Sloka & Translation

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

मारीच श्रूयातां तात वचनं मम भाषतः।

आर्तोऽस्मि मम चार्तस्य भवान्हि परमा गतिः।।3.36.1।।


तात O child, मारीच Maricha, भाषतः as I speak, मम my, वचनम् words, श्रूयताम् hear, आर्तः distressed, अस्मि I am, आर्तस्य of the distressed, मम my, भवान् you, परमा ultimate, गतिः हि refuge.

O dear Maricha hear my words. I am distressed and you are my ultimate refuge.
जानीषे त्वं जनस्थाने यथा भ्राता खरो मम।

दूषणश्च महाबाहु स्वसा शूर्पणखा च मे।।3.36.2।।

त्रिशिराश्च महातेजा राक्षसः पिशिताशनः।

अन्ये च बहवश्शूरा लब्धलक्षा निशाचराः।।3.36.3।।

वसत्नि मन्नियोगेन नित्यवासं च राक्षसाः।

बाधमाना महारण्ये मुनीन्वै धर्मचारिणः।।3.36.4।।


मम my, भ्राता brother, खरः Khara, महाबाहुः of mighty arms, दूषणश्च and Dusana, मे my, स्वसा sister, शूर्पणखा च Surpanakha too, महातेजाः brilliant, पिशिताशनः flesh eater, राक्षसः demon, त्रिशिराश्च and Trisira, शूराः brave, लब्धलक्षाः unfailing in their targets, अन्ये बहवः many other, निशाचराः राक्षसाः nightwalker demons, मन्नियोगेन at my behest, महारण्ये in the great forest, धर्मचारिणः followers of righteous path, मुनीन् seers, बाधमानाः harassing, जनस्थाने at Janasthana, यथा likewise, नित्यवासं वसन्ति always living there, त्वम् you, जानीषे know.

You know that my brothers, Khara and Dusana, the strongarmed heroes, my sister Surpanakha and the mighty cannibal Trisira, and many other heroic demons successful in hitting their targets are bonafide residents. They have been harassing the followers of righteous path (the sages) at my behest.
चतुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम्।

शूराणां लब्धलक्षाणां खरचित्तानुवर्तिनाम्।।3.36.5।।


भीमकर्मणाम् of terrible deeds, शूराणाम् of heroes, लब्धलक्षाणाम् skilled in hitting the targets, खरचित्तानुवर्तिनाम् acting according to the will of Khara, रक्षसाम् of demons, चतुर्दश सहस्राणि fourteen thousand.

These fourteen thousand heroes, perpetrators of terrible deeds, skilled in hitting the targets had been acting according to the direction of Khara.
ते त्विदानीं जनस्थाने वसमाना महाबलाः।

सङ्गताः परमायत्ता रामेण सह संयुगे।।3.36.6।।

नानाप्रहरणोपेताः खरप्रमुखराक्षसाः।


जनस्थाने at Janasthana, वसमानाः living permanently, महाबलाः very strong, ते they, खरप्रमुखराक्षसाः demons led by Khara, इदानीम् now, परमायत्ताः with all support, नानाप्रहरणोपेताः wielding different kinds of weapons, संयुगे in war, रामेण सह with Rama, सङ्गताः have fought.

These mighty demons, living in Janasthana, eqipped with different kinds of weapons, supported and led by Khara, met Rama in an encounter.
तेन सञ्जातरोषेण रामेण रणमूर्धनि।

अनुक्त्वा परुषं किञ्चिच्छरैर्व्यापारितं धनुः।।3.36.7।।


सञ्जातरोषेण even though wrathful, तेन रामेण by that Rama, रणमूर्धनि on the battle front,
परुषम् harsh , किञ्चित् a little, अनुक्त्वा not uttered, धनुः bow, शरैः arrows, व्यापारितम् shot.

With his wrath generated, Rama, without even speaking anything, used his bow and the arrows.
चतुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसामुग्रतेजसाम्।

निहतानि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्मानुषेण पदातिना।।3.36.8।।


पदातिना fighting on foot, मानुषेण by a human being, उग्रतेजसाम् of ferocious, रक्षसाम् of demons, चतुर्दश fourteen, सहस्राणि thousand, तीक्ष्णैः with sharp, शरैः arrows, निहतानि are killed.

