Hari Om.
Let us begin the forty third sarga of the araNya kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Instigated and ill-advised by SurpaNakha, rAvaNa was smitten by the proposal to abduct sItA who according to the ogress was arguably the most beautiful woman in the world with no peer not only in humans but even in higher beings like the demi gods and the gods. The ten headed demon lured by this description, but all the same impotent to wage an overt war to win her decided to resort to covert methods and went to the demon mAricha for his assistance. The latter was almost dead as he heard the unsavory proposal, not so much for its being right or otherwise, but because it would surely antagonize rAma and he would wipe out not just the perpetrator rAvaNa or the facilitator mAricha but the entire clan of the demons! He wisely spoke from his experience at the hands of rAma! He sternly warned rAvaNa about the unmitigated disaster that this will bring! But the king of demons was so smitten and pumped up in the delusion of his own supposed might that he refused to see reason in mAricha’s warnings and instead threatened him that his non-cooperation will cost him his life. mAricha tried once more but finally being afraid of the death at rAvaNa’s hands, he obliged. In no time, they reached the hermitage of rAma. The assistant mAricha turned into a stunning and bewitching beast and began to roam around rAma’s hermitage showing of its myriad hues and attractions trying to attract the attention of sItA and fill a desire in her to own that deer. And sure enough, sItA’s gaze when she came out of the cottage to pluck flowers fell on the dazzling deer. Onwards…
The golden complexioned sItA of fine limbs who was gathering flowers was delighted to behold a deer with its golden flanking and immediately called out in utter excitement for rAma and lakshmaNa. She screamed in excitement – “Come, come” and in response to her, both rAma and lakshmaNa came and saw the golden deer.
Seeing the golden deer, lakshmaNa was very skeptical and said –
“O rAma, I believe this deer is the demon mAricha in guise. He is known to have killed many a kings assuming evil and deceitful forms. Like the illusory tricks in the city of the gandharvas, this illusion of golden deer is his own making. rAghavam O lord of the world, a deer like this studded with gems and with golden brilliance is non-existent in the world. Doubtless, this is the trick of the deceitful mAricha!”
As lakshmaNa was casting doubts on the reality of the golden deer thus, sItA with her pure smile, intervened and having her mind stolen by the beautiful deer in disguise said to rAma – “O lord, this deer of enchanting form has stolen my heart. Please bring him, he will be a good pet for us. There are a variety of deer, antelopes, bears, monkeys and other animals that wander around this hermitage. But I have never seen a deer as bewitching as this, It is peerless in terms of its brilliance, elegance and gentleness. Its bright silver spots on the golden skin along with the gems studded on it makes it look like the pleasant moon illuminating the forest. Ah, the luster, the grace, the rich bleat, it has won my heart! If it can be captured alive, it shall fill everyone with surprise and amusement. It will be an excellent addition to our royalty’s inner chambers where it will surely enchant you, bharata, my mothers-in-law as we go back to the royal palace at the end of the period of exile.
भरतस्यार्यपुत्रस्य श्वश्रूणां मम च प्रभो।
मृगरूपमिदं व्यक्तं विस्मयं जनयिष्यति।।3.43.17।।
If however, the deer cannot be caught alive, even its skin will make for a good bark and I will wear it, or if you spread its skin on a cushion, it will make a great seat where I would like to sit! Such intense insistence of a wicked desire might sound inappropriate for a woman, yet I am wonderstruck by the form of this deer”.
Even rAma was smitten by the lovely and radiant form of the deer with its complexion resembling the rising sun and following the words of sItA, he he was delighted and said –
“Hey lakshmaNa, look sItA has lost her senses on this deer and indeed such a beautful deer has not been seen in this forest. No, you will not find something like this even in the nandana gardens of kubEra, forget anywhere in the world. Look at the hair and the bright spots on its skin, they are very attractive and when it yawns, the mouth is bright like flaming fire and its tongue emanates like lightning from the mouth when it is yawning. With the face like an emerald pot and the belly like a conch who will not be smitten by such a lovely deer? Whose mind will not be wonderstruck with its golden complexion and the gems studded on it.
Kings go hunting to the forest and wielding their bows and hunt animals for their meat as well. The forest is a repository of treasure, that contains gems, minerals and a lot of wealth is extracted from the forest with great efforts and that just helps to fill the coffers of the kings. But this wealth cannot be enjoyed as much. The scholars and the learned call the real wealth as something that is pursued unhesitatingly.
The golden skin of this deer will have a feel not offered by the skin of any other animal. Vaidehi shall sit gracefully on it along with me. There is the other mRga that floats in the sky (the star mRgaSira). I reckon both the celestial mRga (deer) as well as this earthly mRga are both special indeed!
If, however, as you say, this deer is mAricha in disguise, then it becomes my duty to slay this demon as he has tormented and slain many a sage and king in the past with his deceitful tricks. Remember the legend of vAtApi, the demon who used to take the form of sheep, that was cooked and offered to sages and then once he entered inside, upon calling, he would assume his original form and come out killing the sages. This went on until one day he met sage agastya! He was offered as meat to sage agastya; the sage partook the meat and digested it instantly! The sage agastya smiled and told vAtapi of his destiny! O lakshmaNa, this demon shall meet a similar fate in my hands. He shall not live having deceived a righteous person like me.
O lakshmaNa, you be here in the hermitage, be alert and safeguard sItA. Her protection verily depends on the way we act. sItA is deeply longing for the skin of this deer and so I shall either capture the deer alive or slay him. With a single arrow I shall kill this deer and return soon with its skin. You be here, be very vigilant, be circumspect and skeptical, and should there be a need take the help of the giant vulture jaTAyu and safeguard sItA. I shall be back soon.
Here we conclude the forty third sarga of the araNya kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 