanvinaH |
ghnanti lakSmaNa raajaano mR^igayaayaam mahaavane || 3-43-31

31. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; raajaanaH mahaa vane mR^igayaayaam= kings, in great, forests, in games of hunting; maamsa hetoH api= flesh, for the sake of, even; dhanvinaH [dhanvanaH]= archers [of bows, or, to use bows in sport, archery]; vihaara artham ca= sporting, for purpose of, also; mR^igaan ghnanti= deer, they kill.

"Kings pursuing games of hunting in great forests, oh, Lakshmana, will be felling deer either for the sake of flesh, or just for the purpose of sporting archery. [3-43-31]

dhanaani vyavasaayena viciiyante mahaavane |
dhaatavo vividhaaH ca api maNi ratna suvarNinaH || 3-43-32

32. mahaavane= in great-forests; vyavasaayena= exerting themselves; dhanaani= riches [forest produce]; maNi ratna suvarNinaH= jewels, gemstones, gold containing [gold gravel]; vividhaaH dhaatavaH ca api= ores, many, also, even; vi ciiyante= by far, they will be amassing.

"And exerting themselves in great forests they by far amass forest produce, ores, jewels, gemstones and the gravel of gold. [3-43-32]

'And this deer is also the produce of this forest, as such hunting this for taming or tanning is befitting to us, as we are princes.' One should not 'exert oneself,' or 'amass' forest produce even if he is a king, but collect it casually without looting it.

tat saaram akhilam nR^INaam dhanam nicaya vardhanam |
manasaa cintitam sarvam yathaa shukrasya lakSmaNa || 3-43-33

33. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; akhilam tat saaram= all, that, the best; dhanam= wealth [forest produce]; nR^INaam= for humanly kings; manasaa cintitam= in mind, that which is thought; sarvam= everything; shukrasya yathaa= Shukra's, as with; nicaya vardhanam= treasury-filling.

"Everything of that wealth from forest produce will be filling the treasuries of kings, like the speculated objects filling the entire treasury of Shukra just by his thinking of them in his mind. [3-43-33]

Whatever object Shukra thinks wilfully, it becomes a reality filling his treasury. So also, whatever objects the kings desire they come to reality through forest produce. This is a puranic/ legendary saying which Rama is quoting.

Or, as contained in Maha Bharata, Udyoga Parva, Suparna-Narada discourse: manuÿyebhya sam˜datte þukra× cint˜ ˜rjitam dhanam 'the pipedreams, [the unattainable or fanciful hopes or schemes,] of people fill up the coffers of Shukra.'

Or, dhaninaam kosha vardhanam dhanam saaram 'for rich people [like kings, merchants,] coffer, filling, wealth, i.e., the forest produce is the best.' 'The forest produce is the best wealth for enriching the coffers of the kings for maintenance of kingdom, and for other rich people it is for trade etc.' Hence, this deer, or its deerskin is saaram 'an excellent gift' to be taken to Ayodhya on our return.' Rama's saying is interpreted in this way giving a high priority to forest produce.

arthii yena artha kR^ityena sa.mvrajati avicaarayan |
tam artham artha shaastraj~naH praahuH arthyaaH ca lakSmaNa || 3-43-34

34. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; arthii= an aspirant; yena artha kR^ityena= by which, aspirational, activity; a +vicaarayan= without, discrimination [unhesitatingly]; sam vrajati= verily, scurries for; tam= that alone - that target; artha shaastraj~naH= finance, science, knowers of - financial experts; arthyaaH= who have reaped riches, financially-well people; ca= they too; artham= that is the worthwhile - wealth; pra ahuH= they - well, say, well-said - lauded by them.

"The financial experts and the other financially well-off people say that with which aspirational activity an aspirant unhesitatingly scurries and achieves it, that achieved target alone is lauded to be worthwhile, or, as real wealth. [3-43-34]

To support his argument that bringing the Golden Deer shall not become a pipedream but it shall occur in reality, Rama is substantiating with this statement. This is called apuurva vastu sekaraNa 'collection of valuable objects' which is a fashion to anyone, especially to kings. Then Lakshmana may further insist 'even then you shall not go, it is a fanciful deer/demon,' for which Rama is saying 'getting the un-gettable itself is worthwhile.'

etasya mR^iga ratnasya paraardhye kaa.ncana tvaci |
upavekSyati vaidehii mayaa saha sumadhyamaa || 3-43-35

35. su madhyamaa= well, waisted one - comely Seetha; vaidehii= Vaidehi; etasya mR^iga ratnasya= that this [such a,], deer, gem of a; paraardhye kaancana tvaci= on invaluable, golden, skin; mayaa saha= me, along with; upa vekSyati [upa vishST]= nearby, will be sitting.

"This comely Vaidehi will be sitting on that invaluable golden skin of that gem of a deer along with me. [3-43-35]

Rama is not primarily bothered to tame the Golden Deer by declaring about its skin and its usage at this juncture. This skin alone is the 'laudable wealth' 'worthwhile object' and a 'masterpiece.'

na kaadalii na priyakii na praveNii na ca avikii |
bhavet etasya sadR^ishii spar.hshanena iti me matiH || 3-43-36

36. sparshanena= by way of [soft-] touch of skin - now assessed by seeing; kaadalii= Kadali's skin - variety of deer; etasya sadR^ishii na bhavet= to this, matching, not, it becomes; priyakii= Priyaki's skin; na= not; praveNii= Praveni's skin; na= not; avikii= Avi's skin -a breed of sheep; na= not; iti me matiH= thus, is my, thinking.

"I think the skin of Kadali deer, or of Priyaki deer, or of Praveni deer, or as a matter of fact the skins of best breed of deer or sheep will not be match to the deerskin of this deer, insofar as the soft-touch is concerned. [3-43-36]

Kadali, Priaki and Avi are the names of breed of deer that yield best deerskins. It is said in amara kosha: kadalii kandalii ciinaH ca camuuru priyakaH; amii ajina yonayaH; avayaH shaila meSa arka Kadali is the deer with white stripes on its neck that lives in a big burrows. Priyaki will have thick brown and black hair and these yield the best and soft deerskin for sitting. AviH is the sheep in breed. The word Praveni may perhaps not of a breed of deer as said in amara kosha: aiNeya meNyaaH carmaadyameNaH aiNam ubhe triSu Thus it conveys the meaning aiNeya, the best deer belonging to doe, and aiNa, belonging to buck. Some take this praveNi as a separate breed whose dictionary meaning is completely different than that of deer.

eSa caiva mR^igaH shriimaan yaH ca divyo nabhaH caraH |
ubhau etau mR^igau divyau taaraamR^iga mahiimR^igau || 3-43-37

37. shriimaan eSa mR^igaH ca eva= magnificent one, this, deer, also, thus; nabhaH caraH= in sky, moving [deer]; yaH ca divyaH= which, also, best one; is there, that one; divyau etau= divine, these two; taaraa mR^iga= in stars, deer - in stellar region, i.e., in Orion or in moon; mahii mR^igau= on earth, deer; ubhau mR^igau= [only these] two, [are the divine] deer.

"Only two divine deer are there, this magnificent deer on earth, and the other that moves in skies remaining in stellar region. [3-43-37]

The deer in skies is taken in two ways; one, the deer in the moon and the other, the Orion constellation, mR^iga shiirSa, mR^iga shira 'deer, as its head,' i.e., the deer-like stars in the head of Orion, where East takes this Orion as the 'hunted' and West takes it as the 'hunter', in which 'hunting' is common. And Rama wants to hunt down the reality of the deer. But Lakshmana may still insist saying, 'maybe, only these two deer are the unavailable objects. We cannot leap up to skies to catch hold of those deer-like stars, or the deer in the moon. Equally this tricky deer on earth is uncatchable. Thereby getting its skin is also that dreamy.' For this Rama explains his duty in his next course of action, viz., killing the demon.

yadi vaa ayam tathaa yat maam bhavet vadasi lakSmaNa |
maayaa eSaa raakSasasya iti kartavyo asya vadho mayaa || 3-43-38

38. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; eSaa raakSasasya maayaa iti= this is, demon's, wizardry, thus; maam yat vadasi= to me, what, you told; tathaa ayam bhavet= that way, this, results in, [wizardry of demon]; yadi vaa= if, else - even then - if he is a demon; mayaa asya vadhaH kartavyaH [bhavet]= by me, its [deer/ demon's,] killing, is the duty [that results in; ellipses : if this deer happens to be Maareecha, he is eliminable, from verse 40.

"You are telling me that 'this is the wizardry of the demon.' Even then, Lakshmana, if this results in that way as a demon's wizardry, my duty also results in the elimination of that deer. [3-43-38]

etena hi nR^isha.msena maariicena akR^ita aatmanaa |
vane vicarataa puurvam hi.msitaa muni pu.ngavaaH || 3-43-39

39. [yadi= if this is Maareecha, by him]; nR^ishamsena= by heinous one; akR^ita aatmanaa hi= by vicious, souled one, indeed; vane vicarataa= in forest, on the prowl; etena maariicena= by such, Maareecha; puurvam muni pungavaaH himsitaaH= earlier, sages, eminent, are tortured.

"If this deer is Maareecha, this heinous and vicious-souled demon has indeed tortured many eminent sages earlier when was on the prowl in the forests, thus he is eliminable. [3-43-39]

utthaaya bahavo anena mR^igayaayaam janaadhipaaH |
nihataaH parama iSvaasaaH tasmaat vadhyaH tu ayam mR^igaH || 3-43-40

40. anena= by him; utthaaya= uprising [rising against, rebelliously]; mR^igayaayaam= in game of hunting; bahavaH parama iSvaasaaH= many, excellent, bow wielders [archers]; janaadhipaaH= kings; nihataaH= were killed; tasmaat tu= for that reason, at least; ayam mR^igaH vadhyaH= this, deer/beast, is eradicable.

