क्रियतां तत् सखे शीघ्रं यदर्थं वयमागताः। स रावणवचः श्रुत्वा मारीचो राक्षसस्तदा
'Friend, quickly do that for which we have come.' Hearing Rāvaṇa's words, Mārīca, the rākṣasa, then—
मृगो भूत्वाऽऽश्रमद्वारि रामस्य विचचार ह। स तु रूपं समास्थाय महदद्भुतदर्शनम्
Assuming the form of a deer, wandered at the entrance of Rāma's hermitage; he took on a shape wondrous and astonishing.
मणिप्रवरशृङ्गाग्रः सितासितमुखाकृतिः। रक्तपद्मोत्पलमुख इन्द्रनीलोत्पलश्रवाः
With horns of finest jewels, a face both white and black; a mouth like a red lotus, ears like blue lotuses.
किंचिदभ्युन्नतग्रीव इन्द्रनीलनिभोदरः। मधूकनिभपार्श्वश्च कञ्जकिञ्जल्कसंनिभः
With a slightly raised neck, a belly resembling blue sapphire; flanks like honey-colored flowers, and like the filaments of a lotus.
वैदूर्यसंकाशखुरस्तनुजङ्घः सुसंहतः। इन्द्रायुधसवर्णेन पुच्छेनोर्ध्वं विराजितः
Hooves shining like beryl, slender legs well-formed; with a tail radiant, colored like Indra's rainbow.
मनोहरस्निग्धवर्णो रत्नैर्नानाविधैर्वृतः। क्षणेन राक्षसो जातो मृगः परमशोभनः
Enchanting, with glossy hues, adorned with various gems; in a moment, the rākṣasa became a deer of supreme beauty.
वनं प्रज्वलयन् रम्यं रामाश्रमपदं च तत्। मनोहरं दर्शनीयं रूपं कृत्वा स राक्षसः
Illuminating the lovely forest and Rāma's hermitage, that rākṣasa, making himself delightful and pleasing to the eye—
प्रलोभनार्थं वैदेह्या नानाधातुविचित्रितम्। विचरन् गच्छते सम्यक् शाद्वलानि समन्ततः
To entice Vaidehī, adorned with various minerals, he wandered, moving perfectly across the green meadows all around.
रौप्यैर्बिन्दुशतैश्चित्रं भूत्वा च प्रियदर्शनः। विटपीनां किसलयान् भक्षयन् विचचार ह
Becoming charming, marked with hundreds of silvery spots, he roamed, eating the tender leaves of the trees.
कदलीगृहकं गत्वा कर्णिकारानितस्ततः। समाश्रयन् मन्दगतिं सीतासंदर्शनं ततः
Going to the banana grove, then to the kārṇikāra trees, he lingered with gentle steps, awaiting Sītā's sight.
राजीवचित्रपृष्ठः स विरराज महामृगः। रामाश्रमपदाभ्याशे विचचार यथासुखम्
With a back patterned like a lotus, that great deer shone; near Rāma's hermitage, he wandered at ease.
पुनर्गत्वा निवृत्तश्च विचचार मृगोत्तमः। गत्वा मुहूर्तं त्वरया पुनः प्रतिनिवर्तते
Again moving away and returning, the excellent deer wandered; after departing for a moment with speed, he would again come back.
विक्रीडंश्च क्वचिद् भूमौ पुनरेव निषीदति। आश्रमद्वारमागम्य मृगयूथानि गच्छति
Sometimes frolicking on the ground, he then sits down again; approaching the hermitage gate, he moves among the herds of deer.
मृगयूथैरनुगतः पुनरेव निवर्तते। सीतादर्शनमाकांक्षन् राक्षसो मृगतां गतः
Followed by the herds of deer, he turns back again, longing for Sita's gaze, the demon who has taken the form of a deer.
परिभ्रमति चित्राणि मण्डलानि विनिष्पतन्। समुद्वीक्ष्य च सर्वे तं मृगा येऽन्ये वनेचराः
He circles about, tracing dazzling patterns, and as he moves, all the other forest-dwelling deer gaze at him.
