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198
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
Then, having heard the words
of
Surpanakha, fit to make the hair stand
on end, Ravana dismissed the ministers and
making up his own mind, saw the
Rakshasa Maricha by name, of regulated
 
diet.
 
मारीचेनार्चितो वाक्यमब्रवीद्वाक्यकोविदः ॥
 
Ravana, well versed in speech, spoke
these words, after being duly honoured
by Maricha :
 
भारीच श्रूयतां तात वचनं मम भाषतः ।
आर्वोऽस्मि मम चार्तस्य भवान् हि परमा गतिः ॥
 
" Maricha, my dear, hear these words
spoken by me. I am worried. To me when
worried, you are indeed the best resort.
जानीषे त्वं जनस्थाने यथा भ्राता खरो मम ।
दूषणश्च महाबाहुः स्वसा शूर्पणखा च मे ॥
 
You know that in Janasthana, there lived
my brother Khara as well as the mighty-
armed Dushana and my sister Surpanakha.
 
ते त्विदानीं जनस्थाने वसमाना महाबलाः ।
सङ्गताः परमायत्ता रामेण सह संयुगे ॥