औष्ण्यं तथा विक्रमं च सौम्यं दण्डं प्रसन्नताम्। धारयन्ति महात्मानो राजानः क्षणदाचर
Great kings, O night-wanderer, possess heat, valor, gentleness, punishment, and graciousness, as do those deities.
तस्मात् सर्वास्ववस्थासु मान्याः पूज्याश्च नित्यदा। त्वं तु धर्ममविज्ञाय केवलं मोहमाश्रितः
Therefore, in all circumstances, they must always be honored and revered; but you, ignorant of duty, are simply seized by delusion.
अभ्यागतं तु दौरात्म्यात् परुषं वदसीदृशम्। गुणदोषौ न पृच्छामि क्षेमं चात्मनि राक्षस
Out of wickedness, you have spoken such harsh words to one who has come; I do not ask about merits or faults, nor about your own welfare, O Rakshasa.
मयोक्तमपि चैतावत् त्वां प्रत्यमितविक्रम। अस्मिंस्तु स भवान् कृत्ये साहाय्यं कर्तुमर्हसि
Even after all this has been said by me to you, O one of restrained prowess, you must assist me in this task.
शृणु तत्कर्म साहाय्ये यत्कार्यं वचनान्मम। सौवर्णस्त्वं मृगो भूत्वा चित्रो रजतबिन्दुभिः
Hear now the deed required for your assistance, as I tell you: you must become a golden deer, adorned with silver spots.
आश्रमे तस्य रामस्य सीतायाः प्रमुखे चर। प्रलोभयित्वा वैदेहीं यथेष्टं गन्तुमर्हसि
Roam before Sita in Rama's hermitage; after enticing Vaidehi, you may depart as you wish.
त्वां हि मायामयं दृष्ट्वा काञ्चनं जातविस्मया। आनयैनमिति क्षिप्रं रामं वक्ष्यति मैथिली
When Maithili sees you, a magical, golden creature, she will be amazed and quickly say to Rama, 'Bring it to me!'
अपक्रान्ते च काकुत्स्थे दूरं गत्वाप्युदाहर। हा सीते लक्ष्मणेत्येवं रामवाक्यानुरूपकम्
And when Kakutstha has gone far away, you should cry out, 'Ha, Sita! Lakshmana!' in a manner resembling Rama's voice.
तच्छ्रुत्वा रामपदवीं सीतया च प्रचोदितः। अनुगच्छति सम्भ्रान्तः सौमित्रिरपि सौहृदात्
Hearing that, and urged by Sita, Saumitri too, out of friendship, anxiously follows the path of Rama.
अपक्रान्ते च काकुत्स्थे लक्ष्मणे च यथासुखम्। आहरिष्यामि वैदेहीं सहस्राक्षः शचीमिव
When Kakutstha and Lakshmana have departed, I will seize Vaidehi at my ease, just as the thousand-eyed Indra took Shachi.
एवं कृत्वा त्विदं कार्यं यथेष्टं गच्छ राक्षस। राज्यस्यार्धं प्रदास्यामि मारीच तव सुव्रत
Having done this task, go wherever you wish, O Rakshasa; O Maricha, steadfast one, I will give you half the kingdom.
गच्छ सौम्य शिवं मार्गं कार्यस्यास्य विवृद्धये। अहं त्वानुगमिष्यामि सरथो दण्डकावनम्
Go, gentle one, by a safe path, for the success of this task; I will follow you with my chariot into the Dandaka forest.
प्राप्य सीतामयुद्धेन वञ्चयित्वा तु राघवम्। लङ्कां प्रति गमिष्यामि कृतकार्यः सह त्वया
Having deceived Raghava in battle and seized Sita, I will return to Lanka, my purpose accomplished, together with you.
नो चेत् करोषि मारीच हन्मि त्वामहमद्य वै। एतत् कार्यमवश्यं मे बलादपि करिष्यसि। राज्ञो विप्रतिकूलस्थो न जातु सुखमेधते
If you do not do this, Maricha, I will surely kill you today; you must carry out this task for me, even by force. One who stands against the king never attains happiness.
