The study says, Ravana decided to carry off Sita by stealth. His plan was that Maricha a Rakshasa should turn himself to a golden deer and prance around Sita. She would surely be charmed and ask Rama to catch it for her. The deer then was to entice Rama (and Lakshamana) away from Sita so that Ravana could surprise Sita and carry her away.
It happened almost as planned except Maricha was killed. Rama when he realised that it was not easy to catch the deer, grew impatient and surprisingly shot an arrow at it to kill. Anyway, Maricha a true martyr, made an abnormal cry imitating the voice of Rama before he died. Sita heard this cry and asked Lakshamana to go and help his brother.
Lakshmana certain that nothing had happened to his brother told Sita no harm could come to Rama and that he should not leave her. But Sita spoke cruel words to him and he with a heavy heart and gloomy forbodings obeyed Sita, went in the direction of the sound. And soon Ravana in the garb of a mendicant stood before Sita's cottage.
It seems that it was not just Shurpanaka who spoke to Ravana about Sita and influenced the subsequent events. In Valmiki Ramayana, Akampana, a spy of Ravana in Janasthana also had advised him to abduct Sita but with a differnt reasoning. 'Akampana rushes to him to break the news of annihilation of Janasthaana by Rama. He suggests Ravana to abduct Seetha. Because parting with Seetha causes grief to Rama and thereby he dies. On thinking for while, Ravana goes to Mareecha seeking his help in abducting Seetha...'.
But it also adds: This chapter is removed from the critical edition and retained by traditional versions There are discussions on this chapter whether it is the original work or an interpolated one.
This is something we have to get used to. Ramayana, like a living organism, mutated with time and location.
Maricha, who had an earlier brush with Rama and barely escaped with his life, spoke about Rama's capabilities and advised Ravana 'O lord of Lanka, chief of rakshasa-s, be pleased. Kindly go to Lanka and enjoy thyself the company of your wives. Let Rama enjoy with his wife in the forest'. Ravana convinced gave up and returned to Lanka.
However, Ravana mesmerised by Shurpanaka's description of Sita went back to Maricha and ordered him to become the golden deer, a suicide mission no doubt. Maricha had a choice, refuse and be killed by Ravana or agree and die at the hands of Rama. He chose the later. As it happens in our epics, he was not just a vassal of Ravana, he was his uncle. And it was his destiny to be killed by Rama.
In his previous life, Maricha was a servant of Jaya-Vijaya, the gatekeepers of Vaikuntha, the celestial abode of the god Vishnu. Once, displeased by his conduct, he was cursed by Vishnu to be born on earth as a rakshasa, but he be freed of the curse and return to Vaikunta, once he is killed by Rama, Vishnu's avatar. (wikipedia).
It appears that destiny once ordained by gods as in this case, there is no hope of escape. If one has to apply one's belief in karma, our fate is the result of our actions, it does get confusing! I am sure there are answers, we just need to dig deep!
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