Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 40: Rāvaṇa Criticizes Mārīca
Text 3.40.7
एवं मे निश्चिता बुद्धिर्हृदि मारीच वर्तते।
न व्यावर्तयितुं शक्या सेन्द्रैरपि सुरासुरैः॥
evaṁ me niścitā buddhir hṛdi mārīca vartate
na vyāvartayituṁ śakyā sendrair api surāsuraiḥ
evam = this; me = my; niścitā buddhiḥ = the conclusion; hṛdi = in heart; mārīca = Mārīca; vartate = is; na vyāvartayitum śakyā = it cannot be set aside; sa-indraiḥ = by Indra; api = and even; sura-asuraiḥ = by devas, asuras.
Mārīca, this is the conclusion in my heart. It cannot be set aside by devas, asuras, and even by Indra!
1 Rāvaṇa thought that Mārīca’s long-winded prattle in the previous chapters was inappropriate because he had never asked him for his opinion. He just wanted some things done and he wanted Mārīca to “cooperate” with him.
The second half of the verse implies that [Rāvaṇa’s conclusion cannot be set aside by devas and asuras, even by Indra], so what to speak of Mārīca.
Moreover, Rāvaṇa thought that Mārīca’s prattle of a reply to what he had not been questioned was inappropriate.1 He states that in the next verse.