||Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

 

Chapter – 12 - Aranya Kandam

Ravana abducts Devi Sita

Mareecha left mortal coil and attained the abode of Lord.   Rama hurried back from wood looking for Devi Sita and Lakshman. Devi Sita got alarmed listening to the miserable cries of Mareecha while leaving the mortal coil, mistaken it was Rama got into trouble in the woods. She cried out ‘Oh!Bhratha, your beloved brother is in trouble, go to him immediately.” Lakshman without leaving calmness addressed Devi Sita “Oh! Mother, listen to me, my brother Rama is capable to destroy the whole Universe with the movement of his eyebrow. Therefore how could he get into trouble?” Devi Sita could not take the pacifying words of Lakshmana in the right manner, she blamed him and suspected his virtue, soon due to the influence of Maya of Lord Ramachandra, Lakshmana moved to woods in search of Rama. Lakshmana left the protection of Devi Sita under Dikdevatha and Vanadevatha, rushed to the woods. At that moment, Ravana assumed the form of a Tapasvi and approached the hermitage of Rama. The deities and Asuras were under the constant threat of Ravana, could not take the meal or sleep in the night due to extreme fear, he scrutinized the place, looked around like a wicked Jackal and approached the hermitage. Sage Kakabhusundi speaks “Oh! Garuda, when a person practices the immoral ways of living immediately his Ojas, Thejas Buddhi, and courage will leave him." Ravana approached Devi Sita in the form of a Tapasvi, advised her Rajaneethi, and expressed extreme love and affection towards her. Devi Sita did not like his attitude, immediately Ravana assumed his original form, Devi Sita got terrified listening to his name. She gathered her courage and spoke “Oh! Wicked Ravana, My Lord Rama will be back in any minute, Oh! Rakshasaraja, you are inviting destruction to yourself and your clan, like the rabbit approaches the female lion.” Dhashamukha could not control his rage, in heart, Ravana was meditating upon the supreme Goddess who is Jagathjanani, Paramba, Bhagavathi cause of Universe and its living beings. He seized Devi Sita and got into his celestial vehicle and hurried through the skyway. He was extremely terrified to abduct the Jagathjanani, Jagamba, Paramba Bhagavathi, hence he could not drive the vehicle properly.

 

Devi Vaidhehi cried out loudly “Oh! Sharanagathavathsala, Oh! Raghunath who is the source of bliss to the cluster of lotus like Raghu clan, how could you become cruel to me? What was my sin? Oh! Lakshmana, you have not committed any mistakes, it was my anger that put me into a miserable state. My beloved husband is extremely compassionate; My Lord is not with me, how did I express my grief? It is like the offerings of fire sacrifices consumed by donkey.” Listening to the loud cries of Devi Janaki, the entire forest sunk in deep grief, all the living and non-living things stood motionless in utter shock. The king of birds Jatayu, recognized the cries as Devi Janaki who is the consort of his beloved Lord Rama. Immediately he could visualize Devi Sita in the custody of  Ravana in his celestial vehicle, was like a cow under the clutches of  Mleccha.  

 

Jatayu darted to the vehicle of Ravana, like Vajrayudha of Indra to the Mountain, and spoke “Oh! Daughter, do not worry, I will take care of this demon.”  Dhashamukha stunned watching the eagle and thought, “Is that Garuda or Mount Mainaka? Garuda and his Lord know my powers.” Soon he realized that it is aged Jatayu, Ravana haughtily spoke “Oh! Jatayu, you are going to meet your death in my hands.” Jatayu furiously darted to him and spoke “Oh! Ravana, listen to my advice, leave Devi Janaki, and return home safely. Otherwise, the colossal fire like Rama would burn down your entire clan like a firefly.” Jatayu dashed to Ravana and seized his hair and brought down to Earth, Jatayu took Devi Sita safely out of the vehicle and made her seated in a place, and he rushed back to Ravana and brutally attacked him with his sharp beaks. Ravana lost consciousness for half an hour, he regained consciousness and took his powerful sword and sieved off the wings of Jatayu. Soon, Jatayu lost its strength fallen on the ground remembering Lord Rama. Ravana seized Devi Sita and kept her back on the chariot and moved through the skyways. On their way, Devi Sita noticed a few monkeys were sitting on the hilltop; she loudly recited the names of Sri Hari and put down a piece of cloth. In this way, Devi Sita was taken to Lanka on the skyways, like a baby deer trapped in the catch of a hunter and kept her in the Ashokavatika. Devi Sita was threatened and pacified by Ravana and the female who was in charge of the Vatika, but Ravana could not break her mental courage and devotion to Rama, she kept contemplating upon that mesmerizing form of Rama who chased after the Mayamriga, she constantly recited the names of Sri Hari. She was kept under the stronghold of Ashokavatika, under the watchful eyes of dreadful female demons.