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Aranya Kaanda - Sarga 44
In this Sarga, Rāma with his sword and bow, goes chasing the deer. The deer plays hide and seek and takes Rāma far away from the Āṡrama. Rāma feels tired after a while and rests under the shade of a tree. He then continues the chase and finally realizes that he would not be able to catch it alive. He then shoots the deer with an arrow.
Māreeca, as he dies, regains his original form and with only moments left in his life, cries out, ‘Ha Seetā, Ha Lakshmaṇa’ mimicking the voice of Rāma. Rāma realizes that the deer was indeed Māreeca as warned by Lakshmaṇa. He also gets worried about the state of Seetā and Lakshmaṇa upon hearing that great cry. Gripped by fear because of that worry, he hastens back to Janasthāna.
3.44.1 ததா து தம் ஸமாதிஸ்ய
ப்ராதரம் ரகுநந்தந: ।
பபந்தாஸிம் மஹாதேஜா
ஜாம்பூநதமயத்ஸரும் ॥
tathā tu taṃ samādiṡya
bhrātaraṃ raghunandanaḥ ।
babandhāsiṃ mahātējā
jāmbūnadamayatsarum ॥
Having thus instructed his brother,
the delight of Raghus, that man of power,
girt his sword of golden hilt.
3.44.2 ததஸ்த்ரிவிநதம் சாபம்
ஆதாயாऽத்மவிபூஷணம் ।
ஆபத்ய ச கலாபௌ த்வௌ
ஜகாமோதக்ரவிக்ரம: ॥
tatastrivinataṃ cāpam
ādāyā'tmavibhūṣaṇam ।
ābadhya ca kalāpau dvau
jagāmōdagravikramaḥ ॥
Then taking up his bow of three (beautiful) curves,
which shone like an adornment on him,
and binding two quivers on his shoulders,
he of extraordinary prowess, left. The curves here refer to the curves of the bow at the ends and in the middle.
3.44.3-4a தம் வஞ்சயாநோ ராஜேந்த்ரம்
ஆபதந்தம் நிரீக்ஷ்யவை ।
பபூவாந்தர்ஹிதஸ்த்ராஸாத்
புநஸ்ஸந்தர்ஸநேऽபவத் ।
பத்தாஸிர்தநுராதாய
ப்ரதுத்ராவ யதோ ம்ருக: ॥
taṃ vańcayānō rājēndram
āpatantaṃ nirīkṣyavai ।
babhūvāntarhitastrāsāt
punassandarṡanē'bhavat ।
baddhāsirdhanurādāya
pradudrāva yatō mṛgaḥ ॥
Seeing the great king coming after him,
it (the deer) hid from view in fear,
and then showed itself again to mislead him.
With the sword fastened on him and bow in hand,
Rāma ran fast towards the deer.
3.44.4b-7a தம் ஸ்ம பஸ்யதி ரூபேண
த்யோதமாநமிவாக்ரத: ।
அவேக்ஷ்யாவேக்ஷ்ய தாவந்தம்
தநுஷ்பாணிர்மஹாவநே ।
அதிவ்ருத்தமிஷோ: பாதாத்
லோபயாநம் கதாசந ।
ஸங்கிதந்து ஸமுத்ப்ராந்தம்
உத்பதந்தமிவாம்பரே ।
த்ருஸ்யமாநமத்ருஸ்யம் ச
வநோத்தேஸேஷு கேஷுசித் ।
சிந்நாப்ரைரிவ ஸம்வீதம்
ஸாரதம் சந்த்ரமண்டலம் ॥
taṃ sma paṡyati rūpēṇa
dyōtamānamivāgrataḥ ।
avēkṣyāvēkṣya dhāvantam
dhanuṣpāṇirmahāvanē ।
ativṛttamiṣōḥ pātāt
lōbhayānaṃ kadācana ।
ṡaṅkitantu samudbhrāntam
utpatantamivāmbarē ।
dṛṡyamānamadṛṡyaṃ ca
vanōddēṡēṣu kēṣucit ।
chinnābhrairiva saṃvītam
ṡāradaṃ candramaṇḍalam ॥
Rāma, bow in his hand,
watched the deer flash in front of him
and then run into the dense Vana.
