SRI RAGHAVENDRA SWAMY’S SRI RAMACHARITRYA MANJARI (ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಘವೆಂದ್ರ ಸ್ವಾಮಿ ವಿರಚಿತ “ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಚಾರಿತ್ರ್ಯ ಮಂಜರಿ)

SRI RAGHAVENDRA SWAMY’S SRI RAMACHARITRYA MANJARI

(ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಘವೆಂದ್ರ ಸ್ವಾಮಿ ವಿರಚಿತ “ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಚಾರಿತ್ರ್ಯ ಮಂಜರಿ)                            

MArgarUpam MAreecham avaDheet|ಮಾರ್ಗರೂಪಂ ಮಾರೀಚಂ ಅವಧೀತ್

ShUrpaNaKhAprEritEna RAvaNEna prEShitam MAreecham chitrasArangarUpam SeethAsameepE vicharantam dUraihatvA( ಶೂರ್ಪಣಖಾಪ್ರೇರಿತೇನ ರಾವಣೇನ ಪ್ರೇಷಿತಂ ಮಾರೀಚಂ ಚಿತ್ರಸಾರಂಗರೂಪಂ ಸೀತಾಸಮೀಪೇ ವಿಚರಂತಂ ದೂರೈ ಹತ್ವಾ):

Having seen all the demons and their chiefs killed by Srirama alone, Shurpanakha began crying aloud and reached Lanka. Wailing like a heifer being put to sword as sacrificial animal, she fell at the feet of Ravana and said: “Oh brother, you have become proud and overconfident. You have lost control on your senses and body. You are only a king for name’s sake. You are a titular head of demons as you are bereft of any trait to adore this throne of Lanka. Srirama single handedly killed Khara, Dushana, Trishiras, along with the entire army of 14,000 demons in Janasthana after cutting my ears and nose. Unmindful of any of these developments, you are staying here like a corpse.”

Ravana felt like what a snake would feel after being hit with a club. He was enraged. He roared: “Did you say Rama? Who is that Rama?” Shurpanakha trembled in pretentious fear and said: “He is said to be the son of Dasharatha and is unmatched in this universe. He killed all the demons alone with a single bow as if it was just a fun. Who can describe his bravery? His brother is Lakshmana, who cut my ears and nose. Rama’s wife Seetha is most charming and deserves to be your wife. Rama is proving to be detrimental to demon community. It is time for you to wake up and save our community.”

A demon named Avikampa, who was among the fourteen thousand demons killed by Rama in Janasthana, had survived and run to Lanka. He had also described the massacre of demons at Janasthana by Srirama.

Earlier, Sri Parashurama had launched twenty-one expeditions across the earth and killed all the Kshatriya kings. Although he was untouched by the negative energy of such butchery as he is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, he still performed several sacrifices, especially because he had taken birth in a Brahmin family. While performing the sacrifices, he gifted away all the kingdoms to Brahmins. When he was told that he had no right to live on the land he had donated to Brahmins, he threw his battle axe across the sea by standing on Sahyachala mountain range. The sea shrunk to the extent that battle axe had reached and converted into land, which is now known as Parashurama Kshetra, which includes Gokarna. This entire region is full of flora and fauna and most attractive on earth.

During the protection of sacrifice that was performed by Vishwamitra, Srirama had not killed  Mareecha.  With Vayuvya Astra, Mareecha had been thrown to a far off place in Gokarna region, where be started living like a saint. He had become aware of the power of Srirama and the penury his arrows could cause.

Ravana came to Mareecha and prompted him, initially by praising him and later by frightening and threatening him with life, to entice Seetha and drive away Rama and Lakshmana to a long distance from the Ashram so that he could abduct Seetha. Mareecha cautioned Ravana about the prowess of Srirama in several ways. But, the destiny had already decided about the things to happen.

Mareecha had no better option than disguising like a golden deer to entice Seetha Devi. But, Seetha Devi was aware of all these things. She wanted to be a part of the drama that was to unfold with her abduction. She knew that her fake abduction would lay the foundation for the destruction of all demons in the near future. The enactment of her abduction will be explained in the next episode.

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