Being a human being who fought on foot, he killed fourteen thousand ferocious demons with his sharp arrows.
खरश्च निहतस्सङ्ख्ये दूषणश्च निपातितः।

हतश्च त्रिशिराश्चापि निर्भया दण्डकाः कृताः।।3.36.9।।


सङ्ख्ये in the war, खरश्च Khara also, निहतः killed, दूषणश्च Dusana also, निपातितः is ruined, त्रिशिराश्चापि even Trisira, हतः got destroyed, दण्डकाः forest of Dandaka, निर्भयाः safe and fearless, कृताः are rendered.

Khara, Dusana and Trisira were killed in war.The residents of Dandaka forest are rendered safe and fearless.
पित्रा निरस्तः क्रुद्धेन सभार्यः क्षीणजीवितः।

स हन्ता तस्य सैन्यस्य रामः क्षत्रियपांसनः।।3.36.10।।


क्रुद्धेन by an angry one, पित्रा by father, सभार्यः with his wife, निरस्तः sent away, क्षीणजीवितः of a short life span, क्षत्रियपांसनः a calumny to kshatriyas, सः रामः that Rama, तस्य सैन्यस्य of the army of demons, हन्ता killer.

Rama, a victim of his father's anger, banished into the forest with his wife, a shortlived mortal and a calumny on the kshatriyas has killed the army of demons.
दुश्शीलः कर्कशस्तीक्ष्णो मूर्खो लुब्धोऽजितेन्द्रियः।।3.36.11।।

त्यक्तधर्मो ह्यधर्मात्मा भूतानामहिते रतः।


दुश्शीलः of bad conduct, कर्कशः harsh, तीक्ष्णः sharp one, मूर्खः stupid, लुब्धः avaricious, अजितेन्द्रियः slave to senses, त्यक्तधर्मः immoral, अधर्मात्मा unrighteous, भूतानाम् for others, अहिते in harming, रतः engaged,

He is a man of bad conduct, harsh, sharptonged, stupid, miserly and a slave to his senses. He is immoral and unrighteous, one who is busy harming others.
येन वैरं विनाऽरण्ये सत्वमाश्रित्य केवलम्।।3.36.12।।

कर्णनासापहरणाद्भगिनी मे विरूपिता।

तस्यभार्यां जनस्थानात्सीतां सुरसुतोपमाम्।3.36.13।।

आनयिष्यामि विक्रम्य सहायस्तत्र मे भव।


येन by whom, वैरं विना without enmity, केवलम् only, सत्वम् strength, आश्रित्य depending, कर्णनासापहरणात् cut off nose and ears, मे भगिनी my sister, विरूपिता disfigured, तस्य his, भार्याम् wife, सुरसुतोपमाम् like the daughter of god, सीताम् Sita, विक्रम्य with my valour, जनस्थानात् from Janasthana, आनयिष्यामि will bring, तत्र in that, मे to me, सहायः accomplice, भव you be,

With no enmity whatsoever, merely because he has strength, he cut off the nose and ears of my sister and mutilated her. His wife Sita is like the daughter of heaven. I would like to abduct her with force from Janasthana for which you should be my accomplice.
त्वया ह्यहं सहायेन पार्श्वस्थेन महाबल।।3.36.14।।

भ्रातृभिश्च सुरान्युद्धे समग्रान्नाभिचिन्तये।

तत्सहायो भव त्वं मे समर्थो ह्यसि राक्षस।।3.36.15।।


महाबल of great strength, सहायेन come for help, पार्श्वस्थेन at my side, त्वया by you, भ्रातृभिश्च by brothers also, युद्धे in war, समग्रान् together, सुरान् gods, नाभिचिन्तये I do not care, राक्षस demon, तत् therefore, त्वम् you, मे to me, सहायः accomplice, भव be, समर्थः capable, असि हि you are,

You are mighty. I do not care to fight even the gods when you and my brothers are by my side. Therefore, O demon, be my accomplice. (I know) you are capable of that.
वीर्ये युद्धे च दर्पे च न ह्यस्ति सदृशस्तव।

उपायज्ञो महान्शूरस्सर्वमायाविशारदः।।3.36.16।।


वीर्ये in valour, युद्धे च in war, दर्पे च in conceit, तव your, सदृशः equal, नास्ति हि none, उपायज्ञः you know all methods, महान् great, शूरः brave, सर्वमायाविशारदः an expert in all deceitful arts.

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

शृणु तत्कर्म साहाय्ये यत्कार्यं वचनान्मम।।3.36.17।।


निशाचर demon, एतदर्थम् for this purpose, अहं I, त्वत्समीपम् to you, प्राप्तः I came, मम my, वचनात् words, साहाय्ये become a helper, यत् whatever, कार्यम् work, तत् this, कर्म task, शृणु listen.