At times it seemed to fear the strike of an arrow
and run out of striking range,
and at other times it seemed to jump
into the sky, wary and agitated.
It seemed to play hide and seek in that Vana,
like the moon behind the scattered clouds
of the post-monsoon sky.
3.44.7b-8 முஹுர்தாதேவ தத்ருஸே
முஹுர்தூராத்ப்ரகாஸதே ।
தர்ஸநாதர்ஸநாதேவம்
ஸோऽபாகர்ஷத ராகவம் ।
ஸுதூரமாஸ்ரமஸ்யாஸ்ய
மாரீசோ ம்ருகதாம் கத: ॥
muhurtādēva dadṛṡē
muhurdūrātprakāṡatē ।
darṡanādarṡanādēvam
sō'pākarṣata rāghavam ।
sudūramāṡramasyāsya
mārīcō mṛgatāṃ gataḥ ॥
Māreeca, in the form of the deer,
was seen nearby one moment,
and then at a distance, the next.
Playing hide and seek, he took
Rāghava quite a distance away from the Āṡrama.
3.44.9 ஆஸீத் க்ருத்தஸ்து காகுத்ஸ்தோ
விவஸஸ்தேந மோஹித: ।
அதாவதஸ்தே ஸுஸ்ராந்த:
சாயாமாஸ்ரித்ய ஸாத்வலே ॥
āsīt kruddhastu kākutsthō
vivaṡastēna mōhitaḥ ।
athāvatasthē suṡrāntaḥ
chāyāmāṡritya ṡādvalē ॥
Drawn by it and feeling helpless,
Kākutstha became annoyed.
Then, feeling tired, he rested
for a while in the shade on the green sward.
3.44.10 ஸ தமுந்மாதயாமாஸ
ம்ருகரூபோ நிஸாசர: ।
ம்ருகை: பரிவ்ருதோ வந்யை:
அதூராத்ப்ரத்யத்ருஸ்யத ॥
sa tamunmādayāmāsa
mṛgarūpō niṡācaraḥ ।
mṛgaiḥ parivṛtō vanyaiḥ
adūrātpratyadṛṡyata ॥
The Rākshasa in the guise of a deer drove him crazy.
Then, he was seen, not far away,
surrounded by other wild deer.
3.44.11 க்ருஹீதுகாமம் த்ருஷ்ட்வைநம்
புநரேவாப்யதாவத ।
தத்க்ஷணாதேவ ஸம்த்ராஸாத்
புநரந்தர்ஹிதோऽபவத் ॥
gṛhītukāmaṃ dṛṣṭvainam
punarēvābhyadhāvata ।
tatkṣaṇādēva saṃtrāsāt
punarantarhitō'bhavat ॥
Seeing Rāma about to catch him,
he was scared and sped away again
disappearing in an instant.
3.44.12 புநரேவ ததோ தூராத்
வ்ருக்ஷஷண்டாத்விநிஸ்ஸ்ருதம் ।
த்ருஷ்ட்வா ராமோ மஹாதேஜா:
தம் ஹந்தும் க்ருதநிஸ்சய: ॥
punarēva tatō dūrāt
vṛkṣaṣaṇḍādvinissṛtam ।
dṛṣṭvā rāmō mahātējāḥ
taṃ hantuṃ kṛtaniṡcayaḥ ॥
Seeing it emerge again from
the grove of trees at a distance,
Rāma of great prowess
made up his mind to kill it.
3.44.13-15a பூயஸ்து ஸரமுத்த்ருத்ய
குபிதஸ்தத்ர ராகவ: ।
ஸூர்யரஸ்மிப்ரதீகாஸம்
ஜ்வலந்தமரிமர்தந: ।
ஸந்தாய ஸுத்ருடே சாபே
விக்ருஷ்ய பலவத்பலீ ।
தமேவ ம்ருகமுத்திஸ்ய
ஸ்வஸந்தமிவ பந்நகம் ।
முமோச ஜ்வலிதம் தீப்தம்
அஸ்த்ரம் ப்ரஹ்மவிநிர்மிதம் ॥
bhūyastu ṡaramuddhṛtya
kupitastatra rāghavaḥ ।
sūryaraṡmipratīkāṡam
jvalantamarimardanaḥ ।
sandhāya sudṛḍhē cāpē
vikṛṣya balavadbalī ।
tamēva mṛgamuddiṡya
ṡvasantamiva pannagam ।
mumōca jvalitaṃ dīptam
astraṃ brahmavinirmitam ॥
The annoyed Rāghava, who crushes his foes,
took out an arrow that shone
like the rays of the sun.
