Aranya Kanda, Sarga 43

Meaning

Highly delighted to perceive the deer adorned with flanks, presenting the hue of gold and silver, respectively, the comely Sītā, who was possessed of faultless limbs and the hue of burnished gold, and was eagerly plucking flowers, called to her husband as well as to Lakṣmaṇa with arms in the following words: (1-2)

Meaning

“Come along, come soon, my lord, with your younger brother (Lakṣmaṇa) !” Calling again and again as above, she looked intently on the deer once more. (3)

Meaning

Surveying that region when called by Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory), those two tigers among men, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, for their part, presently beheld the deer. (4)

Meaning

Seized with suspicion to see it, Lakṣmaṇa for his part observed as follows : “I conclude this deer to be the same as that ogre, Mārīca. (5)

Meaning

“Hunting game in the forest with delight, many kings, O Rāma, have been killed by assuming a deceptive form by this sinful ogre, who is capable of assuming any form at will. (6)

Meaning

“This effulgent form of a deer assumed by him, O tiger among men, is a hoax on the part of the ogre—who is well-versed in conjuring tricks—and is much like a magic show. (7)

Meaning

“To be sure, no such deer, freckled with jewel-like spots, exists on the face of the earth, O scion of Raghu ! It is surely a phantom, O ruler of the globe : there is no doubt about it.” (8)

Meaning

Interrupting Lakṣmaṇa (a scion of Kakutstha), who was speaking in this strain, Sītā, who had been robbed of her faculty of judgment by the hoax practised by the ogre and who felt overjoyed at the prospect of laying her hands on the weird deer, spoke as follows with a bright smile playing on her lips : (9)

Meaning

“The yonder charming deer captivates my mind. Fetch it, O mighty-armed lord; it will serve as a means of diversion. (10)

Meaning

“On the grounds of this hermitage of ours range together numerous deer of hallowed appearance as well as Camaras and Sṛmaras (two distinct species of deer with white and dark hair respectively at the end of their tail) as also bears, herds of spotted deer, monkeys and Kinnaras (another species of deer), foremost in comeliness of form and possessed of great might. No other deer equal in agility, gentleness and splendour of this jewel among deer has ever been seen by me before, O prince ! (11—13)

Meaning

“Shining brightly as the moon, and illumining the forest with its limbs diversified because of their varied colours, this jewel of a deer stands at ease before me spreading its charm all-round. (14)

Meaning

“Wonderful is its colour and marvellous its splendour. The richness of its sound is also lovely. Endowed with spotted limbs, this wonderful deer captivates my heart, as it were. (15)

Meaning

“If the deer is caught by you alive, it will be a miraculous feat on your part and will cause wonder. (16)

Meaning

“When we have concluded the term of our exile and are installed on the throne again, this deer will serve as an adornment to our gynaeceum. (17)

Meaning

“This weird and excellent deer will cause wonder, my lord, to Prince Bharata, to yourself, to my mothers-in-law as well as to myself. (18)

Meaning

“If, on the other hand, the jewel among the deer does not allow itself to be captured by you alive, its skin itself will afford delight, O tiger among men ! (19)

Meaning

“When this animal has been killed by you, I long to sit with you on its golden skin spread on a mat of young grass. (20)

Meaning

“This conduct of mine (in the shape of urging my husband to comply with my wishes), actuated as it is by desire, is indecorous and is deemed unworthy on the part of women. Curiosity has, however, been aroused in me by the weird form of this animal.” (21)

Meaning

The mind of Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) too was, however, filled with curiosity by that deer with its golden coat and horns of sapphire, nay, shining like the rising sun and possessing the splendour of the starry region. Rejoiced to hear the aforesaid request of Sītā and beholding the wonderful deer, nay, allured by that weird form and importuned by Sītā, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, spoke to his brother, Lakṣmaṇa, in the following words : (22—24)

Meaning

“Mark, O Lakṣmaṇa, this burning desire of Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory). Surely because of its surpassing beauty this deer will not survive today. (25)

Meaning

“No deer whatsoever which is similar to it exists in the grove bearing the appellation of Nandana, nor in that going by the name of Caitraratha; how then could it exist on the earth? (26)

Meaning

“The glossy rows of hair, both horizontal and vertical, and freckled with golden spots, look charming on the body of the deer. (27)

Meaning

“Behold the tongue, burning like a flame, shooting forth from its mouth when it yawns, like a flash of lightning darting from a cloud. (28)

