Passage 1
लक्ष्मण उवाच— यदाह मतिमानार्यस्तत्तथैव निभाल्यते। अनुकूलेन दैवेन कार्यं कुशलमेव नः॥१॥
Lakṣmaṇa said: “What my wise elder brother has said appears exactly so. With providence favorable, our undertaking will surely prosper.
Passage 2
न विपद्भ्यो भयं चार्य मन्येऽहं त्वत्संगतः। त्वदाज्ञाभङ्गजा भीतिर्महती किल मद्धृदि॥२॥
“Noble brother, while I am with you, I feel no fear of calamities. The great fear within my heart is the fear born of disobeying your command.
Passage 3
सोऽहमाजन्मभक्तस्ते प्रपन्नस्त्वत्पदाब्जयोः। यथानुशास्ति मामार्यः करिष्यामि तथान्वहम्॥३॥
“I have been your devotee from birth and have surrendered at your lotus feet. Whatever my noble elder instructs me to do, I shall perform day after day.
Passage 4
तव देव्याश्च येनेष्टं तन्मे कार्यमतन्द्रितम्। यदिष्टं तद्विधातव्यमहमाज्ञापरः सदा॥४॥
“Whatever is desired by you and the goddess is the task I must carry out without weariness. I am always devoted to your command and must accomplish what you desire.
Passage 5
मयि तिष्ठति निस्तन्द्रे त्वदाज्ञापरमे प्रभो। न शङ्कनीयं किमपि विधेर्वा किमुतान्यतः॥५॥
“Lord, while I remain vigilant and wholly devoted to your command, there is nothing to fear from fate, much less from anything else.
Passage 6
तव प्रतापतश्चायं सज्जीकृतधनुर्धरः। रुद्रादपि च नाशङ्के भुवने किमुतान्यतः॥६॥
“By your majesty I stand here as an archer with bow made ready. I would not fear even Rudra in this world, much less anyone else.
Passage 7
साधयेष्टं प्रियाया यदहं तिष्ठामि रक्षणे। सनाथस्त्वत्प्रतापेन निर्भयश्चैव सर्वदा॥७॥
“Fulfill whatever your beloved desires, for I shall remain here to protect her. Sheltered by your majesty, I am always fearless.
Passage 8
मामाज्ञापय वा स्वामिन् प्रियाप्रार्थितसिद्धये। नाहमाज्ञामिहार्यस्य कदाप्यत्येमि सर्वथा॥८॥
“Or command me, master, to fulfill your beloved's request. I shall never in any way transgress my noble brother's command.
Passage 9
दृष्ट्वा स्वर्णमृगं काम्यमपूर्वव्यक्तिमीदृशम्। साभिलाषा यदा देवी द्रुतं देहि रघूद्वह॥९॥
“The goddess has seen this desirable golden deer of unprecedented appearance and longs for it. Descendant of Raghu, give it to her quickly.
Passage 10
त्वत्प्रतापभरन्यस्तसमस्तार्थैकसाधनः। अहं तिष्ठामि सततं त्वदाज्ञापालनव्रते॥१०॥
“Entrusting the accomplishment of every purpose to the weight of your majesty, I remain constantly vowed to obey your command.
Passage 11
का ते विपज्जगन्नाथ का च रक्षाप्रयासिता। यदाज्ञायां स्थितो नित्यं मादृशः सेवको जनः॥११॥
“Lord of the world, what danger can befall you, and what effort can protection require, when a servant like me stands forever within your command?
Passage 12
दैवं तु शङ्कनीयं स्यात्सत्यं खलु भवद्वचः। तदपि त्वय्यनुकूलेऽनुकूलं स्थातुमर्हति॥१२॥
“It is true, as you say, that fate deserves caution. Yet when you are favorable, even fate ought to remain favorable.