"He rebelliously killed many kings who are excellent archers while they were in hunting games, at least for that reason this bestial monster is eradicable. [3-43-40]

The last word in second foot mR^iga is also identifiable with 'beast' thus a bestial monster.

purastaat iha vaataapiH paribhuuya tapasvinaH |
udarastho dvijaan hanti sva garbho ashvatariim iva || 3-43-41

41. purastaat iha vaataapiH= earlier, here, Vaataapi [demon]; tapasvinaH paribhuuya= holding in contempt, ascetics; udara sthaH= in stomach, staying; ashvatariim= of a mare; sva garbhaH iva= one's own, womb, [mother's,] as with; dvijaan hanti= Brahmans, he used to kill.

"Demon Vaataapi who held ascetics in contempt was here earlier, and staying in the stomachs of Brahmans he used to come out by ripping their stomachs open and thus he was killing Brahmans, like a mare-calf killing its own mother at its time of birth by ripping the womb of its own mother. [3-43-41]

The legend of Vaataapi is said in detail in chapter 11 of this Aranya Kanda when Rama and others were going to Agastya's hermitage.

sa kadaacit ciraat lobhaat aasasaada mahaamunim |
agastyam tejasaa yuk{}tam bhakSyaH tasya babhuuva ha || 3-43-42

42. saH= he Vaataapi; ciraat= after some time; kadaacit= on one occasion; lobhaat= avariciously; tejasaa yuktam= effulgence, one endowed with; mahaa munim agastyam= great-saint Agastya; aasasaada= obtained; tasya= to him, to Agastya; bhakSyaH babhuuva= an eatable, he became - demon became; ha= actually.

"On one occasion after some time, that Vaataapi avariciously obtained that great-saint and the one who is endowed with effulgent, namely Agastya, as an eatable, but actually that demon has became an eatable to the sage. [3-43-42]

samutthaane ca tat ruupam kartu kaamam samiikSya tam |
utsmayitvaa tu bhagavaan vaataapim idam abraviit || 3-43-43

43. sam utthaane= in the matter of getting up - demon's coming out from the stomach of the sage; tat ruupam kartu kaamam= that, aspect, [demon's aspect,] to make [when trying to renew demon's form,] when demon was intending to; bhagavaan samiikSya= god - godly saint Agastya, on observing; tam utsmayitvaa tu= him [at demon,] [with a scornful] smile, but; vaataapim idam abraviit= to Vaataapi, this, spoke.

"On observing the demon Vaataapi who is trying to assume his original form of demon in order to come out of his stomach, that godly saint Agastya spoke this to Vaataapi with a scornful smile. [3-43-43]

tvayaa avigaNya vaataape paribhuutaaH ca tejasaa |
jiiva loke dvija shreSThaaH tasmaat asi jaraam gataH || 3-43-44

44. vaataape= oh, Vaataapi; jiiva loke= somatic, world - on earth, in this world; dvija shreSThaaH= in Brahmans, the best ones; tvayaa= by you; avigaNya= a +vi+ gaNya= not, verily, counting - without taking into account - disregarding irreverently; tejasaa ca= by [your] might, also; pari bhuutaaH= insulted - blasphemed, killed; tasmaat jaraam gataH asi= therefore, into digestion, gone, you are you are digested by me.

" 'Oh, Vaataapi, you have irreverently eradicated the best Brahmans in this world owing to your might, therefore I have assimilated you.' So said sage Agastya to Vaataapi. [3-43-44]

tat etat na bhavet rakSo vaataapiH iva lakSmaNa |
mat vidham yo atimanyeta dharma nityam jitendriyam || 3-43-45
bhavet hato ayam vaataapiH agastyena iva maa gataH |

45, 46a. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; vaataapiH iva= Vaataapi, as with; etat tat= this, that - such a; rakSaH= demon - Maareecha; na bhavet= not, will be there; yaH= which - demon; dharma nityam= righteousness, one who is always abiding; jitendriyam= self-controlled one; mat vidham= one who is of my, kind of; him; ati manyeta [ava manyeta]= lowly, regards - disregards; ayam maa gataH= he, me, on getting at [confronting, if he provokes]; agastyena vaataapiH iva= by Agastya, Vaataapi, as with; hataH bhavet= killed, he will be.

"Lakshmana, such a demon who is like Vaataapi will not be there any more. He who disregards someone of my kind, who always abides in righteousness and who is self-controlled, such a demon will be eliminated as sage Agastya has eliminated demon Vaataapi, if that demon happens to get at me. [3-43-45, 46a]

iha tvam bhava sa.mnaddho ya.ntrito rakSa maithiliim || 3-43-46
asyaam aayattam asmaakam yat kR^ityam raghuna.ndana |

46b, 47a. raghunandana= oh, Raghu's, descendent - Lakshmana; tvam iha sannaddhaH bhava= you, here, preparedly, you be [stay here]; yantritaH maithiliim rakSa= attentively, Maithili, you safeguard; asmaakam yat kR^ityam== of our, which, enterprise is there; that is; asyaam aayattam= in her, founded.

"Oh, Lakshmana, the descendent of Raghu, you stay here in all preparedness and guard Maithili steadfastly, whatever enterprise of ours is there that is founded in her. [3-43-46b, 47a]

The first foot 'she is the basis of our mission' is a debated expression. Their mission is to eliminate Ravana. Seetha as Vedavati, an earlier incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, vows to eliminate Ravana when she comes to earth as Seetha. Then Rama should have said 'look Lakshmana, our task is to kill Ravana, for that Ravana has to kidnap Seetha, and to make that kidnapping possible do not guard her.' Can he say so? Neither Rama, nor any ordinary husband can say so. Then this predictive sentence becomes self-contrary. Contrariwise, taking some concessions of grammar, because most of Ramayana is un-Paninian, Rama is indirectly hinting Lakshmana that something is immanent, because 'after the elimination of demons like Khara, Duushana nothing drastic has happened, but a queer deer has come, and thus something may now happen.' Then, if this asyaam is given to kartavyam 'the enterprise' as tasmin then the connection is: asmaakam yat kR^ityam asyaam [tasmin] aayattam asaama 'for us, which, enterprise is there, in that, circumspect, we shall be' 'Which enterprise is there for us individually, in that we both shall conduct separately and circumspectly, and you do your job of guarding Seetha and I mine in bringing the deer or its skin, duly eliminating that conjuring demon.' In such a case, the blemish soothsaying or prophesising will not occur to Rama, in saying 'Seetha as the pivotal character is to be kidnapped by Ravana' etc. In fact, Rama is the person who is more beguiled by the deer.

aham enam vadhiSyaami grahiiSyaami athavaa mR^igam || 3-43-47
yaavat gacChaami saumitre mR^igam aanayitum drutam |

47b, 48a. saumitre= oh, Soumitri; aham enam mR^igam grahiiSyaami= I wish to catch, I, this, deer, athavaa= if not; vadhiSyaami= wish to kill; mR^igam aanayitum= deer, to fetch; drutam= forthwith; yaavat gacChaami= I will go.

"I wish to catch this deer, Soumitri, if not I will kill it, and I will be going forthwith to fetch the deer. [3-43-47b, 48a]

pashya lakSmaNa vaidehiim mR^iga tvaci gataam spR^ihaam || 3-43-48
tvacaa pradhaanayaa hi eSa mR^igo adya na bhaviSyati |

48b, 49a. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; mR^iga tvaci gataam spR^ihaam= on deer, skin, reached [overtaken by,] one with such a percept; vaidehiim pashya= at Vaidehi; pradhaanayaa tvacaa hi== by distinctiveness of [strangeness of,] deerskin, indeed; eSa mR^igaH adya na bhaviSyati= this, deer, now, not, will be there - survives.

"Lakshmana, see how Vaidehi's percept is overtaken by deerskin. Indeed by the strangeness of its skin that deer must be a mysterious being, hence, it will not survive now. [3-43-48]

apramattena te bhaavyam aashramasthena siitayaa || 3-43-49
yaavat pR^iSatam ekena saayakena nihanmi aham |
hatvaa etat carma ca aadaaya shiighram eSyaami lakSmaNa || 3-43-50

49b, 50. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; aashramasthena= staying in hermitage; te= to you [by you]; siitayaa= with Seetha; apramattena bhaavyam= vigilantly, think out - apply yourself; pR^iSatam= spotted deer; ekena saayakena= with one, arrow; aham yaavat nihanmi= I will, kill; hatvaa etat carma ca aadaaya= on killing, that, skin, also, on taking; [taavat] shiighram eSyaami= [so soon,] quickly, comeback.

"Oh, Lakshmana, apply yourself vigilantly while staying in hermitage along with Seetha. So soon as I go I will be felling that spotted deer with one arrow and returning quickly. [3-43-49b, 50]

The ambiguity is whether Rama is going for the deer, or deerskin, or for the latent demon. He is going for the deer epically, for the memento of deerskin to Seetha as a hero of the epic, and for the demon in deer, according to mythology.

pradakSiNena atibalena pakSiNaa
jaTaayuSaa buddhimataa ca lakSmaNa |
bhava apramattaH pratigR^ihya maithiliim
prati kSaNam sarvata eva shankitaH || 3-43-51

51. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; maithiliim= Maithili; prati gR^ihya= well, taking - taking care for; prati kSaNam= every, spilt-second; sarvataH eva= from everywhere, thus; shankitaH= remaining suspicious; pradakSiNena atibalena pakSiNaa= forthright, formidable, with bird; buddhimataa jaTaayuSaa ca= with sagacious [fatherly bird,] with Jatayu, also; a+pramattaH= without, laxity - watchfully; bhava= you shall be.

"Oh, Lakshmana, you be here taking care of Maithili along with the forthright, formidable and fatherly bird Jatayu, and be watchful and suspicious from everywhere and every split-second." Thus Rama spoke to Lakshmana and started to go after the deer [3-43-51]

.

