In the ancient woods of Dandakaranya, Sita’s impetuous rebuke fell harsh upon Lakshmana, severing his further chance to emphasize the paramountcy of her safety, as ardently stressed by Rama. Lakshmana’s frustration, ignited by the dire circumstance, was swiftly engulfed in a sea of anxiety, his thoughts riveted on Rama’s well-being.
Meanwhile, the demon king Ravana, ever patient and cunning, seized the opportune moment presented by the absence of both Rama and Lakshmana, who had unwittingly strayed from the Ashram, ensnared by his deceitful stratagem, leaving Sita vulnerably alone. Ravana, in the comfort of his malevolent scheme materializing as planned, swiftly disguised himself as a hermit, adorning smooth orange robes, a crest of hair, a traditional umbrella, wooden sandals, a divine staff, and a pious vessel. With a conservative cotton bag to collect alms, he approached the Ashram, a sinister calm emanating from his guise.
As Ravana neared Sita, the absence of her protectors cast a twilight over the forest, the atmosphere trembling at the intrusion of the wicked king. The trees quivered, the winds halted, and the swift Godavari slowed, all recognizing the ominous presence of the ten-headed, twenty-armed demon, poised to execute his nefarious design.
Sita, deeply concerned for her husband, was startled by the arrival of the hermit, whose appearance mirrored the semblance of Saturn nearing the star Chitra, a disguised predator cloaked in holiness. Ravana, with sweetened words and a facade of humility, extolled Sita’s beauty in language laden with erotic undertones, unfitting of his assumed hermit’s guise. He lauded her as surpassing all mortal and divine beings in allure and grace, questioning her presence in such a desolate forest and urging her to leave for a more fitting abode.
Sita, mistaking the demon for a genuine Brahmin hermit, performed the traditional guest offerings with reverence. She presented water from the sacred Godavari and fruits from the pure forest, upholding the decorum reserved for holy visitors. However, beneath this guise of piety, Ravana harbored his sinister intent, ready to abduct Sita and carry her off to Lanka.
In the discourse that ensued, Sita introduced herself as the daughter of King Janaka of Mithila and the devoted wife of Rama, recounting their exile into the forest due to Kaikeyi’s selfish demands. She extolled Rama’s virtues, his strength, and his unwavering commitment to truth and dharma, portraying him as an invincible protector and a beacon of righteousness.
Ravana, unmasked by Sita’s fierce rebuke, revealed his true identity and malevolent intentions, proclaiming his might and his desire to make her his queen. But Sita, unwavering in her loyalty to Rama, denounced Ravana’s advances with the ferocity of a lioness defending her pride. She compared Ravana’s inferiority to Rama in terms both vivid and scornful, highlighting the futility and danger of his desires.
Despite Sita’s spirited defense, Ravana’s sinister resolve only deepened. He continued to boast of his conquests and lineage, attempting to cow Sita with the terror of his past atrocities. But in her heart, Sita clung to the hope of Rama’s swift retribution, knowing that Ravana’s actions would only hasten his doom and reaffirm the cosmic order, where good ultimately triumphs over evil.
In the clash of intentions between the demon king and the virtuous princes, the stage was set for a conflict that would transcend the personal and touch upon the universal, promising a restoration of harmony in the cosmos through the unraveling of this grand narrative of righteousness and villainy.