He, of great strength,
fitted it in his sturdy bow.
Drawing the string with all his might,
he let fly at the deer
that flashing fiery missile,
specially made by Brahma
which flew like a hissing serpent.
3.44.15b-16a ஸரீரம் ம்ருகரூபஸ்ய
விநிர்பித்ய ஸரோத்தம: ।
மாரீசஸ்யைவ ஹ்ருதயம்
பிபேதாஸநிஸந்நிப: ॥
ṡarīraṃ mṛgarūpasya
vinirbhidya ṡarōttamaḥ ।
mārīcasyaiva hṛdayam
bibhēdāṡanisannibhaḥ ॥
That superb arrow pierced through
that deer shaped body of Māreeca and
split his heart, hitting it like a thunderbolt.
3.44.16b-17a தாலமாத்ரமதோத்ப்லுத்ய
ந்யபதத்ஸஸராதுர: ।
விநதந்பைரவம் நாதம்
தரண்யாமல்பஜீவித: ॥
tālamātramathōtplutya
nyapatatsaṡarāturaḥ ।
vinadanbhairavaṃ nādam
dharaṇyāmalpajīvitaḥ ॥
Upon being hit by that arrow,
he jumped as high as a palm tree
and fell on the ground with a mighty yell,
his life all but extinct.
3.44.17b-18 ம்ரியமாணஸ்து மாரீசோ
ஜஹௌ தாம் க்ருத்ரிமாம் தநும் ।
ஸ்ம்ருத்வா தத்வசநம் ரக்ஷோ
தத்யௌ கேந து லக்ஷ்மணம் ।
இஹ ப்ரஸ்தாபயேத்ஸீதா
ஸூந்யே தாம் ராவணோ ஹரேத் ॥
mriyamāṇastu mārīcō
jahau tāṃ kṛtrimāṃ tanum ।
smṛtvā tadvacanaṃ rakṣō
dadhyau kēna tu lakṣmaṇam ।
iha prasthāpayētsītā
ṡūnyē tāṃ rāvaṇō harēt ॥
Māreeca, about to die, shed his artificial body.
The Rākshasa remembered the word of Rāvaṇa
and how he should make Lakshmaṇa come away
so that Rāvaṇa can abduct Seetā with no one present.
3.44.19 ஸ ப்ராப்தகாலமாஜ்ஞாய
சகார ச தத ஸ்வநம் ।
ஸத்ருஸம் ராகவஸ்யேஹ
ஹா ஸீதே லக்ஷ்மணேதி ச ॥
sa prāptakālamājńāya
cakāra ca tata svanam ।
sadṛṡaṃ rāghavasyēha
hā sītē lakṣmaṇēti ca ॥
Realizing that the time had come,
he cried aloud, assuming the voice of Rāma,
‘Ha Seetā, Ha Lakshmaṇa!’
3.44.20-21a தேந மர்மணி நிர்வித்தம்
ஸரேணாநுபமேந ஹி ।
ம்ருகரூபம் து தத்த்யக்த்வா
ராக்ஷஸம் ரூபமாஸ்தித: ।
சக்ரே ஸ ஸுமஹாகாயம்
மாரீசோ ஜீவிதம் த்யஜந் ॥
tēna marmaṇi nirviddham
ṡarēṇānupamēna hi ।
mṛgarūpaṃ tu tattyaktvā
rākṣasaṃ rūpamāsthitaḥ ।
cakrē sa sumahākāyam
mārīcō jīvitaṃ tyajan ॥
As he gave up his life,
struck in the vitals by that matchless arrow,
Māreeca discarded the deer form and assumed
his own Rākshasa form of gigantic proportions.
