From that very day I see Rāma wearing bark and deer skin even in the very trees before me like unto Death with the noose in his hands. Terrified as I am I always seeing thousands of Rāma around me. Me seems the entire forest is inhabited by Rāma only. O king of Rākshasas, I see Rāma even in the quarter where there is no Rāma. Seeing him in my dreams even I look around like one awaken. O Rāvana what more shall I speak unto thee, I am so much afraid of Rāma that such words as Ratna (jewel) Ratha (chariot) which begin with the letter Ra administer consternation unto me. I am fully apprised of the prowess of that descendant of Raghu; it doth not behove thee to enter into conflict with him; he can destroy Vāli and Namuchi. Rāvana, whether dost thou fight with Rāma or not, do not mention him unto me if dost thou wish to see me. Many persons pious and devoted to asceticism on this earth have met with destruction for another's misdeeds. And I shall meet with a similar fate for thy sins. O thou the ranger of night do whatever thou likest, I shall not follow thee. Truely is that highly intelligent and effulgent Rāma of mighty prowess, like death itself unto the rangers of night. Though the wicked Khara of Janasthāna hath been slain by him on Surpanakhā's account, yet how is he to blame for it? Do thou truly speak. Thou art my friend; it is for this and for thy welfare that I speak this truth unto thee. If dost thou not follow my words, thyself with all thy kinsmen, shall be slain in battle by Rāma.
SECTION XL.
As a person desirous of meeting with his end doth not take medicine, Rāvana, the king of night-rangers paid no heed to the appropriate and sound words of Māricha skilled in speech, foreboding good unto him. Moreover he addressed him with the following harsh words. "O, Māricha, what thou hast spoken unto me, shall bear no fruit like unto seeds sown into a desert-land. I shall not be frightened thereby to fight with that foolish Rāma—a human being of vicious deeds. Surely shall I before thee take away from that Rāma the destroyer of Khara his favourite wife, at whose words he has sojourned into woods renouncing his father mother, kingdom and friends. I have made this firm resolution in my mind O, Māricha; even Indra, with the celestials and Ashuras shall not be able to shake it. It would have been proper for thee to give vent to these expressions had I but asked thee for advice to ascertain my duty, the propriety or impropriety of my action, its way or losses. A wise counsellor who wishes prosperity unto himself should always communicate unto his master his desire with joined hands whenever asked to do so. It is always proper to speak before monarchs such pleasant and favourable words as are intended for the welfare of the master and are sanctioned by the royal etiquette. A respectable king doth not receive with good grace friendly words even when they are expressed disrespectfully. Sovereigns of superb prowess assume the semblance of five deities—Agni, Indra, Moon, Yama, and Varuna. Powerful kings, O Ranger of the night, assume haughtiness, power, a placid look and contentment and administer punishment unto the wicked. They are to be adored and honored therefore on all occasions. Thou art ignorant of kingly morality and fully absorbed in illusion. It is for this that thou dost out of thy wickedness of heart address me thy guest with these harsh words. I do not ask thee O, Rākshasa about the propriety (of my conduct or about my welfare. I did only ask thee for thy help. Listen what thou shalt have to do at my request in my aid; assuming the shape of a deer having golden skin painted with silvery drops do thou proceed to the asylum of Rāma, and ranging at large before Vaidehi do thou after captivating her take thy wished-for way. Vaidehi, being struck with wonder seeing thee a golden deer capable of illusions, shall request Rāma to get thee soon for her. Kākuthstha issuing out of the asylum, thou shalt, at great distance utter such cries as "O Sitā, O Lakahmana" imitating his (Rāma's) voice. Hearing those cries Lakshmana also, at the behest of Sitā, shall proceed to Rāma. When both Rāma and Lakshmana shall go elsewhere in this way I shall to my felicity carry away Vaidehi like unto the thousand-eyed deity carrying away Sachi. O Rākshasa, do thou go wherever thou likest after doing this. I shall confer on thee, O Māricha, half of my kingdom. O thou of auspicious look, do thou proceed towards the forest of Dandaka to compass this end of mine; I shall follow thee in my chariot. Acquiring Sitā without any conflict, after imposing upon Rāma I shall return to Lankā successful along with thee. I shall kill thee, O Māricha, if dost thou not obey my behest. I shall compell thee to do this. No body can attain to prosperity and happiness, acting against his sovereign's will. Truly shalt thou risk thy life if thou approachest Rāma, but thou shalt meet with sure destruction if dost thou act against my will . Consider about it, and do what thou thinkest proper.
