Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 31: Rāvaṇa’s Conversation with Akampana and Mārīca
Text 3.31.45
सुखसुप्तस्य ते राजन्प्रहृतं केन मूर्धनि॥
sukha-suptasya te rājan prahṛtaṁ kena mūrdhani
sukha-suptasya = while you were happily asleep; te = you; rājan = O king; prahṛtam = struck; kena = who; mūrdhani = on your head.
O king, who struck you on your head while you were happily asleep?
In other words, Mārīca asked, “Who has uselessly brought about this [cause of] distress?”
Mārīca then anticipated that Rāvaṇa might ask, “What qualities do you see in Rāma that you speak in this manner?” And so he says the following.