The abduction of Devi Sita....

So when Ravana planned to steal away Sita, he called for one of his uncle Marich, Marich was a powerful demon who could disguise himself into any shape he desired. Marich already had encountered Rama’s powers and was well aware of them. When Ravana asked for his help, he empathetically told Ravana that this was a foolishness and would only lead to the doom of his kingdom. However, Ravana didn’t heed to a word and reminded Marich of the favours he owed to him. Also he threatened to kill him should he not support his cause of abducting Sita. Finally, Marich reluctantly agreed to be a part of Ravana’s plot only after prophesying the catastrophic consequences of such an act.

Marich assumed the form of a golden deer and walked near to the shelter of Rama. Sita, who was fascinated at the sight of the deer said, “Rama look at that golden deer, I’ve never seen anything like that, please get that deer for me.” Rama to this replied, “I think this looks like a trick.” Sita didn’t heed and said, “No one can trick you, you are the hero of light, you are invincible, you are the Supreme Lord, just go ahead and get the deer for me.” Rama stated, “Sita, You have been in the forest with me for all these years (it had been almost thirteen years already, one more year was left to complete) and I haven’t been able to give you any comfort whatsoever, so certainly I will get the golden deer for you even though I think it is an illusion. 

Rama ordered Laxaman to stay and guard Sita and never to leave her side. Thereafter, he went off in pursuit of the golden deer, and when the golden deer ran farther and farther away from the ashram and the hermitage, Rama knew that there was some deceit and trickery in it, still he moved in pursuit. Finally, he was well away from the ashram hermitage and he took the arrow in his bow, and he shot the arrow and it landed into the chest of the deer, and the deer immediately became a demon and before dying called out in Rama’s voice, “Laxaman, I’m shot, I’m injured, I’m in the forest surrounded by demons, and I’m wounded and I’m unarmed and they are going to kill me, please come immediately and help.”

 

When Sita heard the Ram’s voice calling out, She said, “Laxaman, Go help your brother!” Laxaman tried to convince her and said, “Sita Maiya, no one can hurt Ram, he’s the Lord of the three worlds, this must be some trickery or deceit.” Sita anxiously replied, “How can I believe that this is trickery or deceit when my husband is calling out to me in anguish, please go and help him!” And Laxaman said, “Sita Maiya, I’ve been ordered by the Lord to stay here and guard you.” Sita to this replied, “I am the Queen, and I order you to go and find your brother!” Laxaman tried a lot to convince her but when she finally didn’t agree, he was left with no options. Before leaving, he took out one of his arrow and drew a line all around the hermitage and said, “This is a Laxaman Rekha. You must remain all the times inside this boundary. No one can cross this line. As long as you are within this line you will be completely safe and for no reasons shall you cross it unless I return with Lord Rama”. Having said this Laxaman reluctantly went ahead in the jungle in the direction where Rama had originally gone.

As soon as Laxaman departed and travelled some distance, Ravana, standing by in the woods, changed his appearance and came in the disguise of an old sadhu. He came to the hermitage gate and said aloud, “Bhiksham Dehi, Bhavati Bhiksham Dehi (meaning Please offer alms to me).” Sita was stunned, “What sadhu will come to me in the middle of the day, asking for alms. It is my dharma as an Aryan woman to give alms to anyone who asks. She said to him, “Please, you stand there at the gate and I will bring you some food.” Sita went inside the house to get some food, and Ravana came to the hermitage and he tried to cross the line. Every time he stuck his finger over the line, blazing fire would jump up and sting him. He put his foot there, and the fire burned his foot. In every way Ravana tried to cross the Laxaman Rekha, he was unable to do so. And then he understood.

Sita, came to the line, and remembered Laxaman’s word. She said, “Sadhu Baba, please, put your hands next to this line, and I will hand you the food over the line.” And Ravana said, “What do you think I am, Am I a beggar that you will feed me from afar, you won’t bring the food to me and let me sit down and have an asana and a glass of water and a clean place to enjoy my meal! What kind of woman are you to insult me? Well, I’ll tell you what kind of sadhu am I. I see that you’re traveling in the forest with your husband and his brother. I see that your husband has gone off in pursuit of a deer. I see that your husband has been wounded, and that his brother has left the hermitage to offer him help. I’m going to give you a curse that your husband will die soon, and Ravana took some water in hand imitating to deliver a curse. 

Sita who was impressed by the Sadhu’s foreseeing powers and frightened by his rage cried out “No, No, No, Stop! Don’t give a curse to my husband. I’ll come and give you the food!” Ravana put down the water and Sita decided to cross the line thinking that what harm a saint can possibly do to her. As soon as she came over the Laxaman Rekha, Ravana left his disguise as a sadhu and took his actual form. He grabbed Sita firmly and laughing aloud declared, “Sita, you belong to me.” He picked her up and carried her away in his Pushpak Vimaan (a flying chariot possessed by Ravana) by aerial route.