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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