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, dengan busur di tangan, terus melihat makhluk itu bersinar di hadapannya. Berkali-kali baginda memerhatikannya berlari di rimba besar—kadang-kadang terlepas dari jangkauan anak panah, kadang-kadang memikat baginda untuk terus mengejar. Dalam cemas dan bingung, ia seakan melompat ke angkasa; di beberapa bahagian hutan ia tampak lalu lenyap. Laksana bulan musim luruh, kadang terselubung, kadang tersingkap oleh awan yang berderai.
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.