Shloka 3.44.24
मारीचवधः — The Slaying of Maricha (Golden Deer Deception)
हा सीते लक्ष्मणेत्येवमाक्रुश्य च महास्वरम्।ममार राक्षसस्सोऽयं श्रुत्वा सीता कथं भवेत्।।।।लक्ष्मणश्च महाबाहुः कामवस्थां गमिष्यति।इति सञ्चिन्त्य धर्मात्मा रामो हृष्टतनूरुहः।।।।
hā sīte lakṣmaṇety evam ākruśya ca mahāsvaram |
mamāra rākṣasaḥ so 'yaṃ śrutvā sītā kathaṃ bhavet ||
lakṣmaṇaś ca mahābāhuḥ kām avasthāṃ gamiṣyati |
iti sañcintya dharmātmā rāmo hṛṣṭatanūruhaḥ ||
That rākṣasa, crying out in a great voice, “Alas, Sītā! Alas, Lakṣmaṇa!”, fell dead. Hearing that cry, what would become of Sītā? And to what state would mighty-armed Lakṣmaṇa come? Thinking thus, righteous Rāma’s hair stood on end.
This demon Maricha screamed aloud saying, 'Alas, Sita, Alas, Lakshmana'. He is now dead. How would Sita react to this voice? What would be the condition of Lakshmana? While righteous Rama reflected on this, his hair stood on end.
Rāma’s mind turns immediately to the welfare of Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa, showing dharma as protective responsibility; his bodily shock (hair standing on end) reflects the gravity of a situation where duty to guard loved ones may be threatened by deception.
The cry imitates a truthful-sounding call for help, but it is produced through rākṣasa deceit; the episode highlights that dharmic action requires discerning what is true in intent and source, not merely what sounds true.