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Sarg 35-Raavan Goes to Maareech Again

Raavan got excited hearing Shoorpanakhaa. He bade farewell to his ministers and proceeded ]to his personal palace chambers]. He pondered a lot over Shoorpanakhaa's proposal and only after making a decision and firming his mind he went to his vehicle garage secretly [see Note on Raavan's Activities here] and ordered his Saarathee (charioteer) to take the chariot. His golden chariot soon started crossing the sea. Raavan was in his full regalia and looked like a mountain with ten pinnacles. Seated in his wish-driven chariot he looked like cloud with lightening flashes.

On the way he saw flowers, trees, forests, mountains, Rishi's Aashram where Yagya Vedee were there, He saw many Siddh, Chaaran, Tapaswee, Naag, Kinnar etc were beautifying that area. There were Brahmaa's Maanas-Putra also - Vaikhaanas, Maash, Vaalkhilya, Mareechi also. Thousands of Apsaraa - the celestial maidens, adorned in their divine ornaments were also there. There were many divine Vimaan with divine flower garlands on which Gandharv and Apsaraa were singing and playing instruments.

Then he saw a banyan tree whose all branches were spreading up to 100 Yojan long and under that tree was the Aashram of Sindhuraaj Muni. [At one time an elephant and a tortoise were engaged in fierce fight there. Both were huge sized. Garud Jee flew and clasping both in his both claws sat on that branch to feast on them, and the branch broke. Vaikhaanas, Maash, Vaalkhilya, Mareechi, and Aj and Dhoomra  lived there. They were engaged in Tapasyaa by hanging upside down clasping that branch on which Garud Jee sat.

Garud Jee quickly picked that branch along with elephant and tortoise, ate both of them with a single foot. Pleased with Garud those Rishi blessed him to be successful in his next mission and left that branch. Then Garud threw that branch on a locality of tribes by which it got destroyed. Garud was very happy so his power got doubled. Then he desired to bring Amrit so he brought Amrit from Indra's home secretly by breaking the iron grid and then diamond chamber in which Amrit was kept. Raavan saw that tree, named Subhadra,

Then Raavan went to the other side of the sea, where he saw a solitary Aashram, of Maareech, where he lived wearing black deer skin and taking modest meals. [Raavan came to Maareech's Aashram] Maareech worshipped him and offered him superhuman things and said - "Hey Lankeshwar, Is everything all right at your place and what for have you come here again?" Raavan said.

Sarg 36-Raavan Tells Maareech His Problem

"Hey Maareech, Listen to me carefully. I am in trouble, and only you can save me. You know that my brothers Khar and Dooshan lived in Janasthaan along with my sister Shoorpanakhaa and 14,000 Raakshas army by my order. And they used to disturb Rishi by my order. Those 14,000 Raakshas had a battle with Raam and Raam killed all of them along with Khar and Dooshan without saying any harsh words and thus He killed all the 14,000 Raakshas along with Khar and Dooshan. He is only a foot soldier. Dandak Van has become fearless now.

Raam's father has exiled Him with His wife in anger that is why His own life is very sorrowful. The same Raam has killed my army. He does bad to all creatures. He has cut nose and ears of my sister Shoorpanakhaa also without any enmity.

Therefore I want to abduct His wife Seetaa from Janasthaan. Help me to do this. When you are with me I will abduct Her to Lankaa, O Powerful Maareech. I don't consider even Devtaa or Gandharv or anybody anything, when you and my brothers are with me. You are really a capable one. brave, mighty and a good player of Maayaa. That is why you should help me. I have come to you for the same reason.

[Now I tell you that how you can help me, listen to that]. You take a form of a golden Maayaa Mrig (deer) with silver dots. Then you go near Raam's Aashram, wander there nearby in front of Seetaa. Seeing you Seetaa will surely request Raam and Lakshman to catch you. Then they both will be away from the Aashram, I will go and abduct Seetaa [in their absence]. After that I can control Raam as He will be grieved with the separation of Seetaa."

Maareech got frightened hearing this evil thought of Raavan. His throat went dry and he looked at Raavan without winking his eyes. Then the knower of Raam's Swaroop, Maareech said to Raavan.