SECTION XLI.
Being thus commanded by Rāvana like a king to act against his will Māricha fearlessly addressed the lord of the Rākshasas with the following bold words, "What person of impious deeds hath advised thee O ranger of the night thus in order to exterminate thee with thy kingdom, counsellors and children? Who of a vicious heart, O King, doth not feel himself happy at thy welfare? Who hath pointed out unto thee the way of thy death under the cover of thy means? O Ranger of night surely do thy weak enemies wish to bring about thy destruction by making thee enter into a conflict with a powerful man. What little-minded man of evil intent hath counselled thee thus? O Ranger of night, really do they desire that thou dost bring destruction upon thyself by thy own actions. Thou dost not exterminate thy counsellors O Rāvana, albeit they are worthy of being destroyed. For they do not prevent thee entirely from thy evil course. Wise counsellors do always restrain a king who wends a vicious track being guided by his impulses and passions; but about thee they are quite unmindful, though thou shouldst by every means be brought under restraint. O thou the best of conquerors, O thou the ranger of night, ministers by the grace of their sovereign attain virtue, wealth, desires and fame. But those objects are never attained O Rāvana when they are not in good odour with their sovereign; moreover the subjects meet with dangers when he is devoid of all qualities. O thou the best of conquerors, the king is the root of virtue and fame unto the subjects; he should therefore be always protected by them. O ranger of night, proud kings of cruel temperament, acting against the subjects can never administer their kingdoms. So do the ministers of cruel counsel meet with their end like unto a chariot driven into a wild track by an unskilled charioteer. Many a pious person, on this earth, ever engaged in the performance of religious services, have, for the folly of other persons, met with destruction along with their relatives. Verily the subjects, O Rāvana, can never expect to prosper under the regime of hot-natured sovereigns acting against their subjects like unto deer under the protection of a jackal. All the Rākshasas shall surely die, O Rāvana whose lord art thou, foolish, cruel and under the control of thy passions. I shall not be the least sorry if I do meet with a sudden accident—what I do deplore most is that thou shalt meet in no time with destruction along with thy soldiery. Compassing my end Rāma shall enterminate thee in no time—and blessed I shall be being killed by an enemy in the conflict. Surely dost thou know that no sooner shall I see Rāma I shall be done away with; thou shalt carrying away Sitā meet with thy end along with thy kinsmen. And if dost thou bring Sitā with me from the asylum, none shall be saved,—me, thyself, the city of Lankā, and the Rākshasas. Thou dost not relish my words O ranger of the night though prevented by me, who wishes thee welfare; those men who range on the verge of death, well-nigh finishing the term of their existence do not receive with good grace the counsels of friends.
SECTION XLII.
Speaking these harsh words unto Rāvana, Māricha being afraid of him said, "We shall both go. Surely shall I be deprived of my life by him (Rāma) taking up his scimitar and having a bow and arrows in his hands, if I go before him again. Meeting with his prowess thou shalt never return with thy life; he is like the noose of Death unto thee though thou hadst baffled its power. Thou art vicious-souled, what can I do for thee? Be thou crowned with success O ranger of the night, I shall go." The Lord of Rākshasas being pleased with Marietta's words embraced him warmly and said, "This is worthy of thy heroism that thou hast addressed thyself to act after my desire. Thou wert another Rākshasa before and hast now become true Māricha. Do thou now with me ascend this chariot coursing in the air, crested with jewels and driven by asses having faces of a demon. Enchanting Vaidehi thou shalt wend thy way and away shall I carry the daughter of the king of Mithilā by force (when there shall be neither Rāma nor Lakshmana by her.)" Thereupon Tāraka's son assented to Rāvana's words, and both of them ascending the chariot like unto a heavenly car set out for the hermitage. And beholding diverse towns, forests, mountains, rivers, kingdoms and cities they reached the forest of Dandaka and the asylum of Rāma. And descending now from the golden car the lord of Rākshasas together with Māricha beheld Rāma's asylum. Taking him (Māricha) by the hand Rāvana spake saying "There stands the asylum of Rāma surrounded by palm trees. Do thou do that for which we have come here." Hearing the words of Rāvana, the Rākshasa Māricha assuming the wonderful shape of a (golden) deer began to range at large before Rāma's hermitage. The points of its horns were like unto (two) excellent jewels, its countenance was diversified with white and black colour, its face was like a red lotus, its ears were like unto two blue lotuses, its neck was little raised, its belly was like a saphire, its sides were like unto Madhuka flowers, its color was like that of a filament of a lotus, its hoops were like unto Baidurjas (a gem of a dark color); of lean thighs; of firm joints; its tail having the diversified color of a rainbow was upraised. It was of a pleasant and cool hue and crested with various jewels.