उपगम्य समाघ्राय विद्रवन्ति दिशो दश। राक्षसः सोऽपि तान् वन्यान् मृगान् मृगवधे रतः
They approach and sniff him, then scatter in all ten directions; yet the demon, delighting in the hunt, mingles with those wild deer.
प्रच्छादनार्थं भावस्य न भक्षयति संस्पृशन्। तस्मिन् नेव ततः काले वैदेही शुभलोचना
But for the sake of concealing his true nature, he does not eat, though he touches them; and at that very moment, Vaidehi of lovely eyes—
कुसुमापचये व्यग्रा पादपानत्यवर्तत। कर्णिकारानशोकांश्च चूतांश्च मदिरेक्षणा
Absorbed in gathering flowers, she wandered among the trees—karnikara, ashoka, and mango—her eyes intoxicating.
कुसुमान्यपचिन्वन्ती चचार रुचिरानना। अनर्हा वनवासस्य सा तं रत्नमयं मृगम्
Collecting flowers, the radiant-faced one roamed; unfit for forest life, she beheld that jewel-like deer.
मुक्तामणिविचित्राङ्गं ददर्श परमाङ्गना। तं वै रुचिरदन्तोष्ठं रूप्यधातुतनूरुहम्
The supreme lady saw the deer with limbs adorned in pearls and gems, with gleaming teeth and lips, and silvery, metallic hair.
विस्मयोत्फुल्लनयना सस्नेहं समुदैक्षत। स च तां रामदयितां पश्यन् मायामयो मृगः
Her eyes widened in astonishment as she gazed at him with affection; and he, the magical deer, looked upon Rama’s beloved.
विचचार ततस्तत्र दीपयन्निव तद् वनम्। अदृष्टपूर्वं दृष्ट्वा तं नानारत्नमयं मृगम्। विस्मयं परमं सीता जगाम जनकात्मजा
He wandered there, as if illuminating that forest; seeing that never-before-seen, many-gemmed deer, Sita, daughter of Janaka, was filled with utmost wonder.
thumb|त्रिचत्वारिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे त्रिचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ॥३-
Listen now to the forty-third sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇyakāṇḍa.
सा तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य सुश्रोणी कुसुमानि विचिन्वती। हेमराजतवर्णाभ्यां पार्श्वाभ्यामुपशोभितम्
She, of lovely hips, while gathering flowers, beheld him—his sides shining with the hues of gold and silver.
प्रहृष्टा चानवद्याङ्गी मृष्टहाटकवर्णिनी। भर्तारमपि चक्रन्द लक्ष्मणं चैव सायुधम्
Delighted and flawless in form, radiant as polished gold, she called out for her husband and for Lakshmana, armed.
आहूयाहूय च पुनस्तं मृगं साधु वीक्षते। आगच्छागच्छ शीघ्रं वै आर्यपुत्र सहानुज
Calling again and again, she gazed intently at that deer; 'Come, come quickly, O noble one, with your younger brother!'
तावाहूतौ नरव्याघ्रौ वैदेह्या रामलक्ष्मणौ। वीक्षमाणौ तु तं देशं तदा ददृशतुर्मृगम्
Thus summoned by Vaidehi, the two tigers among men, Rama and Lakshmana, looked about that place and then saw the deer.
शङ्कमानस्तु तं दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। तमेवैनमहं मन्ये मारीचं राक्षसं मृगम्
Seeing him, Lakshmana, suspicious, spoke these words: 'I think this deer is none other than Maricha, the demon.'
चरन्तो मृगयां हृष्टाः पापेनोपाधिना वने। अनेन निहता राम राजानः कामरूपिणा
'Roaming the forest, delighted in the hunt, kings have been slain by this shape-shifting demon, O Rama.'
अस्य मायाविदो माया मृगरूपमिदं कृतम्। भानुमत् पुरुषव्याघ्र गन्धर्वपुरसंनिभम्
'This is the illusion of a master of illusion; this deer form has been made by him, O tiger among men, shining like a Gandharva city.'