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Speaxinc these harsh words unto Ravana, Maricha being afraid of him said, “We shall both go. Surely shall I be deprived of my life by him (R&ma) taking up his scimitar and having a bow and arrows in his hands, if I go before him again. Meeting with his prowess thou shalt never return with thy life ; he is like the noose of Death unto thee though thou hadst baffled its power. Thou art vicious-souled,what can I do for thee ? Be thou crowned with success O ranger of the

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wight, I shall go.’ The Lord of Rakshasas being pleased with Maricha’s words embraced him warmly and said, “This tis worthy of thy heroism that thou hast addressed thyself to act after my desire. Thou wert another Rakshasa before and hast now become true Miricha. Do thou now with me ascend this chariot coursing in the air, crested with jewels and driven by asses having faces of a demon. Enchanting Maidehi thou shalt wend thy way and away shall I carry the daughter of the king of Mithila by force (when there shall be neither Rama nor Lakshmana by her.)’ Thereupon *Taraka’s son assented to Ravana’s words, and both of them ascending the chariot like unto. a heavenly car set out for the hermitage. And beholding diverse towns, forests, mountains, rivers, kingdoms and cities they reached the forest of Dandaka and the asylum of Rama. And descending now from the golden car the'lord of Rakshasas together with M Sricha beheld Rama’s asylum. Taking him (M§richa) by the hand Ravana spake saying ‘There stands the asylum of R4ma surrounded by palm trees. Do thou do that for which we have come here.” Hearing the words of Ravana, the Rakshasa M§aricha assuming the wonderful shape of a (golden) deer began to range at large before Rama’s hermitage. The points of its horns were like unto (two) excellent jewels, its countenance was diversified with white and black colour, its face was like a red lotus, its ears were like unto two blue lotuses, its neck was little raised, its belly was like a saphire, its sides were like unto Madhuka flowers, its color was like that of a filament of a lotus, its hoops were like unto Baidurjas (a gem of adark color); of lean thighs; of firm joints; its tail having the diversified color of a rainbow was upraised. It was of a pleasant and cool hue and crested with various jewels. And in no time the Rakshasa assumed the shape of a beautiful deer. To tempt Vaidehi that ranger of the night, assuming a beautiful countenance painted with diverse 76

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metals, illumining the beautiful forest and Rama's asylum with its beauty, and ranging at large on the green field and living on grass, began to proceed. That one of lively presence having its body painted with hundreds of silver drops and living on twigs of trees began to range in the forest. Sometimes walking into the plantain house, sometimes walking around the forest of Karnzké, sometimes coming within the compass of Sit&’s vision, that best of deer having its back painted with gold began to range slowly around the hermitage. It began to walk at pleasure near Rama’s asylum. Sometimes going, sometimes stopping, at one time running very swiftly and receding the next moment, that best of deer began to range at large. Sometimes playing around, sometimes lying on earth and sometimes following the deer-herd having come within the threshhold of the asylum and then followed again by them that Rakshasa assuming the form of a deer came back to see Sita. He then began to range at large in the beautiful forest (extending far and wide). Seeing him other forest-deer came (by him) and smelling him fled away into different quarters. That Rakshasa, though cxpert in killing deer, did not eat them up, though touching, inorder to hide his real self. In the meantime Vaidehi, of auspicious looks whose eyes inebriate like wine, being engaged in plucking flowers, was going sometimes to the Karnika grove and sometimes to the mangoe grove. That best of women, ever inured to living in the forest and possessed of a graceful countenance, walking and plucking flowers, saw that jewelled deer, having its body deversified with pearls and diamonds. It had beautiful teeth and lips and had its down resembling silver. She began to behold with affection and with her eyes expanded with surprise. That illusive deer seeing R4ma’s wife began to move around as if lighting up that forest (with the fire of its beauty). Beholding that deer ornamented with diverse jewels, and the like of which she

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‘taad' never seen before, the daughter of Janaka was struck ‘with immense wonder.