||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

 

Chapter – 11 - Aranya Kandam

 

 Mareecha gets killed by Rama attains Paramamgathi

Mareecha refused the very idea of Ravana and advised “Oh! Ravana, listen to me carefully, even though he has assumed the form of an ordinary human, he is supreme Lord who is Lord of living and non-living things. Oh! Son, do not keep any enmity with him, our birth and death are in his hands. These two handsome youths have protected the sacrificial rites of Vishwamithra, at that time Ram shot an arrow against me that shoved me hundreds of miles of Yojana, and it is not good to have enmity with them, after that incident my condition has become a worm in the clay mound, I can see only that two brothers where I look into. These two handsome youths are extremely valorous even though they are human, therefore it is difficult to win over them, and impossible to gain anything keeping enmity with them. Do you think is he an ordinary human, killed demon Thataka and Subahu, broken the Shivadhanuss, killed Khara, Dhooshana, and Thrishirass? Therefore think of the welfare of your clan and return home.”

 

Ravana could not control his anger, he shrieked at Mareecha “Oh! Fool, are you my preceptor? Are you advising me? Who is powerful than me in this world?” Mareecha thought, ‘It is not good to keep enmity with nine categories of people who hold a weapon, the person who’s aware of all your secrets, a powerful Master, a dull-minded person, wealthy person, physician, Vandhigana who eulogizes or praise the virtues, poet, and an excellent cook. Anyway, my death has confirmed, it is good to surrender to Raghunatha, if I argue with this dull-minded Ravana, he would kill me in anger, and therefore it is advisable to die at the shot of Ramabana.” In this way, Mareecha contemplated upon Rama and continued to follow Ravana, he was extremely happy at the thought to see Rama who is his favorite deity, he did not utter a word to Ravana. Mareecha immersed in thoughts “I would attain the fruitfulness of my life by witnessing Rama, I will surrender my heart to the lotus feet of that Prabhu who is with Devi Sita and Lakshmana. The anger of my Prabhu would provide me Paramagathi, Prabhu cannot be defeated with anything, other than intense devotion and faith on his feet. Prabhu will chase me to kill, I would keep running looking at Prabhu who is wielded in powerful bow and arrows,  ultimately die at the shot of his arrows, therefore no one is fortunate than me.”

 

Dhashamukha and Mareecha arrived in Panchavati, immediately Mareecha assumed the form of a golden deer as per the instruction of Dhashamukha, its body was adorned in various precious gem, each and every limb was stunningly gorgeous caught the attention of Devi Sita who spoke “Oh! Natha, Oh! Swami, Oh! Kripalu, Oh! Raghuvara, kindly listen to me, this most beautiful deer has attractive skin, Prabho, kindly give me the skin of that deer. You are the protector of your words.”  Raghuvara who is aware of all and the welfare of deities enthusiastically rose from the seat, tightened his upper clothe on the waist, took the bow and stretched it with a powerful arrow, Prabhu spoke to Lakshman “Oh! Brother, there are too many demons in these woods. You have to take care of Devi Sita according to the time and your intellect.” As soon as the deer noticed Prabhu, it began to run inside the wood, Rama chased the deer aiming the arrow at the deer. How strange it was, the supreme Lord who is eulogized as ‘Nethi Nethi’ by Veda, and difficult to get hold for Paramashiva in meditation, ran after the golden deer. It kept sneaking out of his view, and kept disappearing and appearing before him, in this way it led Rama into the dense wood far from the hermitage. Rama shot a powerful arrow aiming at the deer, it shrieked out of pain and called out for ‘Lakshman’ and prayed to Rama, while leaving mortal coil Mareecha assumed his original form and contemplated upon the supreme Lord Rama, the compassionate Lord watching his love, provided him a highest of status even the Tapasvin could not achieve through extreme austerities and penances. The deities showered flowers upon him and eulogized his glories. Thus the Supreme Lord who is compassionate /Dheenabandhu provided Paramamgathi to an Asura.