Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana had lived for nearly fourteen summers in the wilderness when they walked down the southern slopes of the Vindhya Mountains and into the Dandaka forest that covered central India. They were approached by a hag, gnawing on a raw bone. "I am Surpanakha, sister of Ravana, and I have chosen you Rama for my husband." When Rama politely told her he was already married to the lovely Sita, Surpanakha lashed out for Sita with her claw-like hands. Lakshmana caught her with his gold-handled knife and cut off her ears. Enraged and humiliated, Surpanakha raced back to her brother's palace. She told Ravana of the great feats of Rama, and of Sita's beauty. Ravana dismissed Rama as a mere troublesome human, but took a great interest in Sita and wanted her for himself. He went to his uncle the rakshasa (demon), Maricha, and asked him to transform himself into a Golden Deer and lure Rama away from Sita, so that he, Ravana, could charm her into becoming his Queen. Maricha eventually agreed to help the nagging, obsessed Ravana.

This manuscript leaf picks up the story with the appearance of the Golden Deer. Rama and Sita are playing a game of Parcheesi when the deer comes into view. "Oh Rama," says Sita, "please catch it for me. It is so beautiful." Lakshmana was immediately suspicious, but Rama followed the deer that led him further and further away from Sita. When Rama caught sight of the deer in a clearing, he drew his bow. As Rama's arrow pierced its heart, the deer changed back into its real demon form. With his dying breath, Maricha feigned Rama's voice and shouted, "Help me." Rama grasped the trick, turned, and ran toward home.

Lakshmana and Sita heard the cry, and Lakshmana again sensed demons at work. Sita, however, believed that Rama was in distress. She ordered and then shamed Lakshamana into going to find him. Lakshman drew a circle around Sita, and told her not to cross the line. He then vanished into the forest.

Ravana had his opportunity. In the lower register of the picture we see him in the form of a holy man approaching Sita to ask for food. She lifts her foot beyond the line to give him an offering. He begins to seduce her with sweet words, and when he gets nowhere —she speaks only of Rama — he reveals himself, picks her up screaming, and sets off for Lanka. The old, loyal Vulture King, Jataku, (seen in the manuscript as a white bird) hears Sita's cries and attacks Ravana in an attempt to free her. Ravana, however, succeeds in cutting off Jataku's wings and the bird falls to the earth dead. Ravana then fled for home. As they passed over the earth, unbeknownst to Ravana, Sita broke the anklets from her legs, pulled the earrings from her ears, and let them fall to earth as signs of her whereabouts. Only two monkeys standing on a Rishyamukha Hill saw the pair in flight, and they watched unblinking as Sita's jewels and scarves fell from the sky.

Click here to continue the story.

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