Meaning

“With its mouth resembling a cup made of sapphire and its belly shining as a conch-shell or pearls, whose mind will that deer, which baffles description, not lure? (29)

Meaning

“Whose mind will not be struck with wonder to behold this celestial beauty shedding a golden lustre and freckled with numerous jewel-like spots? (30)

Meaning

“Even for the sake of skin and for diversion kings wielding bows kill the deer in sport, O Lakṣmaṇa, in large forests. (31)

Meaning

“Through sporting enterprise treasures too are laid hands on in large forests in the form of minerals of various kinds comprising gems, precious stones and ores of gold. (32)

Meaning

“Swelling their coffers, such wealth is all valuable like all the objects of enjoyment brought into being by the very thought of one who has attained the realm of Brahmā, the creator, O Lakṣmaṇa ! (33)

Meaning

“People well-versed in economics and adept in producing wealth, O brother, endowed with auspicious bodily marks, speak of that alone as wealth (lit., an object of pursuit) which a seeker of wealth fondly pursues without premeditation, through endeavour calculated to achieve that object. (34)

Meaning

“Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, who is endowed with a slender waist, will sit with me on the most excellent golden skin of this jewel among the deer. (35)

Meaning

“Neither the skin of a Kadalī (a species of deer distinguished by soft, fine, long and variegated hair, blue at the end) nor that of a Priyakī* (another species of antelope distinguished by a soft, long, sleek and thick coat) nor that of Praveṇa (a particular species of goats) nor that of a sheep can compare with it in softness of touch : such is my conclusion. (36)

Meaning

“This splendid deer as well as its heavenly counterpart, bearing the name of Mṛga, which courses in the heavens—both these are divine deer, the one in the form of a star known by the name of Mṛga and the other moving on earth. (37)

Meaning

“If, O Lakṣmaṇa, this deer is such as you tell me, it must be put an end to because it is a phantom conjured up by an ogre. (38)

Meaning

“Surely many jewels among ascetics have been killed in the past by this cruel Mārīca of evil mind while roaming about in the forest. (39)

Meaning

“Many monarchs wielding large bows have been killed by him, suddenly appearing in his real form; hence this deer deserves to be made short work of. (40)

Meaning

“Practising deception on ascetics in this forest in the past and entering their abdomen, the ogre Vātāpi used to kill Brāhmaṇas (by splitting open their bellies from within) as the embryo of a she-mule causes the death of the she-mule (in that it does not emerge from its womb unless the belly of the mother is cut open). (41)

Meaning

“After a long time, out of greed, they say, the ogre once met the eminent Sage Agastya, endowed with spiritual power, and entering his stomach by fraud was consumed by him as food. (42)

Meaning

“Smiling to see him eager to resume his original form of an ogre at the conclusion of the Śrāddha ceremony, the revered sage spoke to Vātāpi as follows : (43)

Meaning

“ ‘Not minding the consequences, O Vātāpi, the foremost of Brāhmaṇas in this world of mortals were made short work of by you through your might; hence by way of retribution for this sin you have been digested by me.’ (44)

Meaning

“The yonder ogre too, who dares despise one like me, constantly devoted to virtue and a master of his senses, will cease to be as Vātāpi did, O Lakṣmaṇa ! (45)

Meaning

“Having met me in a hostile manner, this ogre too is sure to be killed by me as Vātāpi by Agastya. Stay you protected with armour and, remaining confined to this place, guard Sītā (a princess of Mithilā). (46)

Meaning

“Whatever is to be done by us hereafter depends on her, O delight of the race of Raghu ! I shall dispose of this deer or capture it alive. (47)

Meaning

“In the meantime, O darling of Sumitrā, I proceed apace to bring the deer. Mark, O Lakṣmaṇa, the craving of Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory) directed towards the skin of this deer. (48)

Meaning

“Indeed this deer will perish today because of its superb skin. You must remain wide awake in the hermitage with Sītā till I dispose of this spotted deer with a single arrow. Having made short work of it and taking its skin, I shall forthwith return, O Lakṣmaṇa ! (49-50)

Meaning

“Keeping Sītā (a princess of Mithilā) by your side, O Lakṣmaṇa, remain vigilant every moment and full of apprehension from all quarters in the company of the wise bird Jaṭāyu, who is very powerful and possessed of great might.” (51)