Lure of Golden Deer

Poor Seetha, she could not romanticise the Golden Deer better than Rama. Then it may be asked 'what is the necessity for Rama to romanticise and compare it to the skyey star-deer and others. Is it for the deer or for the deerskin?' This is the unanswered question. 'It is for the deer alone but not its skin,' said so in reply by some. If it were to be for the deerskin, from the view point of Rama, he could have shot his arrow from where he is standing, which arrow miraculously pierces any terrain, kills the deer, and safely comes back into his quiver, as in the case of showing his prowess to Sugreeva. Otherwise, Rama should have turned down the request of Seetha, as he did in the ninth chapter of this Aranya Kanda, when she was saying: 'where that weapon? Where this forest? Where the principles of Kshatriya? And where is the sageness? All this is inconsistent... By us, let the laws of the land be esteemed...' as at 3-9-27. When kings come into such a sort of allurement, many wise men quote this instance of Rama's going after the deer as a reminder to them, as in Maha Bharata.

asambhavam hema m®gasya janma - tath˜pi r˜mo lulubhe m®g˜ya |
pr˜ya× sam˜sanna vipatti k˜le - dhiyo puÕs˜m malinŸ bhavanti ||

"Impossible is the birth of a Golden Deer, even then Rama is lured, if time is perilous, even the best man's brain deranges.'

karmaõ˜ b˜dhyate buddhi× - na buddhy˜ karma b˜dhyate |
subuddhi× api yat r˜mo - haimam hariõŸm anvag˜t ||

Fate harasses the faculty, faculty cannot harass the fate, even the cleverest Rama, went after the Golden Deer.

na bh¨to p¨rvo na ca kena d®ÿ÷o - hema kuraðgo na kad˜ api v˜rt˜ |
tath˜ api t®ÿõ˜ raghunandanasya - vin˜þa k˜le viparŸta buddhi× ||

Unborn it was, none has seen yet, nor mentioned about it, such is the mirage of Rama. Parlous time causes perilous percipience.

Hence Rama's going after the deer is for the deerskin, on one count, and for the deer itself, on the other as affirmed by Lakshmana because Lakshmana never says untruth. This Maareecha is recurrently falling after Rama. Once an accident, twice a coincidence, but thrice... a habituation... and it become habitual for Maareecha to dare Rama. Hence, Rama has to do something to Maareecha, permanently.

The other view according to puranic/mythological sayings is that god endows whatever you seek. But that god alone says: 'Seek you will get it, but seek not by the extrinsic values of objects.' This saying has it counterpart at: 'Every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth.' St Matthew, p[Ch. 7, v. 8] The Bible. But 'seek something within the nature, according to your nature... but not the supernatural... for eyes belie the nature of objects...' is the essence here. He/she who seeks beyond means will have to suffer, either by getting it or devoid of it. This is said in innuendo at 3-43-33, that 'the results of pipedreams fill the coffers of Shukra.'

Further, because parlous time has come to Rama and Seetha, epically, providentially, and episodically, Rama has to move away from Seetha. While going after the deer, Rama says much to Lakshmana about the security to Seetha and also informs him that 'she is pivotal to our mission.' He did not say these many farewells when sending Seetha and Lakshmana for hiding in a cave at the time of elimination Khara, Duushana, and the other fourteen thousand demons. At one time Rama spared Maareecha's life in the forest of Tataka while guarding Vishwamitra's ritual, only to cause Maareecha to come now. As such, Rama has to go after Maareecha. Besides, Seetha or Goddess Lakshmi will let none killed in her presence.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe tri catvaari.mshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 43rd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 44

Introduction

Rama eliminates Maareecha when he is escaping beyond reach in the form of Golden Deer. He sports with that deer for a long time and when it is leading him away and afar from the hermitage, he is vexed with the trickery of the deer and kills it. At the time of his death Maareecha shouts out for Seetha and Lakshmana, as demanded by Ravana. Rama is perplexed at this oddity of Maareecha and presumes that some danger is immanent and then returns to hermitage

tathaa tu tam samaadishya bhraataram raghuna.ndanaH |
babandha asim mahaatejaa jaa.mbuunadamayaH tsarum || 3-44-1

1. mahaatejaa raghu nandanaH = highly resplendent, Raghu's, scion of - Rama; bhraataram tam tathaa = brother, him [Lakshmana,] in that way; sam aadishya= on clearly instructing; jaambuunadamayaH tsarum asim = having golden, handle, sword; ba bandha= securely, tied - at his waist.

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]

tataH tri vinatam caapam aadaaya aatma vibhuuSaNam |
aabadhya ca kalaapau dvau jagaama udagra vikramaH || 3-44-2

2. tataH= then; udagra [ut agra] vikramaH= one with - up, risen - escalating, valour - Rama; tri vinatam= three-way, bent - arched; aatma vibhuuSaNam= his own, decoration [insignia]; caapam= bow; aadaaya= on taking; dvau kalaapau ca = two, quivers, also; aabadhya= on binding - on back; jagaama= proceeded.

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]

tam va.ncayaano raajendram aapatantam niriikSya vai |
babhuuva a.ntarhitaH traasaat punaH sa.mdarshane abhavat || 3-44-3
baddha asiH dhanuH aadaaya pradudraava yato mR^igaH |

3. mR^igaH= Golden Deer; aa patantam= who is coming, falling - coming down on it; raaja indram= among kings, peerless one; tam= him, Rama; niriikSya vai= on peering at, indeed; vancayaanaH= to beguile him; traasaat= owing to fear [as if]; antarhitaH babhuuva= disappeared, it became; punaH= again; sam darshane abhavat= in clear visibility, it became; raamaH= Rama; baddha asiH dhanuH aadaaya= [securely] grit, sword, bow, on taking [firmly handled]; yataH mR^igaH= from where, deer [has gone]; [tataH= to that place of disappearance]; pra dudraava= speedily, spurted.

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]

tam sma pashyati ruupeNa dyotamaanam iva agrataH || 3-44-4
avekSya avekSya dhaavantam dhanuS paaNiH mahaavane |
ativR^ittam iSoH paataat lobhayaanam kadaacana || 3-44-5
sha.nkitam tu samud bhraantam utpatantam iva a.mbare |
dR^iashyamaanam adR^ishyam ca vana uddesheSu keSucit || 3-44-6
chinna abhraiH iva sa.mviitam shaaradam candra maNDalam |

4b, 5, 6, 7a. dhanuS paaNiH= bow, one handling - wielder, Rama; avekSya avekSya= on observing, on observing - deer repeatedly observing the hunter, Rama; mahaavane dhaavantam tam= in deep, forest, running away, that - deer; ruupeNa agrataH= with its [marvellous] form, in forefront; dyotamaanam iva = effulgent, as though; pashyati sma = beholding, he [the hunter] remained - kept on; kadaacana= at times; iSoH paataat= from arrow's, falling of; ati vR^ittam= too far, going [circumventing]; lobhayaanam= while tantalising - Rama; he saw such a deer; shankitam tu = in wariness, but; sam ud bhraantam= very, highly, perplexed; ambare= to skies; ut patantam iva = to upside, falling [springing,] as though; he saw such a deer; chinna abhraiH= with splintered, clouds; samviitam iva= imbricated - overlaid, as if; shaaradam candra maNDalam = autumnal, moon, orb; keSucit vana uddesheSu = somewhere, in forest, thickets; dR^iashyamaanam= is appearing; a+dR^ishyam ca= not, appearing, also.

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]

muhuurtaat eva dadR^ishe muhur duuraat prakaashate || 3-44-7
darshana adarshanena eva saH apaakarSata raaghavam |
suduuram aashramasya asya maarico mR^igataam gataH || 3-44-8

7b, 8. mR^igataam gataH = deer-hood, who went into - who is animalised; saH maaricaH= he that, Maareecha; muhuurtaat eva= for a moment, thus - in a wink; [samiipe= close by]; dadR^ishe= seen [by Rama]; muhuH= again; in a flash; duuraat prakaashate= from distance, shone forth - appeared; darshana a + darshanena [adarshanaat] eva= by revealing, not, revealing [concealing himself, hide and seek game] only; raaghavam= Raghava is; asya aashramasya= his own, from his hermitage; su duuram= very, far; apa aakarSata= to side, attracted - sidetracked, drawn off.

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]

aasiit kruddhaH tu kaakutstho vivashaH tena mohitaH |
atha avatasthe sushraantaH cChaayaam aashritya shaadvale || 3-44-9

9. tena [ruupeNa] mohitaH= by its [form,] spellbound, kaakutsthaH tu= Kakutstha, but; vi vashaH= kutuuhala paravashaH= 1]out of, control - slippery, 2] fascinated; kruddhaH= incensed; aasiit= he became - Rama; atha= then; su shraantaH= verily, tired; cChaayaam aashritya shaadvale avatasthe= shade [of tree,] taking shelter, on pasture, he stayed on.

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]

sa tam unmaadayaamaasa mR^igaruupo nishaacara |
mR^igaiH parivR^ito atha vanyaiH aduuraat pratyadR^ishyata || 3-44-10

10. mR^iga ruupaH saH nishaa cara= in guise, he that Maareecha, night-walker; tam unmaadayaamaasa= him - Rama, started to madden; atha = then; vanyaiH mR^igaiH parivR^itaH= of forest, with [other] animals, surrounded; a + duuraat pratyadR^ishyata= not, from faraway [close-by,] reappeared.

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]

grahiitu kaamam dR^iSTvaa tam punaH eva abhyadhaavata |
tat kshaNaat eva sa.mtraasaat punar a.ntarhito abhavat || 3-44-11

11. grahiitu kaamam= to catch, desirous of - he who is stalking; tam dR^iSTvaa = at him - at Rama on seeing; punaH eva abhyadhaavata= again, thus, [deer] towards [Rama,] ran; tat kshaNaat eva= at that, moment, only; punaH= again; sam traasaat= owing to extreme fear; antarhitaH abhavat= vanished, it became.

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]

punar eva tato duuraat vR^iksha khaNDaat viniHsR^itaH |
dR^iSTvaa raamo mahaatejaaH tam hantum kR^ita nishcayaH || 3-44-12

12. tataH= then; mahaatejaaH raamaH = the great-resplendent one, Rama; punaaH eva= again, thus; duuraat vR^iksha khaNDaat= distantly, from trees, thicket of; vi niH sR^itaH= well, out, emerged - issued forth; tam= it - deer; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; hantum kR^ita nishcayaH= to kill, firmed up, his decision.

