Doha 27
Sītā’s abduction and Her wailing
तेहि बन निकट दसानन गयऊ। तब मारीच कपटमृग भयऊ॥ अति बिचित्र कछु बरनि न जाई। कनक देह मनि रचित बनाई॥१॥
सीता परम रुचिर मृग देखा। अंग अंग सुमनोहर बेषा॥ सुनहु देव रघुबीर कृपाला। एहि मृग कर अति सुंदर छाला॥२॥
सत्यसंध प्रभु बधि करि एही। आनहु चर्म कहति बैदेही॥ तब रघुपति जानत सब कारन। उठे हरषि सुर काजु संँवारन॥३॥
मृग बिलोकि कटि परिकर बाँधा। करतल चाप रुचिर सर साँधा॥ प्रभु लछिमनहि कहा समुझाई। फिरत बिपिन निसिचर बहु भाई॥४॥
सीता केरि करेहु रखवारी। बुधि बिबेक बल समय बिचारी॥ प्रभुहि बिलोकि चला मृग भाजी। धाए रामु सरासन साजी॥५॥
निगम नेति सिव ध्यान न पावा। मायामृग पाछें सो धावा॥ कबहुँ निकट पुनि दूरि पराई। कबहुँक प्रगटइ कबहुँ छपाई॥६॥
प्रगटत दुरत करत छल भूरी। एहि बिधि प्रभुहि गयउ लै दूरी॥ तब तकि राम कठिन सर मारा। धरनि परेउ करि घोर पुकारा॥७॥
लछिमन कर प्रथमहिं लै नामा। पाछें सुमिरेसि मन महुँ रामा॥ प्रान तजत प्रगटेसि निज देहा। सुमिरेसि रामु समेत सनेहा॥८॥
अंतर प्रेम तासु पहिचाना। मुनि दुर्लभ गति दीन्हि सुजाना॥९॥
Meaning
When the ten-headed Rāvaṇa drew near to the forest (in which Śrī Rāma had taken up His abode), Mārīca assumed the illusory appearance of a deer, so very wonderful as to defy description, with a body of gold artistically inlaid with jewels. (1) When Sītā saw the exquisitely beautiful creature, most lovely in every limb, She said, “Listen, my gracious Lord, Śrī Raghuvīra, this deer has a most charming skin. (2) “Pray, steadfast to truth as You are, kill this animal, my lord, and get me the hide.” Thereupon Śrī Raghunātha, even though He knew all the circumstances (that had led Mārīca to assume the semblance of a deer) arose with joy to accomplish the object of the gods. (3) Casting a look at the deer He girded up His loins with a piece of cloth and taking the bow in His hand, put a shining arrow to the same. The Lord cautioned Lakṣmaṇa: “A host of demons, brother, roam about in the woods. (4) “Take care of Sītā with due regard to your strength and discretion, making use of your intellect according to the situation.” The deer took to flight at the sight of the Lord and Śrī Rāma ran after it, pulling His bow-string. (5) How strange that He whom the Vedas describe in negative terms such as ‘not that’ and whom Śiva is unable to catch hold of even in meditation, ran in pursuit of a conjured up deer! Now close at hand, the very next moment it ran away to some distance; at one time it came into view, at another it went out of sight. (6) Thus alternately revealing and concealing itself and practising all kinds of wiles, it took the Lord far away. Now Śrī Rāma took a steady aim and let go the fatal shaft, when the animal fell on the ground with a fearful cry, (7) first calling aloud the name of Lakṣmaṇa but afterwards mentally invoking Śrī Rāma. While giving up the ghost it manifested its real form and lovingly remembered Śrī Rāma. (8) The omniscient Lord, who could see the love of his heart, conferred on him the state which cannot be easily attained even by the sages. (9)
बिपुल सुमन सुर बरषहिं गावहिं प्रभु गुन गाथ। निज पद दीन्ह असुर कहुँ दीनबंधु रघुनाथ॥२७॥
Meaning
The gods rained down flowers in abundance and sang praises of the Lord: ‘Śrī Raghunātha is such a friend of the humble that He conferred His own state (divinity) on a demon.’ (27)
Ramayan appFree. No ads. Works offline.InstallFrom the Gita Press, Gorakhpur edition. Buy the book