Mārīca continued to maintain an attitude of hostility towards Lord Rāma and wanted to kill Him. He and his two rākṣasa accomplices assumed the forms of deer and came to Daṇḍakāraṇya. When Mārīca attempted to kill Rāma, the Lord killed Mārīca’s two accomplices with an arrow each. Mārīca then escaped from Rāma’s third arrow, which was directed at him. Having informed Rāvaṇa about these events, Mārīca told him to either bear with the damage or fight with Rāma in battle. Thus he instructed Rāvaṇa to desist from his endeavor to kidnap Sītā-devī.