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]

bhuuyaH tu sharam uddhR^itya kupitaH tatra raaghavaH |
suurya rashmi pratiikaasham jvala.ntam ari mardanam || 3-44-13
sa.ndhaaya sudR^iDhe caape vikR^iSya balavat balii |
tam eva mR^igam uddishya shvasa.ntam iva pannagam || 3-44-14
mumoca jvalitam diiptam astram brahma vinirmitam |

13, 14, 15a. tatra= at that time; bhuuyaH kupitaH= highly, infuriated; balii raaghavaH = forceful one, Raghava; suurya rashmi pratiikaasham= sun, shine [flare,] similar in shine; jvalantam= holocaustic ari ardanam= enemy, subjugating; sharam uddhR^itya= arrow, bringing up - unholstered; su dR^iDhe caape sandhaaya = very, sturdy, in bow, tautened, taking aim; balavat= forcefully; vi kR^iSya= out, stretched - bowstring; shvasantam pannagam iva = exhaling [hissing,] snake, as with; jvalitam diiptam = fierily, blazing; brahma vinirmitam= by Brahma, carefully, created; astram= missile - arrow; tam mR^igam eva uddishya= that, deer, only, on aiming - on targeting; mumoca= released.

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]

shariiram mR^iga ruupasya vinirbhidya sharottamaH || 3-44-15
maariicasya eva hR^idayam vibheda ashani sa.nnibhaH |

15b, 16a. ashani sannibhaH= thunderbolt, similar; shara uttamaH = arrow, the superb; mR^iga ruupasya shariiram = in deer's, form, body; vi nir bhidya= on very, profoundly, impaling; maariicasya hR^idayam eva= Maareecha's, heart, alone; vibheda= severed.

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]

taala maatram atha utplutya nyapatat sa bhR^isha aaturaH || 3-44-16
vyanadat bhairavam naadam dharaNyaam alpa jiivitaH |

16b, 17a. atha= then; saH= he - that Maareecha; bhR^isha aaturaH= highly, frenzied; alpa jiivitaH= minimized, lifespan; bhairavam naadam vyanadat = a blaring, shriek, blared; taala maatram= palm-tree, measure of [height of]; ut plutya= up, vaulted; dharaNyaam nyapatat= onto ground fell down.

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]

mriyamaaNaH tu maariico jahau taam kR^itrimaam tanum || 3-44-17
smR^itvaa tat vacanam raksho dadhyau kena tu lakshmaNam |
iha prasthaapayet siitaa taam shuunye raavaNe haret || 3-44-18

17b, 18. mriyamaaNaH tu maariicaH= when dyeing, on his part, Maareecha; kR^itrimaam taam tanum jahau = artificial, that [deer's,], body, abandoned; rakshaH demon Maareecha; [mriyamaaNaH tu= while dying]; tat vacanam= that, sentence [of Ravana]; smR^itvaa= while remembering; dadhyau= thought of it; siitaa= Seetha; kena lakshmaNam iha prasthaapayet= by what, Lakshmana, will be hastening; shuunye= in a void place; taam raavaNe haret= Ravana, her, will be abducting.

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]

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.

sa praapta kaalam aj~naaya cakaara ca tataH svaram |
sadR^isham raaghavasya eva haa siite lakSmaNa iti ca || 3-44-19

19. tataH= then; saH= he, Maareecha; praapta kaalam aj~naaya= chanced, time, perceptive of; raaghavasya sadR^isham eva= Raghava's [voice], soundalike, only; haa siite= ha, Seetha; ha lakSmaNa iti ca= Lakshmana, thus, also; svaram cakaara ca = voice, made, also.

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]

tena marmaNi nirviddham shareNa anupamena hi |
mR^iga ruupam tu tat tyaktvaa raakSasam ruupam aasthitaH || 3-44-20
cakre sa sumahaa kaayam maariico jiivitam tyajan |

20, 21a. saH maariicaH = he, Maareecha; tena= by him - by Rama; an upamena= not, comparable; shareNa= with arrow; marmaNi nir viddham hi; = in crucial [organ, heart,] utterly shattered, indeed; tat mR^iga ruupam tu tyaktvaa= that, deer's, form, but, on abandoning; raakSasam ruupam aasthitaH= demon's, body, on assuming; jiivitam tyajan= life, while forsaking; su mahaa kaayam= very, massive, physique; cakre = done [assumed.]

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]

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.

tam dR^iSTvaa patitam bhuumau raakSasam bhiima darshanam || 3-44-21
raamo rudhira sikta a.ngam ceSTamaanam mahiitale |
jagaama manasaa siitaam lakSmaNasya vacaH smaran || 3-44-22

21b, 22. raamaH= Rama; bhuumau patitam = on earth, fallen; bhiima darshanam= fiendish, in look; rudhira sikta angam= in blood, steeped, with limbs; mahiitale ceSTamaanam = on earth's plane, weltering; tam raakSasam dR^iSTvaa= at him, demon, on seeing; lakSmaNasya vacaH smaran= Lakshmana's, words, reminiscing; siitaam manasaa jagaama= to Seetha, by heart, went - emotionally took flight to Seetha.

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]

maariicasya tu maaya eSaa puurva uktam lakshmaNena tu |
tat tadaa hi abhavat ca adya maariico ayam mayaa hataH || 3-44-23

23. eSaa maariicasya tu maaya= this is, Maareecha's, but, trickery; lakshmaNena puurva uktam tu= by Lakshmana, earlier, vouchsafed, but; tat tadaa abhavat hi= that, that way, happened, indeed; adya mayaa hataH= now, by me, [who is] killed; ayam maariicaH= he is, Maareecha.

"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]

haa siite lakSmaNa iti evam aakrushya tu mahaa svanam |
mamaara raakSasaH so ayam shrutvaa siitaa katham bhavet || 3-44-24
lakSmaNaH ca mahaabaahuH kaam avasthaam gamiSyati |
iti sa.mcintya dharmaaatmaa raamo hR^iSTa tanuu ruhaH || 3-44-25

24. saH= he; ayam= this; raakSasaH= demon; haa siite= ha, Seetha; lakSmaNa iti evam tu= Lakshmana, thus, that way, but; mahaa svanam aakrushya = with blatant, voice, crying out; mamaara= dead; shrutvaa siitaa katham bhavet= on hearing, Seetha, how, she will be; mahaabaahuH lakSmaNaH ca = dextrous one, Lakshmana, also; kaam avasthaam gamiSyati= in which, plight, he enters; so Rama thought; dharmaaatmaa raamaH= righteous-souled, Rama; iti samcintya = thus, on thinking over; hR^iSTa tanuu ruhaH= surprise, body, born [hair, hair-raising, frightened]; [babhuuva= Rama became.]

"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]

tatra raamam bhayam tiivram aavivesha viSaadajam |
raakSasam mR^iga ruupam tam hatvaa shrutvaa ca tat svanam || 3-44-26

26. mR^iga ruupam tam raakSasam hatvaa= in deer's, form, that, demon, on killing; tat svanam shrutvaa ca= his, yelling [of demon,] on hearing, also; tatra= in that matter; raamam= to Rama; viSaada jam tiivram bhayam = by gloom, caused, frantic, fear; aavivesha= ensorcelled.

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]

nihatya pR^iSatam ca anyam maa.msam aadaaya raaghavaH |
tvaramaaNo janasthaanam sasaara abhimukhaH tadaa || 3-44-27

27. tadaa= then; raaghavaH= Raghava; anyam= another one; pR^iSatam nihatya ca= spotted deer, on killing, also; maamsam aadaaya= its flesh, on taking; tvaramaaNaH= hurrying himself; janasthaanam abhimukhaH sasaara= to Janasthaana, towards, he drifted, proceeded.

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

.

Fruits of listening Maareecha's legend

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:

tat deh˜t uddhitam teja× sarva lokasya paþyata× |
r˜mam eva ˜viþat dev˜× vismayam paramam jagu× ||
kim karma k®tv˜ kim pr˜pta× p˜takŸ muni himsaka× |
athav˜ r˜ghavasya ayam mahim˜ na atra saÕþaya× ||
dvijo v˜ r˜kÿaso v˜ api p˜pŸ v˜ dh˜rmiko v˜ |
tyajan kalebaram r˜mam sm®tv˜ y˜ti paramam padam ||

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.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe catuH catvaarimshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 44th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 45

Introduction

Seetha rebukes Lakshmana for he is still here, loitering away even after listening Rama's cry for help. She goes to the extent of slandering him as having intents to woo her, at the cost of Rama's life. Lakshmana tries to pacify her but in vain, as she persists in her rash talk. Lakshmana leaves her alone and starts to reach Rama, broken-heartedly.

This is a much debated chapter in Ramayana because human complexities are involved in its narration. The sublimity of Seetha's characterisation is disputed by her speeches in here. The question is whether Seetha becomes an ideal woman in view of her tongue-lashing, or not. This is as good as asking the nature as to 'why it thunders before a storm, scaring children, birds and calves... cannot it just shower some rains and go...' If anything is not done in accordance with her wish and whim, or which goes against her peculiar way of thinking, it is usual for a shrewd woman to tongue-lash. Here, Seetha is called a woman who is bhart® prema antha - bhart® kÿema arthi 'blinded by the devotement to her husband...' 'a desirer of her husband's welfare...' even at her own risk.

This Ramayana is not the story of Rama. It is raama ayana and becomes raamaayaNa when compounded. Again raama is not the epical hero Rama alone. Seetha is also raamaa as said by Sumantra in Ayodhya, Ch. 60, 10th verse:

b˜l˜ iva ramate sŸt˜ a b˜la candra nibha ˜nan˜ |

r˜m˜ r˜me hi adŸn˜tm˜ vijane api vane sati

'like an young girl Seetha, with not so young moon's face, [i.e., like the full moon,] is delighting herself even in uninhabited forests with Rama...'

