Shloka 3.35.4

मारीचाश्रमगमनम् (Ravana’s Journey to Maricha’s Hermitage)

Devanagari script

यानशालां ततो गत्वा प्रच्छन्नो राक्षसाधिपः।सूतं सञ्चोदयामास रथस्संयोज्यतामिति।।।।

Transliteration

kāñcanaṃ ratham āsthāya kāmagaṃ ratnabhūṣitam |

piśācavadanair yuktaṃ kharaiḥ kāñcanabhūṣaṇaiḥ ||

meghapratimanādena sa tena dhanadānujaḥ |

rākṣasādhipatiḥ śrīmān yayau nadanadīpatim ||

Translation

Mounting a golden chariot that could go wherever one wished, adorned with gems and yoked to donkey steeds with piśāca-like faces, decked in gold, Rāvaṇa—Kubera’s younger brother, the splendid lord of the rākṣasas—set out with a roar like thunderclouds toward the lord of rivers, the ocean.

Context

Ravana went covertly to the coach-shed and to the charioteer to get a chariot harnessed.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa
• Kubera (Dhanada)
• ratha (golden chariot)
• khara (donkeys)
• ocean (nada-nadī-pati)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

The verse contrasts external splendor with inner righteousness: magnificence and power are morally neutral, but in the Ramayana they often intensify the consequences when used for adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāvaṇa departs in a supernatural, richly adorned chariot, heading toward the ocean en route to his objective (meeting Mārīca).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Not virtue but might and grandeur are highlighted; the portrayal underscores Rāvaṇa’s formidable resources and pride.