Sarg 37-Maareech Advises Raavan

[Maareech said to Raavan] - "Hey Raajan, People like those people who talk pleasant. Pleasant speaking people are all ove but unpleasant speaking people are rare. In fact you have not recognized Raam, because you don't have any detectives in your kingdom. Raam is like Mahendra (Indra) and Varun (rain god). If Raam will be angry, then He will definitely kill all Raakshas. Seetaa has taken birth only to kill you. Because of this Seetaa there will be a great disaster, and to destroy this whole Lankaa whose king is like you.

I agree with this, that He has come to forest by the order of His father, but He is not completely forsaken by His father, nor He has gone out of His tradition, nor He is an infamous Kshatriya, nor He is atrocious. He has come to Dandak Van only to keep truth of Raajaa Dasharath who was outwitted by Kaikeyee. To fulfill the wish of Kaikeyee and Raajaa Dasharath He has come here in Dandak Van.

Hey Raavan, He is not the slave of His Indriyaan. Whatever you are saying about Raam, it is completely untrue. He knows Dharm, He is truthful, He bears a good character, He is the Swaamee of all Lok like Indra. Whoever Seetaa is under the protection of Raam, you cannot abduct Her, Her abduction means robbing shine from the Sun? She is the wife of a lion. As the ritual fire cannot be molested, She also cannot be molested.

Hey Raajan, Why do you want to go near Kaal leaving your joyful life? Even His look will end your life.  What will you gain by this, and any time you will go to fight with Him, consider yourself as dead. Take the decision considering right and wrong and strengths and weaknesses with the consultation of your good ministers and Vibheeshan. But if you listen to me it is better for you, that you don't fight with Him."

Sarg 38-Maareech Further Tries..

"Hey Raajan, When I had the strength of 1,000 elephants and my body was like a mountain, and when I lived in Dandak Van eating Rishi Muni's flesh, at that time Muni Vishwaamitra Jee said to Raajaa Dasharath because of my fear - "Please protect our Yagya from Maareech through Raam." Hearing this Dasharath said - "Hey Muni, Our Raam is less than 12 years old. He does not know even handling of weapons properly because He is not being trained for that yet, that is why I myself will go along with you with my Chaturanginee army and I will kill him as you will instruct me."

Vishwaamitra Jee said - "Hey Raajan, Nobody else can kill that Raakshas except Raam. I know that you have always helped Devtaa in war, Trilok knows about it and you have a lots of army power also, but you stay back here and send Raam with me."

So Hey Raavan, Vishwaamitra Jee took that 12-year old Raam to his Aashram in Dandak Van. There Muni started his Yagya and Raam started guarding his Yagya. He was really a kid at that time. He had not grown even mustache at that time.

With peacock blue-complexion, wearing a single cloth with golden lockets, handsome Raam was guarding Vishwaamitra's Yagya wearing only one necklace and beautiful clothes, [see Note: Raam's Age here] then I, in my pride of my Var given by Brahmaa Jee, wearing my earrings, went to [Vishwaamitra's) Aashram and misjudging Him and attacked on the fire altar. As Raam saw me coming, He shot an fire-like arrow at me and I fell 100 Yojan far in the sea. He did not kill me at that time. He just threw me in the sea sparing my life. When I gained consciousness, then I went back to Lankaa Puree. He who was elementary in using arms killed my helpers. [at that time].

That is why I am asking you not to develop any kind of fight with Him. Because if you will do, you will surely get into trouble and you and your gem-studded golden Lankaa will be destroyed because of that Seetaa and because of that all other Raakshas will also be killed. There is no other greater erring than being engaged with another's wife. You have already seized thousand of women in your palace, you better enjoy with them only. I have given you a good advice, but still if you want to intimidate Seetaa then consider yourself destroyed."

At the very word "Raam" Maareech is shuddered. Since he was already struck by His arrow, as he had left his all Raakashasee activities, but now Raavan was instigating him to do it again, or to invite his death to which he was fully aware of.

Shine means Prabhaa which incidentally is the name of wife of Soorya also

Undesirable activity, starting that activity, too much of enmity with one's own people, too much belief in one's own womenfolk... are the four doors to death...' Hence, Maareecha is advising Raavan not to embark on fighting with Raam

Maareech mentions about his earrings twice indicating of either wealth or wisdom but at the same time suggesting that they don't mean anything to Raam, only righteousness works with Him.

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