RamarpaNam -- 333 -> 336

Jai Sri Ram.

Maareecha turns into golden deer to lure Seetha.

Pleased with Maareecha for going with Ravana, he hugged and said that only now he is the good old Maareecha though until now was all praise for Sri Rama. Maareecha differed saying he does not subscribe to What Ravana said ill of Rama. The two instantly, without waiting for any auspicious moment mounted on the Vhimana, aircraft like chariot brought by Ravana and flew past the Dandaka forest. For satanic deeds good or bad moments do not make much difference.

Disembarking at a distance from Rama's hermitage, while Ravana took to hiding Maareecha assumed the form of a dazzling golden Deer and grazed in front of Seetha, who was out collecting flowers and fruits for ablutions.

On spotting the deer Seetha invites Rama and Lakshmana to have a glimpse of the same.

Maareecha's assumed-form though is illusive and a deceit yet is not the non-existent one as the term mithya would mean. Maaya here means beyond belief or aascharyam. Seetha is lured by the external appearance or vishayAntara vyAmogam. On the other hand the Lord is the be all and end all as indicated by Namazhvar in His Thiruvoimzhi uNNum SoRu parugu neer thinnum vtRilaiyum ellam Kannan. DhAraga, Poshaka, Bhogiyam - the life-input, growth-input and the rejoicing-input. Eulogising Self or AtmAnubhavam is again a lesser goal than Service to God or Bhagava-thanubhavam.

In Tamil Amman means husband as well as antha + maan = the deer at a distance. Seetha is getting lured by Maareecha in the form of golden-deer-ammAn neglecting the near-by AmmAn, Rama- her husband and trouble ensues to Her in the form of abduction and separation from Him.

Lakshmana however immediately concludes it to be the work of Maareecha but Seetha, setting aside his comments requests Rama to fetch the deer. Rama, unable to deprive his power of resistance, is enthralled when he had a look at that deer and he explains to Lakshmana as to why He wish oblige Seetha.

Chasing behind the golden-deer, Rama is reminded of what Lakshmana said when the other deers do not keep company with the it, clearly indicating not a specious of their sort.

But the Lord who incarnates in all forms from Fish, Tortoise to Bore, He does it to perfection in such a way that He is accepted one among their own specious, despite His appalling qualities different from human or animal Kingdom.

Sri Andal Naachiyar while making a reference to Varahavatar describes Him as ''mAnamila PandRi'' . Periya VaachAn PiLLai refines it to abhimAnamilA PandRi. Swami Desikan calls it upamAnamilA pandRi in the context of avatAraththil maippAdu.

Rama finally fells the golden-deer, when Maareecha is escaping beyond reach leading far away from His hermitage, At the time of his death Maareecha shouts out for Seetha and Lakshmana imitating Rama 's voice. Presuming danger to Seetha He then returns to His hermitage.

Kulasekara Azhvar puts in a nut shell the felling of Maareecha by a single arrow as follows:

silai vaNakki mAn maRiya yaithAn Thannai

Thillai thiru chithirakoodam thannuL

thalai vaNakki kai koopi Eththalam...