Passage 13
न दैवमतिवर्तेत भवन्तं रघुपुङ्गव। सत्यसन्धं दयासिन्धुं दीनानाथं जनप्रियम्॥१३॥
“Bull of Raghu's line, fate cannot overstep you—the keeper of truth, ocean of mercy, protector of the helpless, and beloved of the people.
Passage 14
एक एव त्वदाज्ञातो जगज्जेतुमहं क्षमः। का शङ्का विघ्नकोटिभ्यस्त्वयि जाग्रति मूर्धनि॥१४॥
“At your command I alone am capable of conquering the world. Why fear millions of obstacles when you remain watchful over me?
Passage 15
अभिलाषः स्वप्रियाया न विच्छेद्यः कदाचन। स्वयं वाज्ञापरेणैव मया वा साधय प्रभो॥१५॥
“Your beloved's desire should never be frustrated. Lord, fulfill it either yourself or through me, who am obedient to your command.” Rāma Leaves Sītā with Lakṣmaṇa
Passage 16
इति भक्तस्य सौमित्रेर्निशम्य रुचिरं वचः। ऊचे सन्निधिगां सीतां गच्छन् रघुकुलोद्वहः॥१६॥
Hearing these pleasing words from his devoted brother, the descendant of Raghu addressed Sītā, who stood nearby, as he prepared to go.
Passage 17
यामि स्वर्णमृगं देवि त्वदभीष्टार्थसिद्धये। त्वं स्थास्यसीह नियतं सौमित्रेः सन्निधौ सति॥१७॥
“Goddess, I go to obtain the golden deer and fulfill your desire. You must remain here while Sumitrā's son stays beside you.
Passage 18
भक्तो मम प्रियश्चासौ प्रह्वो हृदयरोजनः। न कर्तव्यः क्षणमपि दूरगः स्वसमीपतः॥१८॥
“He is my devoted and beloved servant, humble and pleasing to my heart. Do not send him away from your side even for a moment.
Passage 19
यावदायामि सौवर्णं मृगमाहृत्य जानकि। तावदाश्रमदेशोऽयं निर्जनो न विधीयताम्॥१९॥
“Jānakī, until I return with the golden deer, do not allow this hermitage to be left unguarded.
Passage 20
मा प्रेषय कदाचित्त्वं लक्ष्मणं मद्गवेषणे। स्वयमेवाहमायास्ये हत्वा स्वर्णमृगं बलात्॥२०॥
“Never send Lakṣmaṇa to search for me. I shall return myself after forcefully slaying the golden deer.
Passage 21
नापि चिन्ता मद्विषये त्वया कार्या विदेहजे। इत्युक्त्वा भगवान् रामो वरः कारणमानुषः॥२१॥
“Daughter of Videha, you must not worry about me.” Having spoken thus, blessed Rāma, the supreme one who had assumed a human form for a divine purpose, departed.
Passage 22
मृगस्य वर्त्मानुसरन् मायाकल्पितवर्ष्मणः। आकर्णाकृष्टकोदण्डसंहितेषुः प्रतापवान्॥२२॥
The majestic lord followed the trail of the deer whose body had been fashioned by illusion, his bow drawn to his ear and an arrow set upon it. The Pursuit and Death of Mārīca
Passage 23
आयान्तं राममालोक्य सोऽविशद्दुर्गं वनम्। तरुगुल्मलताकीर्णं झिल्लीझंकारभीषणम्॥२३॥
Seeing Rāma approach, the deer entered a difficult forest crowded with trees, thickets, and vines and made fearsome by the shrilling of cicadas.
Passage 24
तदनुप्रययौ रामो धावमानो धनुर्धरः। महान्तं खलु पन्थानमतिक्रम्य वनेऽविशत्॥२४॥
The bow-bearing Rāma ran after it. Crossing a very long road, he entered the forest.
