Shloka 3.43.8
मायामृगदर्शनम् (The Vision of the Illusory Deer)
एवं ब्रुवाणं काकुत्स्थं प्रतिवार्य शुचिस्मिता।उवाच सीता संहृष्टा चर्मणा हृतचेतना।।।।
evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ kākutsthaṃ prativārya śucismitā | uvāca sītā saṃhṛṣṭā carmaṇā hṛtacetanā ||
As Rāma spoke thus, Sītā—smiling gently—interrupted him. Delighted, and her judgment carried away by the deer’s beautiful hide, she began to speak.
Sita was too enchanted by the skin of the deer to retain her sense of discrimination. Intervening, she said to Rama joyfully with a pure smile on her face:
It cautions that dharma-guided action requires steady discrimination; fascination with outward beauty can cloud judgment and lead one away from satya (clear seeing of reality).
Despite warnings, Sītā is captivated by the deer’s appearance and interrupts, preparing to ask Rāma to obtain it.
The verse highlights a lapse of discernment rather than a virtue—showing how even the noble can be momentarily overcome by moha.