And on hearing his story, Maricha briefly replied to him,
saying, "Thou must not provoke Rama, for I know his strength! Is there a
person who is capable of withstanding the impetus of his arrows? That
great man hath been the cause of my assuming my present ascetic life.
What evil-minded creature hath put thee up to this course calculated to
bring ruin and destruction on thee?" To this Ravana indignantly replied,
reproaching him thus, "If thou dost not obey my orders, thou shall
surely die at my hands." Maricha then thought within himself, "When
death is inevitable, I shall do his biddings; for it is better to die at
the hands of one that is superior." Then he replied to the lord of the
Rakshasas saying, "I shall surely render thee whatever help I can!" Then
the Ten-headed Ravana said unto him, "Go and tempt Sita, assuming the
shape of a deer with golden horns and a golden skin! When Sita will
observe thee thus, she will surely send away Rama to hunt thee. And then
Sita will surely come within my power, and I shall forcibly carry her
away. And then that wicked Rama will surely die of grief at the loss of
his wife. Do thou help me in this way!"
"'Thus addressed, Maricha performed his obsequies (in anticipation) and
with a sorrowful heart, followed Ravana who was in advance of him. And
having reached the hermitage of Rama of difficult achievements, they
both did as arranged beforehand. And Ravana appeared in the guise of an
ascetic with head shaven, and adorned with a _Kamandala_, and a treble
staff.
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