Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 39: Mārīca Describes his Second Encounter with Lord Rāma
Text 3.39.8
तापसं नियताहारं सर्वभूतहिते रतम्।
सोऽहं वनगतं रामं परिभूय महाबलम्॥
tāpasaṁ niyatāhāraṁ sarva-bhūta-hite ratam
so ’haṁ vana-gataṁ rāmaṁ paribhūya mahā-balam
tāpasam = He was [now] an ascetic; niyata-āhāram = who restricted His eating; sarva-bhūta-hite = in the welfare of all creatures; ratam = and who was absorbed; saḥ aham = I; vana-gatam = in the forest; rāmam = Rāma; paribhūya = disregarded; mahā-balam = the greatly powerful.
I disregarded the greatly powerful Rāma in the forest. He was [now] an ascetic who restricted His eating and who was absorbed in the welfare of all creatures.
How did Mārīca disregard Rāma even though he was aware of His courage and strength? He states that in the next verse.