Shloka 3.64.18
गोदावरीतटे सीतान्वेषणम् — The Search for Sītā at the Godāvarī
एवमुक्ता नरेन्द्रेण ते मृगास्सहसोत्थिताः।।3.64.17।।दक्षिणाभिमुखास्सर्वे दर्शयन्तो नभस्थलम्।मैथिली ह्रियमाणा सा दिशं यामन्वपद्यत।।3.64.18।।तेन मार्गेण धावन्तो निरीक्षन्ते नराधिपम्।
evam uktā narendreṇa te mṛgāḥ sahasotthitāḥ | dakṣiṇābhimukhāḥ sarve darśayanto nabhasthalam | maithilī hriyamāṇā sā diśaṃ yām anvapadyata | tena mārgeṇa dhāvanto nirīkṣante narādhipam ||
Thus addressed by the king, the deer sprang up at once; all facing south, they pointed toward the expanse of the sky. Maithilī, borne away by force, was taken in that direction; and they ran along that path, again and again looking back toward Lord Rāma.
Thus asked by the prince, all the deer got up suddenly, and pointed towards the southern sky, the direction in which the princess from Mithila was carried off. Looking at the Lord of men (Rama), they started running in that direction.
As a recensional repetition, it reinforces the same dharmic theme: truthful signs in nature assist the righteous quest to recover the abducted and punish adharma.
The narrative repeats the deer’s directional संकेत (indication) toward the south, implying Sītā’s abduction route.
Persevering attention—continuing to pursue consistent clues without wavering.