Thus this epic is called r˜m˜ r˜mayo× ayanam r˜m˜yaõam 'the peregrination of Seetha and Rama...' where the first word raamaa with elongated end syllable belongs to Seetha and the second raama with shortened end syllable belongs to Rama, and thus this is the peregrination of both Raamaa and Raama. If the course of the legend has to move forward, the characters have to move, and if they were to move, some situations should become turning points, and this is one such situation occasioned through the shrewdness of Seetha. In a legendary perspective, if evil is to be eliminated, good has to peregrinate troublesomely, and that troublesome peregrination of Seetha, as well as that of Rama, is triggered off at this situation, again due to the shrewdness of Seetha. Thus, there is no oddity in the shrewd talk of Seetha. Some more discussion is incorporated in the endnote

aartasvaram tu tam bhartuH vij~naaya sadR^isham vane |
uvaaca lakSmaNam siitaa gacCha jaaniihi raaghavam || 3-45-1

1. siitaa= Seetha; vane= in [deep of] forest; bhartuH [svara]= husband's, voice; sadR^isham= identifiable; tam aarta svaram= that, grievous, voice; vij~naaya= on identifying; lakSmaNam uvaaca= to Lakshmana, spoke; gacCha= you go [at once]; raaghavam jaaniihi= about Raghava, you know.

On identifying the grievous voice that is identifiable with her husband's voice, Seetha spoke to Lakshmana, "you go at once, and check up on Raghava.' [3-45-1]

na hi me jiivitam sthaane hR^idayam vaa avatiSThate |
kroshataH parama aartasya shrutaH shabdo mayaa bhR^isham || 3-45-2
aakrandamaanam tu vane bhraataram traatum ar.hhasi |

2, 3a. bhR^isham kroshataH= loudly, yelling; parama aartasya shabdaH= highly, of a fretful one's [Rama's,] sound [voice]; mayaa shrutaH= by me, heard; me= my; hR^idayam= heart; jiivitam vaa= life, or even; sthaane na avatiSThate hi= in place, not, abiding, indeed; vane aakrandamaanam= in forest, he who is screaming; bhraataram= [such] brother; traatum arhasi= protect, apt of you.

"I have heard the loud yelling voice of highly fretful Rama whereby my heart, or my very entity, is not abiding in its place, and it will be apt of you to protect such a brother of yours who is screaming in the forest. [3-45-2, 3a]

tam kSipram abhidhaava tvam bhraataram sharaNa eSiNam || 3-45-3
rakSasaam vasham aapannam si.mhaanaam iva govR^iSam |

3b, 4a. simhaanaam= for lions [under seize]; go vR^iSam= bull; iva= as with; rakSasaam vasham aapannam= for demons, subjugation, one who obtained - your brother Rama might have come under; sharaNa eSiNam= protection, he who is seeking; tam bhraataram= such a, to brother; tvam kSipram abhi dhaava= you, quickly, towards [him] run.

"He might have come under the subjugation of demons as with a bull coming under the seize of lions, hence, you hurry up so as to near such a brother of yours who is seeking protection." So said Seetha toi Lakshmana. [3-45-3b, 4a]

na jagaama tathaa uktaH tu bhraatuH aaj~naaya shaasanam || 3-45-4
tam uvaaca tataH tatra kshubhitaa janaka aatmajaa |

4b, 5a. tathaa= that way; uktaH tu= he who is spoken to by her, [i.e., Lakshmana, though she said a lot to him,] he on his part; bhraatuH shaasanam aaj~naaya= brother's, order [to stay guard to Seetha,] remembering; na jagaama= not, [Lakshmana has not] moved out; tataH= then; kshubhitaa= she who is agitated= for Rama; janaka aatmajaa= Janaka's daughter - Jaanaki; tatra= in that matter - in the paradox of his not going out; tam uvaaca= to him, to Lakshmana, she spoke.

Although she spoke a lot to him in this way, Lakshmana on his part has not moved out remembering his brother's order to stay guard to Seetha, and hence that Janaki, the daughter of Janaka, who is already agitated for Rama further spoke to him in the paradox of his not going out of hermitage. [3-45-4b, 5a]

saumitre mitra ruupeNa bhraatuH tvam asi shatruvat || 3-45-5
yaH tvam asyaam avasthaayaam bhraataram na abhipadyase |

5b, 6a. saumitre= oh, Soumitri; yaH tvam= which, you; asyaam avasthaayaam= in such an, exigency; bhraataram= at brother; na abhi padyase= not, towards, going; such as you are; tvam= you; bhraatuH= to brother; shatru vat mitra ruupeNa asi= foe, like, in friend's, mien, you are.

"You are like a foe of your brother in friend's mien, Soumitri, as you are not making a move towards a brother even if he is in an emergency. [3-45-5b, 6a]

icChasi tvam vinashyantam raamam lakSmaNa mat kR^ite || 3-45-6
lobhaat tu mat kR^itam nuunam na anugacChasi raaghavam |

6b, 7a. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; tvam= you; raamam= Rama be; vi nashyantam= completely, destroyed; mat kR^ite= my, sake of - because of me; icChasi= you wish; mat kR^itam= my, sake of - because of me; lobhaat tu= greed for gain - cupidity, only; raaghavam na anugacChasi= Raghava, not, following on; nuunam= definite is that.

"Because of me you wish Rama to be completely destroyed, and only because of your cupidity for me you are not following up on Raghava. It is definite. [3-45-6b, 7a]

The 'real' woman in Seetha is coming out. From now on, she goes on talking unhesitatingly, unilaterally and even abusively because her mind is fuddled with the thought 'some damage is being done to her husband.'

vyasanam te priyam manye sneho bhraatari na asti te || 3-45-7
tena tiSThasi visrabdhaH tam apashyan mahaadyutim |

7b, 8a. te= to you; vyasanam= dire straits [to Raghava]; priyam manye= most liked, I deem; te bhraatari snehaH na asti= to you, in brother, attachment [heart,] not, is there; tena= as such; mahaa dyutim= to great-resplendent one; tam= him [at Rama]; a + pashyan= without, seeing - when he is unseen; vi srabdhaH tiSThasi= without, hurry - complacently, you are staying behind.

" 'Raghava in direst strait' is the most liked thing to you, thus I deem, as you have no heart for that brother, and as you complacently stay behind even when that great-resplendent Rama is unseen. [3-45-7b, 8a]

kim hi sa.mshayam aapanne tasmin iha mayaa bhavet || 3-45-8
kartavyam iha tiSThantyaa yat pradhaanaH tvam aagataH |

8-9a. tvam= you; yat pradhaanaH= which [Rama,] as helmsman; iha aagataH= to here, you have come; tasmin [praaNa] samshayam aapanne= that one [that Rama,] [life-and-death,] uncertainty, when he is undergoing; iha tiSThantyaa= now, staying on - at hermitage; to you; mayaa= with me; kim kartavyam bhavet hi= what, business, will be there, I wonder.

"After which helmsman you have come here that Rama is undergoing an uncertainty of life-and-death, as such I indeed wonder what business you have here now in staying with me at this hermitage?" Seetha spoke so to Lakshmana. [3-45-8, 9a]

evam bruvaaNam vaidehiim baaSpa shoka samanvitam || 3-45-9
abraviit lakSmaNaH trastaam siitaam mR^iga vadhuum iva |

9b,10a. evam bruvaaNam= this way, who is talking; baaSpa shoka samanvitaam [pari plutaam]= tears, anguish, she who is having them [who is deluged with]; trastaam= to fretful one; mR^iga vadhuum iva= deer, female, like; to such a; vaidehiim siitaam= to princess from Videha kingdom, to Seetha; lakSmaNaH abraviit= Lakshmana, spoke.

Lakshmana spoke to Seetha, the princess from Videha kingdom, who is talking deluged under tears and anguish in that way, as she is fretful like a she-deer. [3-45-9a, 10b]

pannaga asura gandharva deva daanava raakshasaiH || 3-45-10
ashakyaH tava vaidehii bhartaa jetum na sa.mshayaH |

10b, 11a. vaidehii= oh, Vaidehi; tava bhartaa= your, husband; pannaga asura gandharva deva daanava raakshasaiH= by serpents, asura-s, gandharva-s, gods, fiends, demons; jetum= to be vincible; a+ shakyaH= not, possible one; na samshayaH= no, doubt.

"Oh, Vaidehi, your husband is an impossible one for vincibility by serpents, asura-s, gandharva-s, gods, fiends, demons, no doubt about it.

devi deva manuSyeSu gandharveSu patatriSu || 3-45-11
raakSaseSu pishaaceSu kinnareSu mR^igeSu ca |
daanaveSu ca ghoreSu na sa vidyeta shobhane || 3-45-12
yo raamam pratiyudhyeta samare vaasava upamam |

11b, 12, 13a. shobhane= oh, auspicious one; devi= oh, lady; samare vaasava upamam raamam= in war, Indra, similar - vies with, Rama; yaH prati yudhyeta= he who, can counter, attacks; saH= such a combatant; deva manuSyeSu= among gods, humans; gandharveSu patatriSu= gandharva-s, birds; raakSaseSu pishaaceSu kinnareSu mR^igeSu ca= among ogres, kinnaraa-s, beasts, also; ghoreSu daanaveSu ca= among horrendous, demons, even; na vidyeta= not, obtainable - unmarked.

"Oh, auspicious one, unmarked is some combatant who can counterattack Rama from among gods, humans, gandharva-s, birds, ogres, kinnaraa-s, beasts, or oh, lady, even from horrendous demons, as Rama vies with Indra in any given war. [3-45-11b, 12, 13a]

avadhyaH samare raamo na evam tvam vaktum ar.hhasi || 3-45-13
na tvaam asmin vane haatum utsahe raaghavam vinaa |

13b, 14a. raamaH samare a +vadhyaH= Rama, in war, not, killable - inextirpable; tvam evam vaktum na arhasi= you, to talk, that way, not, apt of you; tvaam raaghavam vinaa= you, Raghava, without; asmin vane haatum= in this, forest, to abandon; na utsahe= not, I venture.