आसाद्य तं जीवितसंशयस्ते मृत्युर्ध्रुवो ह्यद्य मया विरुध्यतः। एतद् यथावत् परिगण्य बुद्ध्या यदत्र पथ्यं कुरु तत्तथा त्वम्
If you confront him, your life will be in danger; death is certain today if you oppose me. Consider this well with your intellect, and do what is proper in this matter.
thumb|एकचत्वारिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे एकचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ॥३-
Let the forty-first sarga be heard in the glorious Valmiki Ramayana, Aranyakanda.
आज्ञप्तो रावणेनेत्थं प्रतिकूलं च राजवत्। अब्रवीत् परुषं वाक्यं निःशङ्को राक्षसाधिपम्
Thus commanded by Ravana, and seeing his opposition to the kingly path, Maricha, without fear, spoke harsh words to the lord of the Rakshasas.
केनायमुपदिष्टस्ते विनाशः पापकर्मणा। सपुत्रस्य सराज्यस्य सामात्यस्य निशाचर
By whom has this destruction been advised to you, O night-wanderer, for yourself, your sons, your kingdom, and your ministers, you of evil deeds?
कस्त्वया सुखिना राजन् नाभिनन्दति पापकृत्। केनेदमुपदिष्टं ते मृत्युद्वारमुपायतः
Who, O king, being happy, would not welcome you, O doer of evil? By whom has this gateway to death been pointed out to you?
शत्रवस्तव सुव्यक्तं हीनवीर्या निशाचर। इच्छन्ति त्वां विनश्यन्तमुपरुद्धं बलीयसा
It is clear, O night-wanderer, that your enemies, being weak in strength, wish to see you destroyed, beset by one more powerful.
केनेदमुपदिष्टं ते क्षुद्रेणाहितबुद्धिना। यस्त्वामिच्छति नश्यन्तं स्वकृतेन निशाचर
By whom has this been advised to you, by someone base and of evil mind, who wishes you to perish by your own doing, O night-wanderer?
वध्याः खलु न वध्यन्ते सचिवास्तव रावण। ये त्वामुत्पथमारूढं न निगृह्णन्ति सर्वशः
Indeed, those ministers of yours, O Ravana, who do not restrain you when you have taken the wrong path, though they should be punished, are not punished.
अमात्यैः कामवृत्तो हि राजा कापथमाश्रितः। निग्राह्यः सर्वथा सद्भिः स निग्राह्यो न गृह्यसे
A king who, driven by desire, has taken to a wrong path should certainly be restrained by the virtuous ministers in every way; but you are not being restrained.
धर्ममर्थं च कामं च यशश्च जयतां वर। स्वामिप्रसादात् सचिवाः प्राप्नुवन्ति निशाचर
O best of conquerors, ministers attain righteousness, wealth, desire, and fame through the favor of their lord, O night-wanderer.
विपर्यये तु तत्सर्वं व्यर्थं भवति रावण। व्यसनं स्वामिवैगुण्यात् प्राप्नुवन्तीतरे जनाः
But when the opposite occurs, O Ravana, all that becomes futile; others suffer misfortune because of the faults of their lord.
राजमूलो हि धर्मश्च यशश्च जयतां वर। तस्मात् सर्वास्ववस्थासु रक्षितव्या नराधिपाः
For the root of righteousness and fame is indeed the king, O best of conquerors; therefore, kings must be protected in all circumstances.
राज्यं पालयितुं शक्यं न तीक्ष्णेन निशाचर। न चातिप्रतिकूलेन नाविनीतेन राक्षस
A kingdom cannot be governed by one who is harsh, nor by one who is excessively antagonistic or lacking in courtesy, O demon.
ये तीक्ष्णमन्त्राः सचिवा भुज्यन्ते सह तेन वै। विषमेषु रथाः शीघ्रं मन्दसारथयो यथा
Those ministers who employ harsh counsel together with such a ruler are quickly ruined in difficult situations, like chariots with slow drivers.
बहवः साधवो लोके युक्तधर्ममनुष्ठिताः। परेषामपराधेन विनष्टाः सपरिच्छदाः
Many virtuous people in the world, who have acted rightly, have perished along with their possessions due to the faults of others.
स्वामिना प्रतिकूलेन प्रजास्तीक्ष्णेन रावण। रक्ष्यमाणा न वर्धन्ते मेषा गोमायुना यथा
When subjects are protected by a master who is hostile and harsh, O Rāvaṇa, they do not prosper, just as sheep do not thrive under the care of a jackal.