Sita Is Taken

In the hut, Sita heard the cry and panicked. She told Lakshman, ‘Your brother is in danger. Go at once!’ Lakshman explained, ‘Mother, no one in the three worlds can defeat Ram. This is a demon's trick. Brother ordered me to protect you.’

But in fear and worry, Sita said very harsh things to Lakshman, even doubting his intentions. Her words pierced his heart like arrows. With tears in his eyes, he prayed to the forest gods to protect Sita and, against his will, went to look for Ram. Popular tradition says that before leaving he drew a line around the hut, known as the Lakshman Rekha.

As soon as Lakshman left, Ravan came to the door of the hut disguised as a holy man and asked for alms. Taking him for a sadhu, Sita seated the guest respectfully and offered him food. Ravan praised her beauty and asked who she was. Sita simply told him all about herself.

Then Ravan revealed his true form and said, ‘I am Ravan, king of Lanka. Become my queen.’ Sita scolded him fearlessly: ‘Ram is a lion and you are a jackal. You are trying to touch the light of the sun.’ Enraged, Ravan seized Sita by force, put her in his chariot and flew into the sky.

Weeping, Sita kept calling, ‘Ha Ram! Ha Lakshman!’ She begged the trees, rivers, animals and birds to tell Ram that Ravan had taken her. The whole forest seemed to sink into grief. Hearing her cries, old Jatayu, asleep on a tree, woke up.