Ravana orders his chariot, starts off alone to Maricha, and asks his assistance, who dissuades him from attempting to fight with Rama; but soon afterwards, when Suparnakha, with her mutilated face, appears before Ravana, she arouses his indignation. As he sat on his throne he is thus described:--

"A score of arms, ten necks, had he,
His royal gear was brave to see;
His stature like a mountain height,
His arms were strong, his teeth were white.
* * * *
"Ten thousand years the giant spent
On dire austerities intent;
And of his heads an offering, laid
Before the Self-existent, made." [*+]

The giantess retells her tale, exciting her brother's anger afresh. He immediately sets off again for the hermitage of the fiend Maricha, and asks him to assist in his exploit by assuming the form of a golden deer with silver spots, by which Sita's attention would be attracted.

"Doubt not the lady, when she sees
The wondrous deer among the trees,
Will bid her lord and Lakshman take
The creature for its beauty's sake."

Maricha, remembering the power of Rama when as a mere boy he went to assist the hermit Visvamitra, and

how he himself was wounded by him, again tries to dissuade Ravana. But this time he cannot prevail, and there is not much choice left him, for Ravana declares--

"Thy life, if thou the task essay,
In jeopardy may stand;
Oppose me, and this very day
Thou diest by this hand." [**]

Click to enlarge
RAVANA.

Maricha assumes the form of a deer, and, proceeding to the vicinity of the hermitage, attracts the attention

of Sita, who becomes anxious to possess it. Rama, leaving Lakshman to guard the home, goes in pursuit, and shoots it. As the fiend was dying, assuming Rama's voice, he cried out loudly enough to be heard by the wife and brother, "Ho, Sita! Ho, Lakshman!" They imagining that some evil had come to Rama, Lakshman hurried towards the spot whence the cry proceeded; whilst Ravana, who was waiting near, seized the opportunity to carry off the defenceless Sita. The demon did his best to induce her to yield herself an easy prey; but though she struggled hard, and cried for help to all who came near, none were able to deliver her. Held in his magical car, they reached Lanka, where she was placed in one of Ravana's palaces. He tried both by kind words and fearful threatenings to win her love; but kindness and cruelty were equally ineffective. To comfort her, Brahma sent Indra, who managed to elude the vigilance of her guards, and assured her of the sympathy of the gods, and of the fact that all would yet be well with her husband and herself.