जय श्रीराम!
रक्षसा मृगरूपेण वञ्चयित्वा स राघवौ ।
जहार सीतां पक्षीन्द्रप्रयासक्षणविघ्नितः ॥१२.५३॥
Notes: Kālidāsa now narrates that excruciating moment when the worst happened to Sītā. He says, "By the device of having a Rākṣasa (Mārīca) take the form of a deer, Rāvaṇa succeeded in decoying and drawing away Śrīrāma and Lakṣmaṇa from the hermitage and managed to abduct Sītā despite being momentarily obstructed by the king of birds (Jaṭāyu)."
Mārīca, Rāvaṇa's uncle, severely dissuaded him from this misadventure, telling Rāvaṇa not to confront Śrīrāma by abducting Sītā. But Rāvaṇa was hell-bent and coerced him into this suicidal act. Mārīca then assumned his favourite form of a golden, gem-studded, deer, and lured away wisdom from Sītā who demanded that Śrīrāma capture the deer or at least kill him and harvest the skin for her trophy.
Unfortunately for Sītā, Mārīca was able to draw Śrīrāma too far away in the forest and imitated his voice crying for help when Śrīrāma, at last, decided to shoot an arrow to kill the deer. That desperate cry for help was heard and a panicky Sītā drove away Lakṣmaṇa from his watch to go and help Śrīrāma. This opened the opportunity for Rāvaṇa to come and forcibly take the unsecured Sītā away. The old vulture king, Jaṭāyu, a long-ago friend of Daśaratha, tried his best to stop Rāvaṇa. But the evil Rākṣasa fatally slashed the bird-king's wings and got away with Sītā. This was the turning point in the entire story.
We often hear how Śrīrāma is Maryāḍāpuruṣ or embodiment of Dharma. The source of this famed title conferred on Śrīrāma is this Śloka from Vālmīki! Mārīca warns Rāvaṇa with these words:
रामो विग्रहवान् धर्मः साधुः सत्यपराक्रमः ।राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य देवानामिव वासवः ॥"Rama is the embodiment of Dharma. His might is rooted in truthfulness and goodness. He is a peaceable man. He is naturally endowed to be the ruler of the entire world and all its people, just as Indra is the ruler of the gods. SO DON'T DARE CONFRONT RAMA!"
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जय श्रीराम!