I have come to you for this purpose seeking your help. Listen to my words on what you should do:
सौवर्णस्त्वं मृगो भूत्वा चित्रो रजतबिन्दुभिः।

आश्रमे तस्य रामस्य सीतायाः प्रमुखे चर।।3.36.18।।


त्वम् you, रजतबिन्दुभिः dappled with silver dots, चित्रः wonderful, सौवर्णः golden, मृगः deer, भूत्वा become, तस्य रामस्य that Rama's, आश्रमे in hermitage, सीतायाः of Sita, प्रमुखे in front, चर move.

Be a wonderful golden deer dappled with silver dots and roam in front of Sita in Rama's hermitage.
त्वां तु निस्संशयं सीता दृष्ट्वा तु मृगरूपिणम्।

गृह्यतामिति भर्तारं लक्ष्मणं चाभिधास्यति।।3.36.19।।


सीता Sita, मृगरूपिणम् in the form of a deer, त्वाम् to you, दृष्ट्वा seeing, गृह्यताम् catch it, इति thus, भर्तारम् her husband, लक्ष्मणं च and Lakshmana, निस्संशयम् without any doubt, अभिधास्यति will tell.

Seeing you in the form of a deer, Sita will undoubtedly ask her husband and Lakshmana to capture you.
ततस्तयोरपाये तु शून्ये सीतां यथासुखम्।

निराबाधो हरिष्यामि राहुश्चन्द्रप्रभामिव।।3.36.20।।


ततः then, तयोः both (Rama and Lakshmana), अपाये तु in their absence, शून्ये in an isolated place, यथासुखम् with ease, निराबाधः without any impediment, सीताम् Sita, राहुः Rahu, चन्द्रप्रभामिव like the lustre of the Moon, हरिष्यामि I will abduct.

Then during their absence it will be easy for me to abduct Sita in an isolated place without obstruction, like Rahu eclipsing the light of the moon.
ततः पश्चात्सुखं रामे भार्याहरणकर्शिते।

विस्रब्धः प्रहरिष्यामि कृतार्थेनान्तरात्मना।।3.36.21।।


ततः पश्चात् thereafter, भार्याहरणकर्शिते afflicted due to his wife's abduction, रामे Rama, कृतार्थेन successfully, अन्तरात्मना inwardly, सुखम् happily, विस्रब्धः freely, प्रहरिष्यामि I can strike him.

Thereafter, when Rama with his soul afflicted due to his wife's abduction. I can freely, happily, successfully strike him down.
तस्य रामकथां श्रुत्वा मारीचस्य महात्मनः।

शुष्कं समभवद्वक्त्रं परितप्ता बभूव ह।।3.36.22।।


रामकथाम् mention of Rama's name, श्रुत्वा after hearing, महात्मनः of the great soul, तस्य मारीचस्य that Maricha's, वक्त्रम् mouth, शुष्कम् got dried, समभवत् became, परितप्त:was worried, बभूव हि became.

At the mention of Rama's name, great Maricha's mouth dried up and he became concerned.
ओष्ठौ परिलिहञ्चुष्कौ नेत्रैरनिमिषैरिव।

मृतभूत इवार्तस्तु रावणं समुदैक्षत।।3.36.23।।


शुष्कौ both dried, ओष्ठौ lips, परिलिहन् while licking, अनिमिषैरिव as though without winking, नेत्रैः eyes, मृतभूत इव like a dead person, आर्तस्तु distressed one, रावणम् Ravana, समुदैक्षत looked at Ravana.

Licking his dried up lips, as though his eyes stopped winking like those of the dead, Maricha stared at Ravana, distressed.
स रावणं त्रस्तविषण्णचेता महावने रामपराक्रमज्ञः।

कृताञ्जलिस्तत्वमुवाच वाक्यं हितं च तस्मै हितमात्मनश्च।।3.36.24।।


महावने in the great forest, रामपराक्रमज्ञः one who knows Rama's valour, सः Maricha,
त्रस्तविषण्णचेताः mind depressed and frightened, कृताञ्जलिः with folded palms, तस्मै to Ravana, हितम् for his wellbeing, आत्मनश्च of himself too, हितम् salutary, तत्वम् truth, वाक्यम् words, रावणम् to Ravana, उवाच spoke.

Maricha who knows of Rama's valour was frightened and depressed at heart. He revealed to Ravana with folded hands some facts for mutual benefit.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे षट् त्रिंशस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the thirtysixth sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.