Maareecha , a demon and an associate of Ravana, appears in 2 episodes of Valmiki Ramayana.
- In Bala Kanda, while trying to defile the Yagna of Sage
Viswamitra, he was thrown into the Ocean by the Maanava astra discharged
by Sri Raama. (Baala Kanda)
- In Aranya Kanda,
he was forced to take the form of Golden deer, to divert the attention of Sri Raama, and later was eliminated by Sri Raama (Aranya Kanda)
A spy of Ravana named Akampana rushes to him to break the news of annihilation of Janasthaana by Sri Raama. He suggests Ravana to abduct Seetha as parting with Seetha causes grief to Sri Raama and thereby he dies. On thinking for while, Ravana goes to Mareecha seeking his help in abducting Seetha. Mareecha while explaining Sri Raama's capabilities advises Ravana to be content with what he has.
Later Shuurpanakha narrates about Sri Raama, Seetha,
and Lakshmana and what had happened in Janasthaana. Thus she prompts Ravana to achieve Seetha as his
wife, for none surpasses Seetha in her beauty.
Ravana proceeds to Maareecha seeking his help in the abduction of Seetha. Ravana seeks Maareecha's help to abduct Seetha. He asks Maareecha to assume the
shape of a golden-deer and lure Seetha, and then Seetha asks Sri Raama and Lakshmana to fetch that
golden-deer. If Sri Raama and Lakshmana are distracted from the hermitage, Ravana can safely abduct
Seetha. Listening to this Maareecha is struck dead, because he is already struck with the arrow of Sri Raama when he was in Tataka forest. As such, Maareecha tries to explain Ravana about Sri Raama's
quintessence.
Ravana rebuts Maareecha for giving an unasked advice and details his plan to abduct
Seetha. Ravana intimidates Maareecha that he himself will kill Maareecha immediately if his orders
are disobeyed, and Maareecha may perhaps have no opportunity to die at the hands of Sri Raama. Finally when Ravana is
heedless of these advises, Maareecha prepares himself to die by the arrow of an enemy, namely Sri Raama,
rather than by his own clansman, Ravana.
On travelling by the aircraft like chariot Ravana and Maareecha enter Dandaka forest
and arrive at the threshold of Rama's hermitage. Then at the insistence of Ravana Maareecha assumes
the form of an amazing golden Deer, and Seetha catches a sight of that deer. On spotting the deer Seetha calls Sri Raama and Lakshmana to have sight of it. Lakshmana immediately concludes
it to be Maareecha, but Seetha, keeping his observation aside asks Sri Raama to fetch it. Sri Raama is also fascinated
when he looked at that deer and he explains to Lakshmana as to why that particular deer is to be hunted
down.
Sri Raama eliminates Maareecha when he is escaping beyond reach in the form of Golden
Deer. He sports with that deer for a long time and when it is leading him away and afar from the
hermitage, he is vexed with the trickery of the deer and kills it. At the time of his death
Maareecha shouts out for Seetha and Lakshmana, as demanded by Ravana. Sri Raama is perplexed at this
oddity of Maareecha and presumes that some danger is immanent and then returns to hermitage.
And, after departing of Lakshmana, Ravana abducts Sita.
This was the story available in the Aranya Kanda of Ramayana.
As Sita was abducted by Ravana, she does not know as to what happened back in Janasthana. Sita only knows that she was allured by an animal. That was what she says to Sri Hanuman.
नूनं स कालो मृगरूपधारी |
मामल्पभाग्यां लुलुभे तदानीम् |
यत्रार्यपुत्रं विससर्ज मूढा |
रामानुजं लक्ष्मणपूर्वजं च || ५-२८-१०
"Certainly that Time-spirit, assuming the guise of a animal, allured me, a woman of poor fortune at that time and to whom I, a stupid woman, sent forth (far away) Lakshmana and the noble prince Rama the elder brother of Lakshmana."
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Sage Valmiki retells the abduction story very briefly on 2 occasions.
1) In Kishkinda Kanda, Sri Hanuman learns the Sita's abduction details from Lakshmana .
सुखार्हस्य महार्हस्य सर्वभूत हितात्मनः |
ऐश्वर्येण विहीनस्य वनवासे रतस्य च || ४-४-१३
रक्षस अपहृता भार्या रहिते काम रूपिणा |
तत् च न ज्ञायते रक्षः पत्नी येन अस्य वा हृता || ४-४-१४
"He who aspires to keep up the well-being of all the beings, and he who is merited for all comforts and respectability is now devoid of his prosperity and predisposed to forest dwelling... such as he is, his wife is abducted by a guise changing demon in a lonely place, of whom we know not... we know not which demon stole his wife.
2) In Sundara Kanda through Sri Hanuman -
जन स्थान वधम् श्रुत्वा हतौ च खर दूषणौ |
ततः तु अमर्ष अपहृता जानकी रावणेन तु || ५-३१-१०
वञ्चयित्वा वने रामं मृगरूपेण मायया |
"Thereafter, hearing about the killing of demons in Janasthana, a part of Dandaka forest, in addition to killing of Khara and Dushana the demons, the enraged Ravana took away, Seetha, by deceiving Rama in creating an illusive image of animal (deer) in the forest."
अपकृश्ष्य आश्रम पदान् मृग रूपेण राघवम् |
शून्ये येन अपनीता असि तस्य द्रक्ष्यसि यत् फलम् || ५-३४-३२
"Showing an illusory antelope, Ravana detracted Rama and took you away from a deserted hermitage. You will see later, the consequence Ravana will get for this act."
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In both the occasions mentioned above, Sage Valmiki said that an illusory animal (may be golden deer) distracted Sri Rama and then Lakshmana and then Sita was abducted. Later it was mentioned that it was Ravana, who distracted Sri Raama.
However, elimination of a demon in the form of an animal was not mentioned.
As Lakshmana did not say anything about elimination of animal, elimination of Mareecha might be an interpolated story.
Further, Maareecha might not have accompanied Ravana.
So it was Ravana alone, who diverted the attention of Sri Raama and Lakshmana in the form of Deer, and abducted Sita. Mareecha was not mentioned here.
When Lakshmana narrates the story to Sri Hanuman, he said
that a guise changing demon abducted Sita, but never added that the
animal was killed by Sri Raama.
My doubt is that Ravana might have allured Sita in the form of a golden deer, diverted Sri Raama into far off
jungle, thereafter might have mimicked the voice of Sri Raama and forced
Lakshmana to leave Sita alone. Then disappearing from the vicinity of Sri Raama and abduction of Sita was very easy for Ravana .
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As Lakshmana did not say anything about elimination of animal, elimination of Mareecha might be an interpolated story.
Further, Maareecha might not have accompanied Ravana.
So it was Ravana alone, who diverted the attention of Sri Raama and Lakshmana in the form of Deer, and abducted Sita. Mareecha was not mentioned here.
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