And in no time the Rākshasa assumed the shape of a beautiful deer. To tempt Vaidehi that ranger of the night, assuming a beautiful countenance painted with diverse metals, illumining the beautiful forest and Rāma's asylum with its beauty, and ranging at large on the green field and living on grass, began to proceed. That one of lively presence having its body painted with hundreds of silver drops and living on twigs of trees began to range in the forest. Sometimes walking into the plantain house, sometimes walking around the forest of Karnikā, sometimes coming within the compass of Sitā's vision, that best of deer having its back painted with gold began to range slowly around the hermitage. It began to walk at pleasure near Rāma's asylum. Sometimes going, sometimes stopping, at one time running very swiftly and receding the next moment, that best of deer began to range at large. Sometimes playing around, sometimes lying on earth and sometimes following the deer-herd having come within the threshhold of the asylum and then followed again by them that Rākshasa assuming the form of a deer came back to see Sitā. He then began to range at large in the beautiful forest (extending far and wide). Seeing him other forest-deer came (by him) and smelling him fled away into different quarters. That Rākshasa, though expert in killing deer, did not eat them up, though touching, inorder to hide his real self. In the meantime Vaidehi, of auspicious looks whose eyes inebriate like wine, being engaged in plucking flowers, was going sometimes to the Karnika grove and sometimes to the mangoe grove. That best of women, ever inured to living in the forest and possessed of a graceful countenance, walking and plucking flowers, saw that jewelled deer, having its body deversified with pearls and diamonds. It had beautiful teeth and lips and had its down resembling silver. She began to behold with affection and with her eyes expanded with surprise. That illusive deer seeing Rāma's wife began to move around as if lighting up that forest (with the fire of its beauty). Beholding that deer ornamented with diverse jewels, and the like of which she had never seen before, the daughter of Janaka was struck With immense wonder.
SECTION XLIII.
Beholding that deer with its sides painted with gold and silver, while collecting flowers, Sitā, having blameless limbs and beautiful hips and having the color of her body like that of pure gold became immensely pleased and called aloud her husband and Lakshmana with scimitars in their hands. "Do thou come soon, do thou come soon, O son of the worshipful Sire, along with thy younger brother" —having called (her husband) again and again in this strain she continued beholding that deer. Being thus called by the daughter of the king of Videha those two best of men Rāma and Lakshmana, casting their looks around beheld that deer. Seeing him Lakshmana, struck with fear, said "Methinks, this deer is the Rākshasa Māricha. This vicious Māricha, O Rāma, assuming the shape of a deer oftentimes kills at pleasure the kings who come here a-hunting. He is cognizant of illusions, by virtue of which he has assumed this shape, O best of men; its countenance is perfectly fine like the abode of Gandharbas and resplendent like the Sun; there is no such jewelled deer on earth. O Rāghava, O Lord of earth, there is no doubt that this is nothing but illusion." When Lakshmana spake thus Sitā with a pure smile being under the influence of enchantment contradicted him, and being pleased said "O son of the worshipful Sire, this deer hath attracted my mind, get it for me, pray, O thou of mighty arms; it shall be an object of sport for us. Many a beautiful deer range at large in the vicinity of our hermitage such as Chamara, Srimara, Rik, Prishata, Bānara, and Kinnara. They are all very beautiful and of mighty strength; but O Prince, I have never seen before the like of this deer. In energy, strength and beauty it stands above all deer. Its entire body is diversified with various colors, nay, it is a jewel itself. It moves before me, beautifying the forest with its resplendance, like unto Moon himself. Ah! what beauty, what beautiful a lustre, how musical a voice, this wonderful deer of variegated countenance, hath indeed captivated my heart! If canst thou get by this deer alive, O what wonder, what surprise! When shall we regain our kingdom after the expiry of the term of our banishment, this deer shall beautify the interior of our palace. O Lord, truly shall this celestial deer create surprise in Bharata, yourself, me and my mothers-in-law. O best of