Ravana discusses with Maricha about his plan to abduct Sita, and requests help. Maricha is horrified on hearing this. He advices Ravana against this plan and narrates his story.
Maricha : Ravana, once when Rama was 16 years old, He protected Vishwamitra yaaga which I tried to obstruct. At a tender age he shot me down with a single arrow which threw me hundred yojana away. Later when he was roaming in Dandaka Forest, I became an Ox and tried to kill him, He again threw me into ocean with a single arrow. I am living in fear of Rama since then. Wherever I look, I see Rama. Even in sleep I think of him. I am afraid of words like Raja, Ramani, Ratna, Ratha that starts with sound 'Ra'. I am always thinking of Rama. Ravana, you cannot fight and win with Rama. Entire Rakshasas will be wiped out. Please desist from this act.
Even after hearing this Ravana didnt heed Maricha words and ordered him to become a golden deer to attract Sita. Ravana gives Maricha two options, either help Ravana in his mission or face death.
Maricha decides that Death in the hands of Rama will give him liberation, heaven, whereas death in the hands of Ravan will take him to hell, so decides to help Ravana.
Meaning :
Maricha(individual self/ego under the control of Ravana=demon) has left the four attachments (Raja=Kingdom, Ramani=Women/desires, Ratna=wealth, Ratha=Grandoiseness) and started thinking of Rama=Atma. This was done out of fear of Rama, not out of love of Rama. This is one kind of sadhana. The liberation is not happening out of Grace. Grace is not flowing. But his death is certain. He has two options. Help Ravana and get killed by Rama and go towards liberation, or meet his doom in the hands of Ravana by refusing to help him.
Ravana the ten headed demon symbolises the evil that afflicts the ten indriyas, 5 jnana indriyas(sight, touch, smell, taste, hearing) , and 5 karma indriyas (tongue, hands, legs, genital-organ, anus) . Ravana is fully enamoured with Sita (maya/prakriti).
Prabhu's correction :
Maricha is also maya mriga - one which appears golden but not so. Mirage - illusion. Maricha represents illusion of life.
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