Shloka 23
मारीचोपदेश
प्रतिषेधः / Ravana Rejects Maricha’s Counsel and Orders the Golden Deer Deception
एवं कृत्वा त्विदं कार्यं यथेष्टं गच्छ राक्षस।राज्यस्यार्धं प्रयच्छामि मारीच तव सुव्रत।।3.40.23।।
evaṃ kṛtvā tv idaṃ kāryaṃ yathā-iṣṭaṃ gaccha rākṣasa | rājyasya ardhaṃ prayacchāmi mārīca tava suvrata || 3.40.23 ||
เมื่อทำกิจนี้ตามที่กล่าวแล้ว จงไปตามปรารถนาเถิด โอ้รากษส โอ้มาริจะผู้มั่นคงในปณิธาน เราจักมอบครึ่งหนึ่งแห่งราชอาณาจักรให้แก่เจ้า
You may go wherever you want after accomplishing this task. I will give you, O demon of determination half my kingdom.
FAQs
It shows corruption of judgment through inducement: offering power as a reward for wrongdoing opposes dharma, which requires right means, not merely desired ends.
Rāvaṇa attempts to secure Mārīca’s cooperation by promising a major political reward—half the kingdom.
The virtue under pressure is integrity—resisting unethical incentives even when they are materially overwhelming.