men, if canst thou not get hold of it alive its skin shall also look very beautiful (to us). Spreading on Kuça the skin of this golden deer when killed do I wish to invoke the Almighty. It looks (no doubt) unseemly and terrible and smacks of wilfulness on the part of a wife to command her husband in this way, but I am sunk in surprise seeing the countenance of the deer." Rāma's heart was struck with surprise beholding that wonderful deer having its down resembling gold, horns resembling exquisitely fine diamonds, color like that of the newly risen Sun, and resplendance like that of the orbit of the planets. Being enchanted by its beauty and spurred on by Sitā's words, Rāghava pleased, spake unto his younger brother saying "Behold, O Lakshmana, it has immensely excited Vaidehi's desire. On account of its exquisite beauty it shall loose its life to-day. It has its equal no where on the earth—neither in the celestial garden nor in the Chaittraratha forest. The hairs of its body being arranged in regular and contrary courses and being painted with golden drops do indeed look very beautiful. Do thou see, while expanding its mouth, its tongue comes out resembling flaming fire like unto a thunder-bolt reaving the mass of clouds. Its face is like a glass made of best blue saphire, its belly resembling a conch and pearl, and it is very difficult to ascertain its shapes. Beholding it who is there (on earth) whose heart is not enamoured? Its beauty resembles the rays of gold and is variegated with diverse hues of jewels. Whose heart is not enveloped with surprise beholding such a celestial beauty, O Lakshmana? Princes, with bows in their hands, while-a hunting in a deep forest destroy deer either for flesh or for sport. Moreover while engaged in sporting they collect many a jewel and various metals as gold and silver, in the woods. There is not the least doubt that these wild riches filling up their coffers are comparatively far better (than the wealth acquired by other sources) like unto the objects of enjoyment, enjoyed at their fancy by the people inhabiting the celestial region. The object which persons desirous of acquiring wealth follow without any discretion in their actions, is the true definition of wealth given by the political economists. Vaidehi of slender waist desireth to sit with me on the exquisitely fine golden skin of this gem of a deer, meseems no deer skin is so comfortable to touch as this—neither the skin of Kādali, Priaki, Prabeni nor of Abiki. Truly handsome in this deer and the one that rangeth in the welkin, indeed these two deer only are celestial—the one that rangeth in the sky[54] (Mrigashirā) and this that rangeth on earth. And if it be a Rākshasa's illusion as thou sayest, O Lakshmana, then it must be killed by me. This cruel vicious-souled Māricha made away with many eminent ascetics, while traveling in the forest; and this Rākshasa assuming the shape of an illusive deer destroyed many kings —mighty archers while a-hunting in this forest; it is for this that this deer must be killed. Formerly this Bātapi[55] entering into the womb of twice-born ones used to come out reaving them like unto the embryo of a mule. Once on a time this Bātapi approached the eminent saint Agastya and was devoured by him. After the Sradha ceremony had been over, finding that Bātapi desirious of assuming the shape of a Rākshasa the great saint Agastya said smiling "Being blinded with thy prowess O Bātapi, thou hast destroyed many eminent twice-born ones on this earth and for this that I do digest thee. Truly that Rākshasa O, Lakshmana, who wisheth to surpass one like me who hath controlled his senses and is ever engaged in pious offices shall meet with his end like unto this Bātapi. Therefore this Māricha approaching me shall be killed by me like unto Bātapi being devoured by Agastya. Do thou therefore vigilently protect Vaidehi with mail and armours on. It is our prime duty, O descendant of Raghu, to protect Jānaki. I shall either kill this deer or shall get hold of it. Look, O Lakshmana, Vaidehi is extremely anxious to get the skin of this deer, I shall therefore proceed at once, O son of Sumil to catch this deer. The skin of this deer is the best of its kind; for certain shall it loose its life today. As long as I do not kill this deer, O Lakshmana, do thou with Sitā remain with vigilance in this asylum. I shall in no time come back with its skin after killing it with one arrow. Do thou stay here, O Lakshmana, with Jānaki in constant fear and vigilance, along with the mighty Yatāyu, intelligent and e engaged in pious offices.