Shloka 4
मारीचवधः — The Slaying of Maricha
Golden Deer Deception
तं स्म पश्यति रूपेण द्योतमानमिवाग्रतः।।।।अवेक्ष्यावेक्ष्य धावन्तं धनुष्पाणिर्महावने।अतिवृत्तमिषोः पाताल्लोभयानं कदाचन।।।।शङ्कितन्तु समुद्भ्रान्तमुत्पतन्तमिवाम्बरे।दृश्यमानमदृश्यं च वनोद्देशेषु केषुचित्।।।।छिन्नाभ्रैरिव संवीतं शारदं चन्द्रमण्डलम्।
taṃ sma paśyati rūpeṇa dyotamānam ivāgrataḥ |
avekṣyāvekṣya dhāvantaṃ dhanuṣpāṇir mahāvane |
ativṛttam iṣoḥ pātāl lobhayānaṃ kadācana ||
śaṅkitaṃ tu samudbhrāntam utpatantam ivāmbare |
dṛśyamānam adṛśyaṃ ca vanoddeśeṣu keṣucit ||
chinnābhrair iva saṃvītaṃ śāradaṃ candramaṇḍalam ||
Rāma, con el arco en la mano, seguía viendo delante a aquella criatura como si resplandeciera. Una y otra vez la observaba correr por el vasto bosque: a veces escapaba más allá del alcance de su flecha, a veces lo atraía con señuelo. Alarmada y confusa, parecía saltar como si se alzara al cielo; en ciertos parajes del bosque aparecía y desaparecía. Era como la luna otoñal, ora velada, ora revelada por nubes dispersas.
After killing the demon in the figure of a deer and hearing his voice, Rama was overtaken by intense fear born of despair.
FAQs
The imagery teaches discernment (viveka): what dazzles the senses can be unstable and misleading. Dharma requires steady judgment, not being pulled by mere appearances.
Rāma continues the chase; the deer repeatedly appears and disappears, deliberately keeping him at a distance.
Rāma’s perseverance, alongside the cautionary theme that even perseverance must be guided by discrimination.