Aranya Kanda: Chapter 41

आज्ञप्तो रावणेनेत्थं प्रतिकूलं च राजवत्। अब्रवीत् परुषं वाक्यं निःशङ्को राक्षसाधिपम् ॥
Being thus commended by Rāvana like a king to act against his will Mārica fearlessly addressed the lord of the Rākṣasas with the following bold words.

केनायमुपदिष्टस्ते विनाशः पापकर्मणा। सपुत्रस्य सराज्यस्य सामात्यस्य निशाचर॥
What person of impious deeds has advised you ( ranger of the night thus in order to exterminate you with your kingdom, counsellors and children?

कस्त्वया सुखिना राजन् नाभिनन्दति पापकृत्। केनेदमुपदिष्टं ते मृत्युद्वारमुपायतः॥
Who of a vicious heart, O King, dose not feel himself happy at your welfare? Who has pointed out to you the way of your death under the cover of your means?

शत्रवस्तव सुव्यक्तं हीनवीर्या निशाचर। इच्छन्ति त्वं विनस्यन्तमुपरुद्धं बलीयसा॥
O Ranger of night surely do your weak enemies wish to bring about your destruction by making you enter into a conflict with a powerful man.

केनेदमुपदिष्टं ते क्षुद्रेणाहितबुद्धिना। यस्त्वामिच्छति नश्यन्तं स्वकृतेन निशाचर॥
What little-minded man of evil intent has counselled you thus? O Ranger of night, really do they desire that you do bring destruction upon yourself by your own actions.

वध्याः खलु न वध्यन्ते सचिवास्तव रावण। ये त्वामुत्पथमारूढं न निगृह्णन्ति सर्वशः॥
You do not exterminate your counsellors O Rāvana, albeit they are worthy of being destroyed. For they do not prevent these entirely from your evil course.

अमात्यैः कामवृत्तो हि राजा कापथमाश्रितः। निग्राह्यः सर्वथा सद्भिः स निग्राह्यो न गृह्यते॥
Wise counsellors do always restrain a king who wends a vicious track being guided by his impulses and passions; but about you they are quite unmindful, though you should by every means be brought under restraint.

धर्ममर्थं च कामं च यशश्च जयतां वर। स्वामिप्रसादात् सचिवाः प्राप्नुवन्ति निशाचर॥
O you the best of conquerors, O you the ranger of high, ministers by the grace of their sovereign attain virtue, wealth, desires and fame.

विपर्यये तु तत्सर्वं व्यर्थं भवति रावण। व्यसनं स्वामिवैगुण्यात् प्राप्नुवन्तीतरे जनाः॥
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.

राजमूलो हि धर्मश्च यशश्च जयतां वर। तस्मात् सर्वास्ववस्थासु रक्षितव्या नराधिपाः॥
O you the best of conquerors, the king is the root of virtue and fame to the subjects; he should therefore be always protected by them.

राज्यं पालयितुं शक्यं न तीक्ष्णेन निशाचर। न चातिप्रतिकूलेन नाविनीतेन राक्षस ॥
O ranger of night, proud kings of cruel temperament, acting against the subjects can never administer their kingdoms.

ये तीक्ष्णमन्त्राः सचिवा भुज्यन्ते सह तेन वै। विषमेषु रथाः शीघ्रं मन्दसारथयो यथा॥
So do the ministers of cruel counsel meet with their end like to a chariot driven into a wild track by an unskilled charioteer.

बहवः साधवो लोके युक्तधर्ममनुष्टिताः। परेषामपराधेन विनष्टाः सपरिच्छदाः॥
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.

स्वामिना प्रतिकूलेन प्रजास्तीक्ष्णेन रावण। रक्ष्यमाणा न वर्धन्ते मृगा गोमायुना यथा॥
Verily the subjects, O Ravana, can never expect to prosper under the regime of hotnatured sovereigns acting against their subjects like to deer under the protection of a jackal.

अवश्यं विनशिष्यन्ति सर्वे रावण राक्षसाः। रेगां त्वं कर्क राजा दुर्बुद्धिरजितेन्द्रियः॥
All the Rākşasas shall surely die, O Rāvana whose lord are you, foolish, cruel and under the control of your passions.

तदिदं काकतालीयं घोरमासादितं मया। अत्र त्वं शोचनीयोऽसि ससैन्यो विनशिष्यसि ॥
I shall not be the least sorry if I do meet with a sudden accident—what I do deplore most is that you shall meet in no time with destruction along with your soldiery.

मां निहत्य तु रामोऽसावचिरात् त्वां वधिष्यति। अनेन कृतकृत्योऽस्मि म्रिये चाप्यरिणा हतः॥
Compassing my end Rāma shall exterminate you in no time and blessed I shall be being killed by an enemy in the conflict.

दर्शनादेव रामस्य हतं मामवधारय। आत्मानं च हतं विद्धि हृत्वा सीतां सबान्धवम्॥
Surely do you know that no sooner shall I see Rāma I shall be done away with; you shall carrying away Sītā meet with your end along with your kinsmen.

आनयिष्यसि चेत् सीतामाश्रमात् सहितो मया। नैव त्वमपि नाहं वै नैव लङ्का न राक्षसाः॥
And if do you bring Şītā with me from the asylum, none shall be saved, me, yourself, the city of Lankā and the Rākşasas.

निवार्यमाणस्तु मया हितैषिणा न मृष्यसे वाक्यमिदं निशाचर। परेतकल्पा हि गतायुषो नरा हितं न गृह्णन्ति सुहृद्भिरीरितम्॥
You do not relish my words O ranger of the night though prevented by me, who wishes you 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.