"It is inapt of you to talk that way as Rama is inextirpable in a given war, and as for me, I do not venture to abandon you in this forest in the absence of Raghava. [3-45-13b, 14a]

anivaaryam balam tasya balaiH balavataam api || 3-45-14
tribhiH lokaiH samuditaiH sa iishvaraiH sa amaraiH api |

14b, 15a. balavataam balaiH api= of forceful ones [Crowns,] by military forces, even; sa iishvaraiH sa amaraiH api= [headed by] their lords, with, by gods, even; samuditaiH tribhiH lokaiH= coming in insurgency, of three, worlds [collectively]; tasya balam a+ nivaaryam= his [Rama's,] prowess, not, repressible.

"Let the most forceful Crowns with all their military forces, or, all of the gods together with their heads, why they, let all the three worlds put together come mutinously, whether jointly or severally, Rama's prowess is irrestrainable. [3-45, 14b, 15a]

hR^idayam nir.hvR^itam te astu sa.ntaapaH tyajyataam tava || 3-45-15
aagamiSyati te bhartaa shiighram hatvaa mR^igottamam |

15b-16a. te hR^idayam nirvR^itam astu= your, heart, turn back [be diverted,] let it be; [ayam= this]; tava santaapaH tyajyataam= your, anxiety, be divested; te bhartaa= your, husband; mR^iga uttamam hatvaa= extraordinary, deer, on killing; shiighram aagamiSyati= quickly, will come back.

"Hence, let your heart be diverted and anxiety divested, as your husband will be returning soon on killing that extraordinary deer. [3-45-15b, 16a]

na sas tasya svaro vyaktam na kashcit api daivataH || 3-45-16
gandharva nagara prakhyaa maayaa tasya ca rakSasaH |

16b, 17a. saa tasya svaraH na= that [voice,] his [Rama's,] voice, is not; vyaktam= it is evident; kashcit daivataH api na= of some, gods, even, it is not; kenacit= by someone; maayayaa kR^ita= chicanery, it is made [mimicked voice]; saa= that [voice]; tasya rakSasaH ca= his [Maareecha's,] of demon, alone; gandharva nagara prakhyaa maayaa= celestial, city, similar, magical [city.]

"Evidently it is not the voice of Rama, nor that of any other god, but someone mimicked that voice for chicanery, and that must be the illusory voice of that demon Maareecha, similar in effect to the magical city of gandharva-s usually created by magicians in general. [3-45-15b, 16]

Lakshmana has repeated the word gandharva nagara which he said to Rama. This magic is said as: gandharva nagaram proktam indraj˜lam manŸÿibhi× 'magic show of showing celestial cities by magicians.'

nyaasa bhuutaa asi vaidehi nyastaa mayi mahaatmanaa || 3-45-17
raameNa tvam varaarohe na tvaam tyaktum iha utsahe |

17-18a. varaarohe= oh, best lady; vaidehi= oh, Vaidehi; nyaasabhuutaa asi= entrustment, you are; mahaatmanaa raameNa= by great-souled one, by Rama; tvam mayi nyastaa =you, in me [in my security,] are entrusted; iha tvaam tyaktum na utsahe= now, you, to leave, not, I dare.

"And you are an entrustment, oh, best lady Vaidehi, as the great-souled Rama has entrusted you in my security, as such I do not dare to leave you off now. [3-45-17, 18a]

kR^ita vairaaH ca kalyaaNi vayam etaiH nishaacaraiH || 3-45-18
kharasya nidhane devi janasthaana vadham prati |

18b, 19a. kalyaaNi= oh, gracious one; devi= oh, lady; kharasya nidhane= Khara's, in elimination; janasthaana vadham prati= Janasthaana, regarding eradication of, towards; vayam etaiH nishaacaraiH= we are, with these, nigh-walkers; kR^ita vairaaH ca= became, adversaries, also.

"Oh, gracious lady, we have become the adversaries of these night-walkers insofar as the elimination of Khara and others, and concerning the eradication of Janasthaana. [3-45-18b, 19a]

raakSasaa vividhaa vaaco vyavaharanti mahaavane || 3-45-19
hi.msaa vihaaraa vaidehi na cintayitum ar.hhasi |

19b, 20a. vaidehi= oh, Vaidehi; mahaavane= in great forests; himsaa vihaaraaH raakSasaaH= violence, swaggerers in, demons; vividhaa vaacaH vyavaharanti= various, voices, they put to use; cintayitum na arhasi= to bother about it, not, apt of you.

"The demons are the swaggerers in violence in great forests and they will be employing various voices. Therefore Vaidehi, just do not bother about it." Thus Lakshmana advised Seetha. [3-45-18b, 19, 20a]

lakSmaNena evam uktaa tu kruddhaa sa.mrakta locanaa || 3-45-20
abraviit paruSam vaakyam lakSmaNam satya vaadinam |

20b, 21a. lakSmaNena evam uktaa tu= by Lakshmana, this way, she who is said, on her part; kruddhaa= [Seetha] became furious; samrakta locanaa= with bloodshot, eyes; satya vaadinam lakSmaNam= actuality, advocate of - veracious, to Lakshmana; paruSam vaakyam abraviit= rude, sentence, she spoke.

As for Seetha, she became furious on hearing Lakshmana's words of advice, and while her eyes are becoming bloodshot she spoke these rude sentences to that veracious Lakshmana. [3-45-20b, 21a]

anaarya karuNaara.mbha nR^isha.msa kula paa.msana || 3-45-21
aham tava priyam manye raamasya vyasanam mahat |

21b, 22. anaaryaH= an+aaryaH= not, noble - debased one; a + karuNa aarambha= dayaa prasakti rahitaH= mercy, devoid of, starter of; nR^ishamsa= dreadful one; kula paamsana= dynasty, degrader of; raamasya mahat vyasanam= Rama's, fatal, hardship; tava priyam= to you, much liked - you derive pleasure; thus; aham manye= I, deem.

"You are a debased one devoid of mercy, thus a dreadful one, and a degrader of your dynasty, and I deem that you derive pleasure from fatal hardship to Rama. [3-45-21b, 22a]

The wording anaaryaH akararuNaarambha= dayaa prasakti rahitaH is as per the text of Govindaraja, while other mms have it as akaarya karaNa aarambha; a kaarya kaaraNa aarambha 'starter for doing an untoward deed.' From Seetha's viewpoint it is 'in wooing brother's wife you are the starter of an untoward deed.'

raamasya vyasanm dR^iSTvaa tena etaani prabhaaSase || 3-45-22
na eva citram sapatneSu paapam lakSmaNa yat bhavet |
tvat vidheSu nR^isha.mseSu nityam pracChanna caariSu || 3-45-23

22b, 23. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; raamasya vyasanm dR^iSTvaa= Rama's, hardship, having seen - on noticing; tena= by that reason [fatality to Rama]; etaani= all these [sermons]; pra bhaaSase= verily speaking [holding forth, haranguing]; nityam= always; pracChanna= concealed - in cloak and dagger way; caariSu= those who are moving ones - conducting themselves; nR^ishamseSu== regarding pitiless ones; tvat vidheSu= of your, kind; sapatneSu= in rivals [sapatni= also means a co-wife, who is a natural enemy]; paapam bhavet= sin, that exists - they tend to commit sin; [iti] yat= [that which fact is there,] that fact; na citram eva= not, uncommon, in that way - unsurprising.

"You are haranguing all these sermons only on noticing hardship to Rama. It is unsurprising that the pitiless ones and rivals of your kind, who always behave in a cloak-and dagger way, will tend to commit deadly sins, Lakshmana, and it is not uncommon. [3-45-22b, 23]

suduSTaH tvam vane raamam ekam eko anugacChasi |
mama hetoH praticChannaH prayukto bharatena vaa || 3-45-24

24. su duSTaH= very, maleficent; tvam ekaH= you, singly; prati cChannaH= covertly; mama hetoH= me, because of; bharatena prayuktaH= instigated, by Bharata; vaa= or; ekam raamam= lone one, Rama, [who was coming to forest all alone]; vane anugacChasi= into forest, you followed.

"You are verily maleficent for you have singly and covertly followed Rama, who started to forests all alone, or instigated by Bharata, only because of me. [3-45-24]

The covert operation of Lakshmana as instantly surmised by Seetha is that, 'when one half-brother Bharata can snatch the kingdom from Rama, you, the other half-brother, can snatch away his wife, hence you have come with covert intentions, on your own, leaving all your kinsfolk. Or, Bharata wanted me too along with the kingdom, so he might have instigated you to fetch me for him, after Rama's death, thus he covertly sent 'you' alone.'

tat na siddhyati saumitre tava api bharatasya vaa |
katham i.ndiivara shyaamam raamam padma nibhekSaNam || 3-45-25
upasa.mshritya bhartaaram kaamayeyam pR^ithak janam |

25, 26a. saumitre= oh, Soumitri; tava= your; vaa= or that of; bharatasya api= of Bharata, even - whether; tat= that [thought, intrigue]; na siddhyati= not, achievable; padma nibha iikSaNam= lotus, bright, eyed one; indiivara shyaamam= blue-lotus, blue-black one [in complexion]; raamam= such a Rama; bhartaaram= as husband; upa sam shritya= nearby, well, sheltered - dependent on, put my faith only in my husband; pR^ithak janam= another, commoner - person; katham kaamayeyam= how, can I lust after - long for - as husband.

"Whether this is an intrigue of yours or that of Bharata it is unachievable, Saumitri. How can I long for another commoner when I have put my faith only in the lotus-blue-complexioned and lotus-bright-eyed husband of mine, Rama? [3-45-25, 26a]

For how shall I, the chosen bride / Of dark-hued Rama, lotus-eyed, / The queen who once called Rama mine, To love of other men decline? - Griffith.

samakSam tava saumitre praaNaan tyakSyaami asa.mshayam || 4-5-26
raamam vinaa kSaNam api na eva jiivaami bhuu tale |

26b, 27a. saumitre= oh, Soumitri; tava samakSam= in your, presence; praaNaan tyakSyaami= lives, I discard if it comes to that; a +samshayam= unmistakably; raamam vinaa kSaNam api= Rama, without, a moment, even for; bhuu tale na eva jiivaami= on earth's, surface, not, thus, I live.