Passage 25
पुरः स्वर्णमृगोऽधावन्मायाकल्पितविग्रहः। तमन्वधावत्काकुत्स्थः प्रस्वेदपटरावृतः॥२५॥
The golden deer, its form constructed by illusion, ran ahead. The descendant of Kakutstha chased it, covered in a sheen of perspiration.
Passage 26
क्षणात्पुरः क्षणात्पश्चात् क्षणाद्वामे च दक्षिणे। परिभ्रमन् मृगोऽरण्ये भ्रामयामास राघवम्॥२६॥
Now ahead, now behind, now to the left and then the right, the deer darted about the forest and made Rāghava wander after it.
Passage 27
कूटमायामुपाश्रित्य संगतो राक्षसः खलः। नितान्तं खेदयामास वने कण्टकसंकुले॥२७॥
Resorting to treacherous illusion, the wicked rākṣasa led him through the thorn-filled forest and exhausted him greatly.
Passage 28
इतस्ततस्त्वरायुक्तो रामो मृगमनुद्रुतः। अश्रामत् स्वेदसंयुक्तः शिथिलाशेषविग्रहः॥२८॥
Rāma hurried here and there after the deer. He grew weary and drenched in sweat, his whole body slackened by exertion.
Passage 29
ततश्चुकोप हृदये राघवः परपक्षभित्। पदानि कानिचिद् भूयो धावित्वोच्चैर्जवेन सः॥२९॥
Then Rāghava, crusher of his enemies, grew angry at heart. Once more he ran several paces at great speed.
Passage 30
क्व यास्यसीति प्रसभमाक्षिप्य वचसा खलम्। आराद्विज्ञाय सम्प्राप्तं मायास्वर्णकुरङ्गकम्॥३०॥
“Where will you go?” he forcefully challenged the rogue. Recognizing that the illusory golden deer had come within range, he acted.
Passage 31
आकर्णाकृष्टकोदण्डनिर्मुक्तेन महेषुणा। बिभेद हृदये तस्य संक्रुद्धो रघुनन्दनः॥३१॥
The enraged descendant of Raghu released a mighty arrow from his bow, drawn back to his ear, and pierced the creature's heart.
Passage 32
भित्त्वा मृगतनुं बाणो भिन्नवान् राक्षसीं तनुम्। यावन्मृगतनुं हित्वा प्रयाति स दुराशयः॥३२॥
The arrow passed through the deer's body and pierced the rākṣasa body beneath it just as the malicious being abandoned the deer-form and tried to flee.
Passage 33
धावमानो वने भीतो रामबाणाग्नितेजसा। तावदेव समुद्विद्धो मारीचो नाम राक्षसः॥३३॥
As he fled terrified through the forest, the rākṣasa named Mārīca was transfixed by the fiery brilliance of Rāma's arrow.
Passage 34
मायामयी मृगतनुः सद्योऽगच्छदलक्ष्यताम्। राक्षसी सा तनुस्तस्य पुरस्तात्समदृश्यत॥३४॥
The illusory deer's body vanished at once, and his rākṣasa form became visible before Rāma.
Passage 35
भिन्नो राघवबाणवज्रपतनान्मारीचनामा खलो- मुञ्चंश्चैनमसूनसूयितमना हा लक्ष्मणेत्युद्धरम्। त्रिःशब्दं कृतवान् निशम्य नितरां यं पर्णशालागता सीता पञ्चवटीवने दुरुदितैः सीतातुदद्देवरम्॥३५॥
Struck by the thunderbolt-like fall of Rāghava's arrow, the malicious Mārīca, envious even as he released his life-breaths, cried “Ah, Lakṣmaṇa!” loudly three times. Hearing that cry from the leaf-hut in the Pañcavaṭī forest, the deeply distressed Sītā would assail her brother-in-law with bitter words. Thus ends Chapter 151, “The Slaying of Mārīca in the Form of the Illusory Deer,” in the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍi in the Dakṣiṇa-khaṇḍa of the glorious Ādi Rāmāyaṇa.