3.44.21b-22 தம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா பதிதம் பூமௌ
ராக்ஷஸம் கோரதர்ஸநம் ।
ராமோ ருதிரஸிக்தாங்கம்
சேஷ்டமாநம் மஹீதலே ।
ஜகாம மநஸா ஸீதாம்
லக்ஷ்மணஸ்ய வசஸ்ஸ்மரந் ॥
taṃ dṛṣṭvā patitaṃ bhūmau
rākṣasaṃ ghōradarṡanam ।
rāmō rudhirasiktāṅgam
cēṣṭamānaṃ mahītalē ।
jagāma manasā sītām
lakṣmaṇasya vacassmaran ॥
Seeing that dreadful looking Rākshasa fall
on the ground, covered with blood and writhing,
Rāma remembered Lakshmaṇa’s words
and thought of Seetā.
3.44.23 மாரீசஸ்ய து மாயைஷா
பூர்வோக்தம் லக்ஷ்மணேந து ।
தத்ததா ஹ்யபவச்சாத்ய
மாரீசோऽயம் மயா ஹத: ॥
mārīcasya tu māyaiṣā
pūrvōktaṃ lakṣmaṇēna tu ।
tattathā hyabhavaccādya
mārīcō'yaṃ mayā hataḥ ॥
"This indeed is the witchcraft of Māreeca
as Lakshmaṇa had already warned.
It had happened now just as predicted.
It indeed is Māreeca who I killed."
3.44.24-25 ஹா ஸீதே லக்ஷ்மணேத்யேவம்
ஆக்ருஸ்ய ச மஹாஸ்வரம் ।
மமார ராக்ஷஸஸ்ஸோऽயம்
ஸ்ருத்வா ஸீதா கதம் பவேத் ।
லக்ஷ்மணஸ்ச மஹாபாஹு:
காமவஸ்தாம் கமிஷ்யதி ।
இதி ஸஞ்சிந்த்ய தர்மாத்மா
ராமோ ஹ்ருஷ்டதநூருஹ: ॥
hā sītē lakṣmaṇētyēvam
ākruṡya ca mahāsvaram ।
mamāra rākṣasassō'yam
ṡrutvā sītā kathaṃ bhavēt ।
lakṣmaṇaṡca mahābāhuḥ
kāmavasthāṃ gamiṣyati ।
iti sańcintya dharmātmā
rāmō hṛṣṭatanūruhaḥ ॥
"Oh, No! This Rākshasa has died shouting in a
blaring voice, ‘Ha Seetā! Ha Lakshmaṇa’!
What will be Seetā’s condition be on hearing that?
And what will be the state of mind
of Lakshmaṇa of the mighty arm!"
Rāma, the Dharmātma, thinking thus,
had his hair stand on its end.
3.44.26 தத்ர ராமம் பயம் தீவ்ரம்
ஆவிவேஸ விஷாதஜம் ।
ராக்ஷஸம் ம்ருகரூபம் தம்
ஹத்வா ஸ்ருத்வா ச தத்ஸ்வரம் ॥
tatra rāmaṃ bhayaṃ tīvram
āvivēṡa viṣādajam ।
rākṣasaṃ mṛgarūpaṃ tam
hatvā ṡrutvā ca tatsvaram ॥
Having killed that Rākshasa
who was in the form of the deer
and having heard that cry,
Rāma was gripped with great fear,
that resulted from worry.
3.44.27 நிஹத்ய ப்ருஷதம் சாந்யம்
மாம்ஸமாதாய ராகவ: ।
த்வரமாணோ ஜநஸ்தாநம்
ஸஸாராபிமுகஸ்ததா ॥
nihatya pṛṣataṃ cānyam
māṃsamādāya rāghavaḥ ।
tvaramāṇō janasthānam
sasārābhimukhastadā ॥
Killing another deer and taking its meat,
Rāghava went towards Janasthāna, in all hurry.
இத்யார்ஷே வால்மீகீயே
ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அரண்யகாண்டே சதுஸ்சத்வாரிம்ஸஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē vālmīkīyē
ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē
araṇyakāṇḍē catuṡcatvāriṃṡassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the forty fourth Sarga
in Araṇya Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Maharshi Vālmeeki.