"If that comes to that, I will just discard my life in your presence, Soumitri do not mistake it. I do not eke out an existence on this earth even for a moment without Rama." Thus Seetha threatened Lakshmana. [3-45-26b, 27a]

iti uktaH paruSam vaakyam siitayaa romaharSaNam || 3-45-27
abraviit lakSmaNaH siitaam praa.njaliH vijitendriyaH |

27b, 28a. vi jita indriyaH= self-mortified one; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; siitayaa= by Seetha; iti= in this way; roma harSaNam= hair, raising ones; paruSam vaakyam= acerbic, words; uktaH= he who is spoken to; praanjaliH siitaam abraviit= with palms-adjoined, to Seetha, he spoke.

When that self-mortified Lakshmana is addressed in this way with hair-raising and acerbic words by Seetha, he spoke to her suppliantly adjoining his palm-fold. [3-45-27b, 28a]

uttaram na utsahe vaktum daivatam bhavatii mama || 3-45-28
vaakyam apratiruupam tu na citram striiSu maithili |
svabhaavaH tu eSa naariiNaam eSu lokeSu dR^ishyate || 3-45-29

28b, 29. maithili= oh, Maithili; uttaram vaktum na utsahe= reply, to say, not, I venture; bhavatii mama daivatam= you are, to me, a godlike; apratiruupam [a+prati+ruupam] vaakyam= [not, reflective in form, sentences,] matchless words - words in a class by themselves, unseemly words; striiSu tu= in women, on their part; citram na= surprising, it is not; eSa naariiNaam svabhaavaH tu= this sort of [using grandiloquence,] for womenfolk, is the nature of, on its part; eSu lokeSu dR^ishyate= in this, world, it is obvious.

"I do not venture to reply you Maithili, as you are like a deity to me. Women using words that are in a class by themselves is not at all surprising. This sort of bringing stilted words into play is the nature of women and it is obvious in the world. [3-45-28b, 29]

vimukta dharmaaH capalaaH tiikSNaa bhedakaraaH striyaH |
na sahe hi iidR^isham vaakyam vaidehii janaka aatmaje || 3-45-30
shrotrayoH ubhayoH madhye tapta naaraaca sannibham |

30, 31a. striyaH= women; vimukta dharmaaH= unbound, by rightness - etiquette of decency; capalaaH= whimsical; tiikSNaaH= cantankerous; [svabhaavena= with such a nature]; bheda karaaH= vicissitudes, artificers of; janaka aatmaje vaidehii= Janaka', daughter, oh, Vaidehi; [me= my]; ubhayoH shrotrayoH madhye= both, ears, in between; tapta naaraaca sannibham= burnt, iron arrow, like [words]; iidR^isham vaakyam= this kind of, words; na sahe hi= not, bearable, indeed.

"Women by their nature are unbound by the etiquette of decency, whimsical, cantankerous and they tend to become the artificers of vicissitudes, and oh, Vaidehi, the daughter of Janaka, indeed unbearable are this kind of words that are much the same as burnt iron arrows thrust in between my two ears. [3-45-30, 31a]

The role of women in bringing alterations in joint families, peaceful histories or even in transcending legends is evident in every culture. mah˜nto api hi bhidyante strŸbhi× adbhi× iva acal˜× | k˜mandaka - lavaõa jal˜nt˜ nadya× strŸ bhed˜nt˜ni bandhu h®day˜ni | pr˜cŸna sm®ti - dk - 'They, the women, may be great beings but they tear asunder hearts, like oceans tearing great mountains.' Lakshmana is not eye-to-eye with Seetha and he is going on listening all her accusations with his two ears. And in between his two ears his conscience is there which is not permitting him to tolerate these words, yet he is tolerating.

upashR^iNva.ntu me sarve saakSino hi vanecaraaH || 3-45-31
nyaaya vaadii yathaa vaakyam ukto aham paruSam tvayaa |

31b, 32a. nyaaya vaadii= conscientiously, [although] reasoning; aham= I am; tvayaa= by you; yathaa= as to how; paruSam vaakyam uktaH= bitter, words, spoken to; for such one like me; me= to me; saakSinaH= corroborators; sarve vane caraaH= all of the, forest- itinerants - sylvan deities; upa shR^iNvantu= closely, hear; hi= indeed.

"Let all of the forest-itinerants indeed listen as to how you are addressing me with bitter words, though I am reasoning with you conscientiously, and let them become my corroborators for the sake of justice. [3-45-31b, 32a]

dhik tvaam adya praNashyantiim yan maam evam visha.nkase || 3-45-32
striitvaat duSTa svabhaavena guru vaakye vyavasthitam |

32b, 33a. tvaam dhik= upon you, fie; striitvaat= by faminality; duSTa svabhaavena= with acrimonious, temper; [tvam= you]; adya guru vaakye vyavasthitam= presently, mentor's, ordinance, one who is abiding in; maam= me; yat= by which [impulsive, hot-headed] reason; evam vi shankase= in this way, you are - verily, mistrusting; by that crotchety alone; praNashyantiim= you will ruin - say, 'may God damn you' - but not actual perish or ruination, a sort of exasperated expression.

"Fie upon you, you are acrimoniously tempered owing to your faminality, and by which impulsive reason you mistrust me who am presently abiding in my brother's order, may God damn you for that crotchety. [3-45-32b, 33a]

gamiSye yatra kaakutsthaH svasti te astu varaanane || 3-45-33
rakSantu tvaam vishaalaakSi samagraa vana devataaH |

33b, 34a. vara aanane= oh, one with best visage; kaakutsthaH yatra= Kakutstha Rama, where he is; to there; gamiSye= I will go; te svasti astu= to you, safe, betides [you be blest]; vishaala akSii= oh, broad-eyed one; tvaam samagraaH vana devataaH rakSantu= you, all of the, forest, divinities, may protect.

"I am going there where Rama is, oh, lady with best visage, you be blest, and oh, broad-eyed one, let all of the forest deities protect you. [3-45-33b, 34a]

nimittaani hi ghoraaNi yaani praadur.hbhavanti me |
api tvaam saha raameNa pashyeyam punaraagataH || 3-45-34

34b, c. ghoraaNi yaani nimittaani= dangerous ones, which of those, forebodings; praadurbhavanti= are bidding fair; gauging by them; punaH aagataH= again, who has come back - on my return; tvaam raameNa saha= you, along with, Rama; api pasheyam?= even, can I see - can I see you again? na vaa= not, or; [Extra foot obtaining in other mms: iti etat= thus, that - that matter; na jaanaami= not, I know; janaka aatmaje vaidehii= oh, Janaka's, daughter, Vaidehi.]

"Gauging by those dangerous forebodings that are now bidding fair, can I to see you again along with Rama on my return, or not? That I do not know." Thus Lakshmana spoke to Seetha. [3-45-34b, c]

Lakshmana is repeatedly addressing Seetha as 'a broad-eyed-lady,' suggesting that 'though you have broad-eyes, but your mental perception is not that broad' 'as your eyes are belying your faculties.' 'And as 'the daughter of Janaka,' that is the 'daughter of a judicious person, yet unable to discriminate.' And as Vaidehi that is, one 'coming from Videha province.' Videha also means 'without body.' You are some supernatural, yet that demon beguiled you,' so on.

Lakshmana said Seetha 'be lost in desolation...' in the first instance and further said that she 'be blest...' and seeks the help of pastoral divinities to protect Seetha in his absence. This appears self-contradictory on the part of Lakshmana. But it is held correct, for he uttered derogatory words in the first instance as a vexed person and then, on knowing what that is suddenly uttered by him, he is correcting himself in saying that 'she be blest...' He wished her to prosper as she belongs to Rama. Whatever belongs to Rama that cannot be ridiculed, especially his mother-like elder sister-in-law.

lakSmaNena evam uktaa tu rudatii janakaaatmajaa |
pratyuvaaca tato vaakyam tiivram baaSpa pariplutaa || 3-45-35

35. lakSmaNena evam uktaa tu= by Lakshmana, thus, she who is said, on her part; janaka aatmajaa= Janaka's daughter; rudatii= wailing; baaSpa pari plutaa= tears, overly, whelming her; tataH= then; tiivram vaakyam prati uvaaca= curt, sentence, in reply, said.

When Lakshmana spoke to that wailful daughter of Janaka, she on her part spoke this curt sentence to him, while tears whelmed her to a fault. [3-45-35]

godaavariim pravekSyaami hiinaa raameNa lakSmaNa |
aabandhiSye athavaa tyakSye viSame deham aatmanaH || 3-45-36

36. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; raameNa= with Rama; hiinaa [vinaa]= deprived of [devoid of]; godaavariim pravekSyaami= in Godavari, I plunge myself; athavaa= or else; aa bandhiSye= tie myself [I hang, string up myself]; [athavaa= or, else]; viSame= from heights; aatmanaH deham tyakSye= my, body, I give up.

"Without Rama I plunge myself in River Godavari, or else I string up myself, or discard this body of mine from heights..." Thus Seetha started to vent out her feelings. [3-45-36]

pibaami vaa viSam tiikSNam pravekSyaami hutaashanam |
na tu aham raaghavaat anyam kadaaapi puruSam spR^ishe || 3-45-37

37. aham tiikSNam viSam pibaami= I, deadly, poison, I drink; vaa= or; huta ashanam pravekSyaami= into Ritual-fire [rather - flaring fire,] I enter; tu= but; raaghavaat anyam puruSam= than Raghava, other, person; kadaa api= never, even; [or, padaa api= with foot, at least]; na spR^ishe= not, going to touch.

"I drink deadly poison, or I enter a flaring fire, but I will never touch another man other than Raghava. [3-45-37]

With regard to touching another man, some texts say the word kadaapi 'never' and some padaa api 'by foot, even.' 'I do not touch any other man even with my foot.' This signifies 'marriage.' In marriages there is a custom for the newly weds, like handshake and pressing toes of one another, in order to acclimatise one with the other's body touch. Here, if this paadaa api is taken as that custom in marriages. Thus she says that 'in the process of marriages such foot-pressing of bride and bridegroom occurs, hence I do not wish to undergo such situations.' As such, this is not mere touching someone with her foot.

These intimidations of Seetha that she will commit suicide by consuming poison, hanging, plunging in river, self-immolation etc., are not new to Seetha or to any woman, under these irksome situations. She is giving many alternatives for suicide and the last one is self-immolation. If she is not going to die by hanging herself, or by consuming poison, or by drowning in river, then the question of self-immolation comes up. But she lists all of them in her anguish for Rama. With the same impetuosity she jumps into fire in the episode of agni praveshanam after war, when Rama belittles her. There also, she orders the very same Lakshmana to arrange pyre for her, disregarding her own accusations made at Lakshmana, at this situation.

iti lakSmaNam aashrutya siitaa duhkha samanvitaa |
paaNibhyaam rudatii duhkhaad udaram prajaghaana ha || 3-45-38

38. siitaa iti lakSmaNam aashrutya= Seetha, in this way, Lakshmana, made to hear [declaring]; duHkha samanvitaa= anguish, along with; rudatii= while weeping bitterly; duhkhaat= owing to agony - agonisingly; paaNibhyaam= with both hands; udaram pra jaghaana ha= belly, forcefully battered, indeed.

Seetha on declaring to Lakshmana in this way, she who is anguished and weeping bitterly, then started to smite her belly with both of her palms in a heightened agony. [3-45-38]

taam aarta ruupaam vimanaa rudantiim
saumitriH aalokya vishaala netraam |
aashvaasayaamaasa na caiva bhartuH
tam bhraataram ki.mcit uvaaca siitaa || 3-45-39

39. saumitriH= Soumitri; vi manaa= without, cheer [cheerless one]; aarta ruupaam= one agonised, in her aspect; rudantiim= [who is] bitterly weeping; taam= at her; vishaala netraam= at broad, eyed one [Seetha]; aalokya= on observing; aashvaasayaamaasa= tried to cheer her up; but; siitaa= Seetha; bhartuH bhraataram= to husband's, brother [brother of her husband - to Lakshmana]; tam= to him; kimcit na uvaaca ca eva= a little, did not, speak, also, thus [even then.]

Observing the agonised aspect of Seetha that cheerless Saumitri started to cheer her up by repeatedly informing that her husband Rama will come soon. Even then Seetha has not spoken in the least to the brother of her husband, and maintained a silence of antipathy. [3-45-39]

tataH tu siitaam abhivaadya lakSmaNaH
kR^ita anjaliH kimcid abhipraNamya |
avekSamaaNo bahushaH sa maithiliim
jagaama raamasya samiipam aatmavaan || 3-45-40

40. tataH tu= then, but; aatmavaan lakSmaNaH= self-respectful, Lakshmana; siitaam abhivaadya= Seetha, holding in reverence; kR^ita anjaliH= making, palm-fold; kimcit abhi praNamya= a little, in fore - going to he fore, reverenced - semi-salute; bahushaH maithiliim avekSamaaNaH [anviikshyamaaNaH]= repeatedly, at Maithili, looking back [checking up]; saH raamasya samiipam jagaama= he, Rama's, proximity, proceeded to.

But then, holding Seetha in usual reverence that self-respectful Lakshmana briefly came to her fore making a reverential palm-fold that briefly, and then he proceeded to the proximity of Rama, while repeatedly looking back at that lonely lady in the thick of forest. [3-45-40]

Till now Lakshmana is at her behind or at her sideways, as he usually stands a foot behind Rama or Seetha, and now came to her fore to revere her vis-à-vis and made a semi-salute, i.e., briefly and briskly adjoined and disjoined his palms, without bringing the joined palms up to his heart or his face. Bringing the folded palms up to one's own heart is suggestive of 'pouring forth one's own heart' at the other, which is known in prayers as iungo manus ante pectus and if it is lifted up to forehead, it is suggestive of 'concentrating with whole of the mind,' and if hands are totally lifted into air it is for the god unknown. But here this iungere manus is neither ante pectus, infra pectus, nor supra abdomen but a quick gesture. He is performing an iSTa namaskaara 'un, interested, greeting...' 'a half-hearted gesture' like a 'cold-handshake' rather than a 'warm' one because he is now sent by her compulsively and compulsorily.

.

Seetha's tongue-lashing

[Font size can be enhanced under View menu]

Indian woman is no sacred cow. For that matter, no woman is of that kind, unless compulsorily conditioned to be like that. A woman can be said as cow-faced-tigress, as: go mukha vy˜ghra, [not in dissent.] She prowls, growls and howls at others if her interests are contradicted. Thus, Seetha’s is not only a sacred cow but also a shrewd lioness-princess, and her rash talking is not new or instantaneous at this place alone. She said something against Kaikeyi with Sumantra, which, Sumantra does not report to Kausalya in Ayodhya Kanda, chapter 60, and verse 14. One full chapter, Aranya Kanda of 9th is catered to Seetha’s haranguing Rama, when Rama wanted to wage an unprovoked war. She does not spare even her own husband, if the contemplated deed is contrary to her thinking, and because she is countering her own husband she includes a saving clause, ‘I have spoken in all my womanliness... it is up to you to decide....’ otherwise it will be a straight tongue-lashing. Thus talking riff-raff with Lakshmana is no great surprise.

Further, she is angering through perplexity caused by the hearing a help cry similar in tone with her husband's voice: bhart® ˜rta svara sad®þam ˜krandanam ˜kraõya vidŸrõa h®day˜ h®daya dayitu premõ˜ kartavyam aj˜nan˜ j˜nakŸ - - - sam utpanna kopay˜ sŸtay˜ - bh˜ÿitam - dk Seetha said mama heto× praticchanna× 'for me you are covertly behaving...' and Lakshmana, who is famous for his rashness also said to Seetha tŸkÿõ˜ bhedakar˜× striya× 'women are the severe wreckers...' of households, kingdoms etc., remembering Sage Agastya's saying in Aranya, Ch. 13 verse 6: 'With the dangling of hundreds of streaks of thunderbolt and also a weapon's incisiveness, and also with the speediness of an eagle and wind's gust, the women are conformable...'

Besides, Seetha vowed to offer many oblations to Ganga, when crossing that river to enter the deep of forests in Ayodhya II, Ch. 52, verses 87-90: sur˜ gha÷a sahasreõa m˜msa bh¨ta odanena ca yakÿy˜mi aham 'I will offer thousand pots of liquor, meaty food, if, my husband and I return safely...' Even though Shiromani Vyaakhya says that these are not liquor pots or it is not the meat food, yet they are some offerings to be made by Seetha to Ganga, if they return. She uses many 'if' clauses while praying thus, for the safety of her husband. What will become of them, if Rama's life itself is at stake?

Here, both Seetha and Lakshmana, are accusing each other. It is not reiterated elsewhere in Ramayana, and hence some say that this episode is an interpolation. 'Can these two go on narrating this scandalous dialogue to somebody, detailing how each accused the other...' is the ensuing question. This episode has happened in between these two and it does not merit a discussion with somebody else, because such a discussion will attract many cha, cha-s, and chi, chi-s s for Seetha, hence this is neither an interpolation nor a repeatable episode.

Then the commentator concludes in saying that each of them is right in his/her way and in emotion, situation and portent. sŸt˜ vacanasya bharti ˜rta þabda þravaõa samj˜ta kheda vaþena ˜padi r˜mo avaþyam samrakÿaõŸya iti etat abhipr˜yakatv˜t | lakÿmaõa vacanam api ayukta tara sŸt˜ vacana þravaõa janita kopa vaþena prav®ttam | agastya vacanam tu svata× saral˜ sŸt˜ iti abhipr˜yakam iti na virodha× - - dk

Later, Seetha repents for her rash talk with Lakshmana in yuddha kaaNDa, Ch. 113, verses 40, 45-46, saying:

bh˜gya vaiÿamya doÿeõa purast˜t duÿk®tena ca |
may˜ etat pr˜pyate sarvam sva k®tam hi upbhujyate ||
p˜p˜n˜m v˜ þubh˜n˜m v˜ vadh˜rh˜õ˜m api v˜ |
k˜ryam k˜ruõyam ˜ryeõa na kaþcit na apar˜dhyate ||

'When my fate is against me, and when my earlier sins [of finding fault with Lakshmana,] have acquired this [incarceration in Lanka...] one has to reap the results of one's own faults... a sinner, or a do-gooder, or one undergoing a capital punishment shall be treated kindly... who is he/she that does not offend...'

These are the very same words of Sugreeva in Kishkindha, Ch. 36, verse 11: "Either in faith or in friendliness if I have overstepped, in the least, that may be pardoned for I am an attendant of yours... for, none is unoffending...' All this culminates into the saying 'to err is human...'

On the other hand, in the perspective of mythology, the time has come for Seetha to go to Lanka, in order to effectuate her curse to Ravana as Vedavati, where Vedavati cursed Ravana, 'I will be the root cause for your total elimination... as Seetha...' For such a transit, Rama shall go away from her, for that she wanted that golden deer and as a good husband Rama ran after it. But this security guard is an obstinate obstacle than Rama and he will not go away from here, because he has to keep custody of his brother's entrustment. Unless such unbearable words are spoken to a self-respectful person like Lakshmana, he doe not stir out. To stop his leeching onto her, she had to talk in an abnormal way, which made him to go away, though reluctantly, and which paved the way for Ravana's entry. If the Golden Deer is not there, Rama will not go, if Rama's voice is not heard Lakshmana cannot be sent, and if Lakshmana does not go, Ravana will not come... then a blemish called anavasth˜ doÿa -- ad infintum... occurs to Ramayana. If we do not mind to end Ramayana in that way, Ravana will be ruling high, even today...

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe pa.nca catvaarimshaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 45th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Sree Valmiki Ramayana

courtesy from

Sree Brahmasri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasri K M K Murthy ji

 I Humbly bow to the  lotus feet of both of them

for the collection